We have plans for a great range of services and activities during the season leading up to Christmas, so do browse below. Also, we give a summary of all the services for Advent and Christmas in all three churches, which you can download here.
Advent
On Advent Sunday we begin again the Advent journey of anticipation and hope that leads us to kneel at the manger and gaze on Christ as he gazes on us. In these four weeks we prepare ourselves inwardly to meet God in the daily reality of our lives. The God we follow is a God who cares about our lives and gets involved with us – not just at Christmas but always. As we prepare inwardly so we also ask ourselves how our lives can change outwardly in response to his love for all his people and our world. That is the task of the Advent journey. May we travel it well.
Advent Hope
Now is the season of hope unfolding, the dark winter season, when hope waits to be born. Let us come before God with receptive and willing spirits. May our souls magnify God’s name and our spirits rejoice in God our Saviour. Kate McIlhagga
We start the season with Advent Sunday on 30th November. As usual at our morning services we will be gathering Christmas gifts to be distributed to families in our area who might not otherwise receive any. These will be dealt with by the Bicester Early Help and Home Start Oxford, which covers Kidlington etc.
Message from Home Start:
“I can’t believe Christmas is nearly upon us once more! I hope you don’t mind me reaching out, but you and the congregation were so generous last year in supporting our Home-Start families and I wondered if you were thinking of donating again this year? We are once more looking for vouchers and books suitable for children aged 0-5.
In the past year, Home-Start Oxford has provided vital support to over 541 families with young children, our highest number yet. This record reflects both the growing need for our services and the extraordinary dedication of our staff, volunteers and supporters. Many families we have supported over the last year have faced multiple challenges, with financial hardship, social isolation, and mental health struggles often compounding one another and placing immense strain on parents.
Alongside our trusted home-visiting service, our free programme of baby and toddler groups now runs every day of the week, ensuring more families can access the support they need. Parents tell us that having a volunteer visit each week is “a lifeline,” helping them feel less isolated and more confident in their role as a parent. These stories remind us why our work matters so deeply.
We are incredibly grateful to your congregation for standing alongside us. Every donation
you make this Christmas will go directly to families, helping ease pressures – especially at
Christmas – and ensuring children have the best possible start in life. With your support,
we are making a real difference to families who need us most. Thank you.
So please bring gifts to any of the three churches on Sunday the 30th November (Advent Sunday). Thank you !
We are also delighted that our choir and choristers will be leading our Advent Carol Service – a service of music and readings, at 5.30pm in St Mary’s Kidlington.
Then we will have the first of our Sunday evening services of Compline, 9pm in St Mary’s Kidlington.
Each Sunday this Advent we will be holding the beautiful contemplative service of Compline at 9pm in St Mary’s Kidlington.
This Advent the Posada will be travelling round the village again. For those unfamiliar with this it is the Virgin Mary, Joseph and a donkey in a small basket. We celebrate their journey to Bethlehem by welcoming them into our homes for a night or two before moving them along to the next house on the list. It started from St John’s on Advent Sunday and will end at St John’s on Christmas Eve.
Sunday 14th December, 5.30pm, St Mary’s Kidlington
‘Presence and Absence’ is a very special Christmas service where we are able to acknowledge that Christmas time brings great grief as well as great joy. It’s OK to feel down at this time of year; you are not alone. In this service we can remember those we love who are no longer with us, or all the other situations that can seem hard for us in this season. You are very welcome.
Saturday 6th December & Sunday 7th December
Following last year’s successful first festival, St Mary’s Kidlington will once again be hosting its Christmas Tree Festival in December for two days – 6th & 7th December, concluding with the Community Carol Service at 5.30pm on the 7th. Organisations and individuals have sponsored and decorated the trees and our beautiful stable scene has reappeared, filling the church with Christmas joy. This year the festival will be in aid of Papyrus, which works to prevent suicide in young people, and the Noor Society, which works with disabled people in refugee camps in Bethlehem; see
https://www.papyrus-uk.org/ and https://noorsocietyfordisabled.wordpress.com/home/
Refreshments will be available throughout the weekend.
If you would like to take part or support this event in any way please contact Malc, our Administrator, office@kidhp.org.uk
After the Advent Carol Service in St Mary’s Kidlington on 30th November there will be a number of other opportunities for this most festive, friendly pastime:
- Sunday 7th December – Community Carol Service – 5.30pm, St Mary’s Kidlington
- Saturday 13th December – Broadway Carols on the Green – 6pm, Oxford Road end of Broadway Green
- Tuesday 16th December – Hampton Poyle village – 6pm, from first house in village from Oxford Road
- Sunday 21st December – Nine Lessons and Carols – 5.30pm, St Mary’s Kidlington
- Christmas Eve 24th December – Carol Service – 5pm, St Mary’s Hampton Poyle
Please note the new venture on Saturday 13th – inviting the community to join in carol singing on the green at Broadway. This will be accompanied by live music and hot drinks and refreshments will be available. Please invite friends and neighbours to join us.
Children and young people are always welcome to any of our services, but over this season there is a lot planned especially with them in mind.
All Together Sunday 7th December
- Christingle Making in the All Together service, 10am at St John’s
Sunday 21st December
- Nativity Play in the Parish Holy Communion service, 10am at St John’s
Christmas Eve
We do hope that many families will be able to join us for one of these services.
- Christingle service at 3pm at St Mary’s Kidlington
- Crib Service at 4pm at St John’s
- Carol Service 5pm at St Mary’s Hampton Poyle
Also
Do see the above items on Posada and Christmas Tree Festival, both of which are great for all the family.
Christmas
See “Children’s Specials” above for Christmas Eve services for children and their families.
On Christmas Eve there will be Midnight Mass services at St Mary’s Kidlington, starting at 11pm, and St John’s, starting at 11.30pm.
Christmas morning will see services for Christmas Communion at 10am in St Mary’s Kidlington and St Mary’s Hampton Poyle (but not St John’s).