News

The annual All Souls’ service will take place on Sunday 2nd November at 3pm in St Mary’s Church Charlbury. All are very welcome.

At this service, the names of those who have died, especially over the last year, are read out and remembered in prayer and there is an opportunity to light a candle in their memory. If you would like a loved one who has died remembered at this service please give their names to the Vicar or another member of the clergy.

All are welcome to our special candlelight service for All Saints Day at Shorthampton Church on Saturday 1st November at 6pm. This is a service of Holy Communion, followed by refreshments after the service.

Photo by Nicola Fioravanti on Unsplash

St Mary’s church has recently raised money for our sister church in Slatyne, Ukraine. The town depends on wells for water as the mains water infrastructure has been damaged by the war. Two of these wells have now been seriously damaged by recent attacks by the Russians. Our donations have enabled them to re-build these wells (photos to follow)

Meanwhile we also bought new winter tyres for the vehicle they use for distribution of aid.

Paddy 

October 2025   

Sharing God’s love with others is at the heart of our discipleship, as is prayer.   As Christians we know the power of prayer through Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit, but in the busy-ness of everyday life it can be easy to find ourselves gradually becoming anxious and lethargic – in effect prioritising ourselves, rather than God.  This is what happened to someone I know who recently shared how despondent and tired they are with our world which seems increasingly immoral, very lacking in compassion and bereft of strong leadership, to the extent they are mentally and physically exhausted and fast losing interest and energy in actioning change in this state of lassitude.   This brought to mind the unconditional love God has for us all, expressed so beautifully in Paul’s letter to the Romans.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

Perhaps this autumn we could pause to take stock of our own faith journeys and ask ourselves these questions:

Are we continuing to move forward with Christ? – let us use this autumn to strengthen our commitment to God.

Have we become a bit ‘start and stop’ in our faith journey? – let us pray God gives us the strength to persevere in Hope and in the knowledge of Christ alongside. 

or Perhaps we feel we are in a spiritual desert where the future looks lonely and dry? – with our gaze upward and outward, let us pray for God’s strength to seek afresh the depths of His love as we wait on His Word and direction.

Loving God, we thank you for your love, abundantly given by Grace. 

We pray for all who struggle in the present political global situation. May integrity, humility, compassion and courage sweep your world Lord, instilling a sense of purpose and honesty.  May your Love be felt in the midst of lethargy, filling all with renewed energy and Hope, and may your light shine where darkness rules.  

Help us Lord, even in challenging times to see and appreciate the beauty of your Creation in the foliage around us, as it takes on the vibrant colours of autumn, brown, gold, orange and red – a riot of spectacular and stunning beauty.  We give you thanks.  In Christ we pray.  Amen.

Revd Tish Bird

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

See previous Reflections here

The Harvest Festival Service at All Saints Church will take place on Sunday 12th October at 6pm. All are welcome. Produce will be taken to Cornerstone after the service.

It was a great joy to celebrate the baptism of Monica and Laurie, and the Confirmation of Sadie, Ewan, Monica, Laurie, and Anna on Sunday 5th October, at St Mary’s Church. Many congratulations to them all and may God bless their journey of faith with us.

Cornerstone recently turned 5 years old! Read about its many accomplishments and the difference it has made to families and individuals in this community of Charlbury. Our thanks to Jo as manager for all her support and work, to Dine and Margie for initiating the project, to St Mary’s Church for establishing Cornerstone and to our many friends and neighbours who support it in so many ways. THANK YOU!

Our Harvest Festival Service at St Mary’s will be held at 10am on Sunday 28th September. This year, if you have produce to bring, please bring it to church in time for the Sunday service on 28th September. It will be taken to Cornerstone later where it will be used to help provide food for local families in need of extra support.

If you would like to make a financial donation, this year we are collecting for Slatyne in Ukraine. Our friends there have told us that the wells they rely on for water have been damaged in recent bombing so they would be glad of support to help repair and rebuild them. To add your donation, please use St Mary’s regular donation page. If you would like to make a cash or contactless donation, please get in touch with one of our churchwardens Paddy or Dine, or our Treasurer Peter. You can also write a cheque made out to ‘Charlbury PCC’. Many thanks for your continued support.

Congratulations to our very own Sebastian (and to George and Dave) on being installed as chorister at Christ Church Cathedral! The boys were installed last Sunday 14th September. Very well done, and all the best for your choral journey! Official announcement here.