| View this email online if it doesn't display correctly |
| | |
|
|
|
| | |  |
Today is Thanksgiving and according to American lore the first Thanksgiving took place in 1621. The feast hosted by the Pilgrims to thank the Native Americans for teaching them what crops would grow into a bountiful and successful harvest. Though we don’t have the same heritage here, this Thanksgiving celebration prompts us to find a quiet moment ourselves to reflect on our many blessings.
With yesterday’s news, we may want to express our gratitude for Jo Cox’s life and all that she stood for. In the words of her husband: “Jo represented the best of our country, driven by her desire to help everyone. She was deeply committed to community, she was warm, open and extremely empathetic. Jo was powerful not because of the positions she held but because of the intensity of her passion and her commitment to her values”. Despite Jo’s tragic death I pray that her values and approach to life may continue to have an impact on many.
And so in the Spirit of Thanksgiving, Alan and I would like to thank all those in the congregation and the whole University Church wider family for the wonderful support you have given us and hopefully will continue to give us during this interregnum. The theologian Timothy Radcliffe, in his book ‘What is the point of being a Christian?’ says that the search for truth is not something done alone but in community, what he calls the: "pleasure of pursuing the truth in good fellowship. We can only have the confidence to engage in such a courageous task if we are sustained by friendship." Every day we are faced by personal and spiritual challenges but by acknowledging each other’s gifts, being thankful for them and using them, together we can foster a community that can shine forth our friendship and faith together. Happy Thanksgiving.
The Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker
Co Acting Priest-in-charge
|
| | Services
—Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12.15pm
Lunchtime Eucharist —
Sunday 27th November First Sunday of Advent Lassus Missa Qual Donna Byrd, Rorate caeli desuper
10.30am - Choral Eucharist Preacher - Prof Elisabeth Dutton |
| | Advent Appeal
Oxford Food Bank is hosting a giant Christmas Dinner. The guests will be families struggling to cope with the cost of Christmas, people who would otherwise be on their own, homeless people and others on the breadline. We have been asked to help with providing presents. We aim to fill 50 washbags with toiletries, socks, underwear, torches and a few treats like chocolate. We also hope to fill 40 rucksacks with presents for children. Any contribution of any item or any cash donation will help us reach our target.
Please go to the Adam de Brome chapel after the service for full details and to pick up a washbag or rucksack to fill. Thank you.
|
| | | | Forthcoming Concerts & Other Events
—
Check out our website and Facebook pages.
|
| | The Point of Love
29th November
Charlotte Bannister-Parker in discussion with Bishop Colin Fletcher on 'Sexual Identity and the Church of England'. 7pm in the Chancel for Discussion and Q&A followed by refreshments.
|
|
| |
| | | The Moot
1st December: Moot with Revd Dr Stephen Wright on 'Storytelling', 7.45pm, Old Library
In this session I will invite us to think about the purpose of storytelling and especially the storytelling of Jesus. We will consider a few of his well-known and lesser-known stories and explore the effect they may have had on his their hearers. We’ll ask what this tells us about the purpose and style of Jesus’ ministry, and also what this might mean for the ministry and mission of the Church today.
|
| | | Advent and Christmas
4th December Christingle Service, 9.30am International Advent Carol Service, 6.00pm
11th December Reflection morning for Advent
|
| | Grapevine Revisited
If you are willing to be involved in the goodwill support of members of the congregation, please join other volunteers at about 12 noon today in the vestry. If you can undertake home or hospital visits, prayer support, transport or other help, or if you would like someone to help you, please get in touch with Donald Reece (01865 792 678, donald@elmershouse.co.uk).
Syrian Families
Oxford has been welcoming to the city Syrian families from refugee camps in the Middle East. There is another Syrian family arriving in Oxford on 7 Dec – parents with two children, a boy and girl aged 10 and 13, and the mother is pregnant. We still have some funds remaining from previous appeals and have offered to soft furnish the whole house. We therefore need your help again. If there is anyone who has not yet contributed or would like to donate again, please see Margaret Lipscomb or Janet Greenland after the service. St Mary’s has been tremendously supportive of this project and we’d like to thank everyone who has already been so generous.
|
|
|
