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Violence and hatred can never be the solution

We are aware of the need to draw the diverse communities of Oxfordshire together in this time and renew bonds of friendship and a common commitment to peace.

We invite all people of goodwill from across Oxfordshire who can come together for a vigil for peace in Broad Street in Oxford on Sunday 5 November at 5pm.

There will be short reflections, shared grief and words of comfort offered. We will light our candles together at 5.15pm, standing in silence as an act of solidarity with those who suffer on all sides of the conflict.

Together, we are horrified by the violence that we are seeing in Israel and Palestine, and the suffering of ordinary people who have lost loved ones and who fear for their own lives and for friends and family members. We hold all the victims and their loved ones in our prayers.

We stand together here in Oxfordshire as religious and community leaders to say that we must continue the good work of community and relationship building that has taken place over many years.

We support and encourage all those working to facilitate honest and respectful conversations and to strengthen the network of good relations, friendships and trust between our communities of which we in Oxfordshire are so proud.

Let peace and understanding be the solution.

See the full list of faith and community leaders at oxford.anglican.org/vigil

O God of all justice and peace, we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land. Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths – Jews, Muslims and Christians and for all people of the land. While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom, where all people are treated with dignity and honour as your children, for to all of us you are our Heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The Very Revd Canon Richard Sewell, Dean of St George’s College Jerusalem.  

Christmas Tree Festival – St Mary’s Kidlington, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th December

If you would like to take part or support this event in any way please contact David and Rosemary Meara for further details and an application form: david.meara14@gmail.com

Carol Singing around the streets of Kidlington, from 6pm,Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th December – also in aid of SANDS and EDUKID

Do you love singing carols in the open air? Or are you good at knocking on doors with a charity money bucket? These two evenings are for everyone of all ages and whether or not you can sing. Each evening we will visit a few streets who have been leafletted in advance (can you do a leaflet drop for us the week before?) We will sing under the lamp posts and try to finish in a pub or house for mulled wine and mince pies. Please put the dates in your diaries and tell others – lots of people like singing carols and everyone is welcome. Any musicians out there who would like to come along and accompany us?

We have done this for many years in Hampton Poyle and you are also welcome to join us on Tuesday 19th December in Hampton Poyle.

It is with great sadness that we announce that our dear Martin died in the early hours of Thursday 17th August, peacefully in the Churchill Hospital with Diana and family at his side.

In his eight years with us he has accompanied many people on their journey into God’s arms and when he came to make that journey himself he did so with thankfulness for the blessings of each new day of life, the gift of love given and received, and appreciation for simple and precious moments. We too are thankful for the love and faithful service that Martin gave among us and the way he has pointed us to God. We pray now for Diana, Paul, Joel, and Adam, and the grandchildren who gave him such deep joy.

The lady chapel at St John’s will be open each day in daylight hours for the next week or so for anyone who would like to spend a quiet time of remembrance there. There will also be a Book of Condolence available for anyone to add their thoughts.

Please feel free to email Felicity (felicityscroggie@gmail.com) or ring her (07821542182) if you would like to talk at any time. 

Rest now in peace, good and faithful servant, held in the arms of God.

Please see below for the Invitation to Services for Martin. The links in the notice are also given afterwards for ease of use. You can view or download the service sheets here.

Link for the Funeral Service, 11am, 8th September:

www.facebook.com/KidlingtonAnglicanChurches

Suggested causes for donations:

www.asylum-welcome.org/donate

www.justgiving.com/page/martins-garden-kidlington

We have a few prizes left over from the Win A Day Out stall at the Fete. We are therefore offering them to the congregations, and friends of the parish in a “Sealed Bid” system. If you are interested in any of the prizes below, please submit your bid in a sealed envelope to the office (office@kidhp.org.uk) or Tilly (tilly@kidhp.org.uk). Please feel free to share this bidding process with your friends, if they may be interested.

Trips available:

Where	Prize	Value	Valid
Didcot Railway Centre	Family Ticket Voucher	£45	to 26/05/2024
Broughton Castle	Free Entry for 4 People	up to £44	July-Sept 2023
Laser Kombat	Family Pass	£34 to £47.80	to 01/09/2023
Snakes & Ladders	£25 Gift Voucher	£25	to 19/05/2024
Oxford Playhouse	Pair of Complimentary Tickets	£20-£62	to 31/05/2024
Loose Cannon Brewery	2 x Tour Tickets worth £15 Each (can split)	£30	to 01/07/2024
Bekenscot Model Village & Railway	Complimentary Ticket, 2 Adults + 2 Children	£35.90	to 9/05/2024
Batsford Arboretum & Garden Centre	Complimentary Family Ticket, 2 Adults + 2 Children	£22.50	No expiry

On Saturday 15th July we will be re-launching as ‘Kidlinks’, with our very own website
and a party at St John’s to celebrate! There will be lots of fun crafts and activities
available in the hall for 0-5 year olds and their siblings, a SENsory quiet room, bouncy
castles on the forecourt, a glitter tattooist, Simon the magician and balloon modeler,
freshly made pizza from Uggy’s pizza van, a huge array of cakes, teas and coffees to
purchase, picnics, and lots more! We are also going to be officially ‘cutting the ribbon’
on our garden area, so we would like as many families to join us as possible and make
this a celebration not to be forgotten! So come down and join us from 12-3pm for
playtime in the hall, a party on the forecourt and picnics on the green

To find out more about all we are already doing at the Hub, just go to Kidlington Community Hub and look out for news of the new Kidlinks website coming soon.

Our super Parish Fete is coming soon! It will be in and around St Mary’s Kidlington on Saturday 1st July, 12.30pm to 4pm. There will be plenty of entertainment, a Lego Challenge, BBQ, beer/wine tent, lunch/tea available and lots of interesting stalls to browse. And the ever-popular Dog Show will be held at 2pm. Do come along for a fun afternoon – even if it rains there will be plenty to do and see inside the building.

St Mary’s Hampton Poyle is hosting a Coffee Morning with Bring & Buy and Bake Sale on Saturday 24th June, 10.30am – 12.30pm. Do come along to browse, buy, or just watch the world go by as you chat over a cup of coffee.

Did you know our Summer Sunday Teas are back at St Mary’s Kidlington? We started the season with a fabulous celebration on the coronation weekend. But they are no less joyful on an “ordinary” Sunday. Come and enjoy tea/coffee and homemade cakes between 3pm and 5pm in St Mary’s Refectory (round the back of the church).