Subject: News from the University Church

 

Raise the song of harvest home


by Patricia O'Neill


Harvest Festival is a tricky one. It’s very tempting to relapse into a childlike version of jolly haymakers, rosy apple-pickers and kindly farmers providing us with the fruits of the earth. Give me a little of the fruit of the vine and I would happily engage in a harvest dance right down the aisle. We all know the reality is agri-business, globally one in four people moderately or severely food insecure, while others expect perfect produce plastic-wrapped in supermarkets and we see a curious collection of offerings at church, where enormous inedible marrows jostle with canned baked beans. So naturally at the first notes of ‘We Plough the fields’ or ‘Come ye thankful people come’ we gratefully relapse into the comfort of God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world. Who wouldn’t want to indulge in the fairytale when the bitter reality is that it is very much not all right with the world?


This may always have been true. There have always been the lords of the manor and the peasants, the have and the have-nots, the overfed and the hungry. It may be just that the extraordinary expansion of knowledge and ways of communication have confronted us reluctantly with the devastation we have wrought on creation whilst embedding inequality in every outpost of human existence. However, when the celebration at harvest suppers was for those whose hard work had ensured the gathering in and storing of produce against the barren days of winter, it had a meaning that is almost impossible for us to find today. We find some meaning in gratitude for what we have and an intention that the world should be more equal, but no more so than we should every waking day of our lives.


So I search for meaning at this season and find that what I can do is celebrate the beauty of God revealed in autumn: glowing colours, gentle light and a bounty of fruits and vegetables, cultivated or freely available in the hedgerows. A glorious burst of fruitfulness before the slowing into late autumn and the darkening of the days. It’s such a powerful metaphor for life. We emerge into the world, learn and grow, develop and change, then our lives turn and we experience a time to reap what we have sown, to show forth our fruitfulness, to reflect and calm ourselves before the greatest adventure of all when our life’s pilgrimage finds its end in the love of God.

Harvest Festival at the University Church

Climate change is continuing to have a profound effect on the planet, disproportionately affecting the poorest communities in the global south. Recently floods, exacerbated by climate change, devastated vast areas of Pakistan, killing 1,400 people, injuring nearly 13,000, destroying 1.7 million homes and 3.6million acres of crops. In addition to our annual collection of tinned food to support the Community Emergency Food bank (please place tins on the De Brome Tomb before the service), there will be a retiring cash collection at the end of this service to support the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal in Pakistan. To give online use:

https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/emergencies/support-dec-pakistan-floods-appeal

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Notices


SPONSORED ABSEIL, TOMORROW, SAT 8 OCTOBER

I'm not very good at heights so abseiling from St. Mary's Magdalen, Oxford will be a bit of a challenge. It would be great if you could sponsor me to raise for money, through the Disasters Emergency Committee, to help the people whose lives have been devastated by the recent catastrophic flooding. Having been cancelled due to the Queen’s death my abseil, raising funds for the DEC, has been rescheduled for this Saturday 8th October. It would be wonderful if you can support this charity's urgent work by following the link or QR code to donate. Many thanks to those who already have. https://app.investmycommunity.com/campaigns/smv-christian-aid

Tess Blenkinsop


PARISH LUNCH

This Sunday there will be a parish lunch in the Old Library. All are very welcome.


FREE LUNCHTIME RECITAL SERIES: 1PM THURSDAYS

The first in our new Thursday lunchtime recital series will take place on 13th October as we welcome Kenny Fu, student at the Royal Academy of Music, with a programme to include works by Mussorgsky and Liszt.


CANDLELIT TOUR

On Thursday 13 October, there will be a Candlelit Tour of the University Church starting at 7.30pm. The tour will culminate in the beautiful office of Compline in the Chancel. Places are limited so please book online here.


QUIET CREATIVITY

Saturday 15 October, 10am-1pm, Old Library

Join us for a morning of quiet companionship and bring a project, a book or just enjoy the refreshments.


OXFORD HALF MARATHON: 16th OCTOBER

Please be aware that there will be road closures affecting access to the University Church on 16th October due to the Oxford Half Marathon. Please leave additional time to travel or to walk from your relocated bus stops. You can check the route on this map.


PARISH FORUM: 12PM SUNDAY 16th OCTOBER

We're delighted to be opening the new Parish Forum series this term with a talk and discussion led by The Revd Lyndon Webb, Associate Chaplain of Merton College. Lyndon will be speaking on the theme of spirituality of gardening.


LECTURE: HUMAN FLOURISHING: 7.30PM 22ND OCTOBER

Why are we here? What makes for a good life? Join Kathy Sykes, presenter of BBC hit Rough Science, and Andrew Briggs, Oxford University Professor of Nanomaterials and author of Human Flourishing to question the role of technology and the nature of truth in our world. Tickets available at: https://if­ oxford.corn/event/human- flourishing/


COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS: 11.15AM WEDNESDAYS until 7 December

During Michaelmas Term we are offering Coffee and Doughnuts on Wednesday mornings in the De Brome Chapel as a way of extending our ministry of hospitality during the week and reaching out to our wider community. Do come and invite others for this weekly informal chance to drop in and chat.


SUPPORTING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

The Diocese of Oxford has joined Citizens UK in providing a safer, more streamlined system designed to provide support for those undertaking the sponsorship process for supporting Ukrainian Refugees. For more information on hosting or supporting refugees visit: www.oxford.anglican.org/everyday-faith/becoming-a-christian/how-to/make-a-difference-in-ukraine.php


NEW TO ST MARY’S? If you are new to St Mary’s and have started coming to services in the last six months or so, we may not have your contact details. If you would like to find out more about what is going on at the University Church, please email admin@universitychurch.ox.ac.uk with your name, address and telephone number and ask for your name to be added to the Parish Directory. This directory is used only by parish staff but it enables us to get in touch with you as the need arises.

St Mary's Church, High Street, OX1 4BJ, Oxford, United Kingdom

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