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Villagers in Church Hanborough were so determined not to see their beloved church closed on safety grounds, that they raised the funds needed for repairs before the appeal had been officially launched!
A ground-breaking community hub – The Branch – has opened in Chipping Norton, thanks to years of support from St Mary’s Church in the town.
Celebrations took place this weekend as 15 deacons were ordained at Christ Church Cathedral.
The bicentenary of John Henry Newman’s first sermon was celebrated on 23 June in the tiny Oxfordshire village of Over Worton where he had preached exactly 200 years before, and in the very same church.
Nineteen deacons were ordained priests at four services across the diocese this weekend. Services were held at Dorchester Abbey, St Mary’s Amersham, St Giles Church Oxford and Reading Minster.
A fire juggler helped to launch the 150th anniversary celebrations at St Laurence’s church in Caversfield, Bicester. The performer was part of the Pentecost all-age service which is part of the programme of outdoor services during the summer months.
Two intrepid (and fit!) members of the diocese joined the bi-annual fundraising cycle from Westminster to Islip on Sunday. Bishop Gavin and our Finance Director John Orridge hit the saddle to tackle the Islip Big Bike and raise funds for St Nicholas church, Islip, and local school, Dr South’s CofE Primary.
It has become customary to ring a bell to signal the end of cancer treatment. Seven-year-old Sarah rang the biggest bell she could find – at her local church – to mark the end of two and a half years of treatment.
Some congregations faced with the challenge of raising £120,000 to save their church might have given up before they even started. Not St Helen’s in Dry Sandford!
Bishop Gavin raised more than £1,700 for two good causes with his abseil at Dorchester Abbey on Saturday.