Sunday December 1st: Advent Sunday
8am Holy Communion. President: Revd Prof Rob Gilbert.
10am Parish Eucharist with Forest Sunday School. President: Revd Canon Dr Margaret Whipp. Preacher: Revd Emily Hockliffe Essex. Deacon: Revd Emily Hockliffe Essex. Organist: Andrew Patterson
6pm Advent Carol Service
Sunday December 8th: The First Sunday of Advent
8am Holy Communion. President: Revd Prof Rob Gilbert
10am Parish Eucharist with Forest Sunday School. President: Revd Emily Hockliffe Essex. Preacher: Revd Prof Rob Gilbert. Organist: Andrew Patterson
Midweek Services
Morning Prayer: 9am Tuesday and Thursdays in the Lady Chapel
Midweek Communion: 10am Wednesdays
Thank you from Laura
Thank you all so much for the wonderful send-off you organised on Sunday. Everything about it was so special – from the music, speeches, amazingly generous presents, delicious food, and all the messages of love and gratitude. I feel so blessed to have served at Holy Trinity’s Vicar and I will be holding you all in my prayers as I prepare to move. You are warmly welcome to my licensing service on January 19th at 5.30pm at Balliol College Chapel. With love and prayers, Laura.
Save the date
The Bishop of Oxford formally license Laura to her new post at Balliol College Chapel on Sunday January 19th at 5.30pm. All are welcome to attend the service of Choral Evensong. We ask for God’s blessing upon Laura and we pray for her ministry in her new calling.
A prayer for the vacancy
God of vision and hope,
we thank you for all who have ministered here throughout the history of this church.
In this time of vacancy,
may we continue to grow in love,
share in responsibility,
and seek your vision for our future,
in the name of Jesus Christ, our shepherd and our guide.
Amen.
Advent Carol Service tonight at 6pm
All are welcome as we look forward in hope to the coming of Christ.
Bake-a-thon Fundraiser for HTHQ Eco initiatives and for WWF raised £110.35 with all cakes bought! Our thanks to the girls from our Empowered Group for their hard work and for everyone who supported the event.
Christmas as Holy Trinity 2024:
Carol Singing Pilgrimages
Wednesday 18 December & Friday 20 December beginning at 4.30pm
All-age Nativity Service
Sunday 22 December at 10am
Christmas Carol Service
Sunday 22 December at 6pm
Christingle Services
Christmas Eve at 2.30pm & 4pm
Midnight Mass
Christmas Eve at 11.30pm
Christmas Day
8am Said Communion
10am Family Eucharist
Hearing Loop Update
This is now up and running for all services.
Headington Fairtrade closure
It is with great sadness that Headington Fairtrade which has been trading for nearly 15 years is to close at the beginning of January. Headington Fairtrade (formally known as The Windmill) was started by a group of people with a passion for Fairtrade – 3 of the original 5 directors came from Holy Trinity and it grew out of a monthly church Traidcraft stall. Due to a combination of factors outside our control, the time has come to cease trading. Please do support the shop during the last few months of trading and carry on buying Fairtrade goods in the future; it really does make a difference. Rachel Walding.
Posada 2024
What is Posada all about? During the evenings leading up to Christmas Day, a nativity set of Mary and Joseph travel around the parish, visiting a different member of our church family every night. This provides a great opportunity to meet new church members or get to know others a little better as you transport Mary and Joseph to the next home on the rota. There is a prayer to say as you welcome them into your home and as you set them off on their journey to the next one. If you would like to offer Mary and Joseph a home for the night this Advent, please contact Helen Dancer at helen@nsolve.com or phone: 07854173016 (text probably best), giving me suitable dates and I will add you to the rota. I have also given Helen Day access to the rota (Parish Office), so you can contact her to take part. I will have the rota with me in church, so catch me after the service to sign up. I hope there will be room in your inn this year! Helen Dancer
HTHQ 175 Talking History
The HTHQ175 committee have put together a programme of talks celebrating Holy Trinity’s 175th Anniversary year:
Next Wednesday 4 December Blessed Virgin Mary Revd Emily Hockliffe Essex
Wednesday 8 January C.S. Lewis’s Oxford Prof Simon Horobin
Further dates to be announced.
The evening begins with refreshments at 6.45pm, the talk beginning at 7pm, and discussions close at 7.45pm. All are welcome in church.
Julian Group
The December meeting will be on Friday 6th December at 2.30 pm at 19 Stephen Road. Please note change of venue. We meditate for half an hour on a passage provided by one of us and then discuss it before having a social time with tea/coffee and biscuits. New members are very welcome. Please contact me for further details: Sheila Allcock 01865-769630
Tots Mornings
Open to all babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in term time in the Coach House on Tuesdays. Stay & Play will be 10-11am and Story & prayers 11am – 11.15am. No need to book just come along. All are welcome.
This week’s Eco Tips
Warm Spaces: With Christmas looming, investigate your store of seasonal decorations and craft items. Did you find tinsel, glitter, glittery cards, and metallic foil gift wrap? If so, re-use them. The overall impact on the environment is less than re-equipping with non-tinselly/ glittery items. Hilary Rollin, Eco Group
Eco Resources Autumn/Winter 2024
If you are looking for information on ECO matters, you might like to follow the link below for ideas on book titles, links to Zoom sessions (live and recorded), talks etc. Hilary Rollin, Eco Church Group. Go to: https://www.hthq.uk/eco-church-resources/
Pastoral care team
Are you in need of support or would you like to talk to someone? We rely on you to let us know of anyone who is ill, or in hospital or who might welcome a visit. Please contact any of the clergy (numbers below) or Helen Day, Janet Masters, or Anne Tarassenko.
