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Oxford Winter Night Shelter
OWNS operated from January to March providing shelter for 34 people whose stay varied from one night to 88 nights. It kept them safe through a very cold winter and it kept them in touch with support workers. Many have now been housed. One guest said that without it he wouldn’t have survived. Seven churches each provided ten beds one night per week with guests referred by the Oxford Homeless Outreach Team. Some guests were working in low-paid jobs but couldn’t afford Oxford’s high rents. Some came from Eastern Europe to make better lives but, with no recourse to public funds, ended up sleeping rough. Guests arrive at 21.30, are welcomed, offered drinks and snacks and are in bed by midnight. They are woken at 07.00 and, after some breakfast, leave at 07.30. They can book a bed for the next night unless they caused problems. There were no problems; our guests were cold and tired and wanted to sleep. Each venue is staffed overnight by a shift leader and three volunteers who each get four hours rostered sleep. Additional volunteers come for a couple of hours to help set up and clear away. In 2019 we will be doubling our capacity with twelve venues and two open each night. Each venue has a twinned church to support it. SMV is twinned with Wesley Memorial Methodist Church. We shall be seeking your support in January. In the meantime, the collection from our Christmas Carol Service will be given to OWNS.
Paul Thompson
Paul is the University Church representative in the OWNS initiative. |
| | The Week Ahead
This Sunday
Sunday 9 December Second Sunday of Advent
10:30 Sung Eucharist
Preacher: The Revd Dr William Lamb 15:30 Evening Prayer (said)
Next Week
Monday 09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel 12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
Tuesday 09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
Wednesday Ember Day 09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
Thursday Lucy,304
09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel 12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
Friday John of the Cross, 1591 09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
Saturday
Next Sunday
Sunday 16 December The Third Sunday of Advent
10:30 Sung Eucharist
Preacher: The Revd James Crockford 15:30 All-Age Christingle |
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| | Oxford Food Bank Christmas Presents for Children
The University Church has again been asked to contribute to the Oxford Christmas Lunch by filing rucksacks with presents for the children who attend this celebration. The distribution and collection of the rucksacks will take place between 25 November and 16 December. |
| | Oxford Winter Nigh Shelter
Oxford Winter Night Shelter run by the churches together in Oxford will be doubling its capacity this winter. They will be opening two churches each night of the week from 1 January to 31 March 2019. They still require volunteers for evening, night and early morning shifts. There are two more training sessions coming up. Details are:
2.00pm to 4.00pm, 9 December
New Road Baptist Church, Bonn Square, OX1 1LQ
10.00am to 12.00pm, 19 December
New Road Baptist Church, Bonn Square, OX1 1LQ
Please email project.manager@ownsoxford.org.uk to register your interest and book yourself on a training session.
Further information is available at www.ownsoxford.org.uk or speak to Victoria Mort or Paul Thompson. |
| | | Gatehouse Christmas Presents
Please take socks, gloves, scarves, hats, underpants, chocolate bars to the Gatehouse before Wednesday 19 December, when a wrapping party will be wrapping them up. Please bring your unwrapped offering to the Gatehouse, St Giles Hall, Woodstock Road on Sunday afternoon, between 3.30 and 6pm, or between 4.30 and 7 pm weekdays. Alternatively you can drop them at Wesley Memorial Church, preferably during the morning, which is kindly acting as a depot.
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