News

Join us for the first Charlbury Community Breakfast on Sunday 1^st September 9am in St Mary’s. Everyone welcome. This will be followed by a service at 10am.

Calling all children and young people – School Bag blessing 

Sunday 1^st September 10am.  Come along to the 10am service for a back to school blessing. Bring your bags and pencil cases!

The theme of this year’s Holiday Club was The Charlbury Paris Olympics. We had five groups of ten children, with each group representing one of the Olympic rings. The rings, in turn, represent the five populated continents of the world. The Olympics were to promote – Liberty, Equality and Friendship and intended to bring all the world together.

The children heard a bible story each day which had a sport within it – archery from Samuel, rowing from Luke, sprinting from Jonah and climbing from Mark.

A variety of activities were enjoyed, including singing, music making, crafts of all kinds and games. Every day we were entertained by a funny drama too.

Thanks to the support of lovely kind adults, young helpers and the Churches Together in Charlbury, and above all the children, our Holiday Club was a very  happy event.

Rachel Gallagher

Photos by Paddy Gallagher

A selection of choir members from St Mary’s will sing Choral Evensong on Sunday 11th August at 6pm in All Saints Church Shorthampton. All welcome.

Tragedy, Bravery and Mystery: Beating the Bounds 1924

This is a tale of tragedy, since three children drowned in the Evenlode. Of bravery, since heroic efforts at rescue led to the award of two medals for gallantry. And mystery – since it is difficult to understand why the final group of boundary walkers took the punt upstream from where others had crossed safely, and with such catastrophic consequences. Using eye-witness accounts, testimony at the inquest, and contemporary photographs, Rob Stepney pieced together the events of that fateful day.

The film will be shown in St Mary’s Church Charlbury at 11.30am on Sunday 28th July.

Once again Wilderness is supporting St Mary’s Church, and have kindly donated two lots of 2 adult general camping tickets, worth £556 per pair, which are auctioning during the first two weeks of July to raise funds for St Mary’s and its community initiatives.

Details here. You can place your bids by emailing danielajenkins@btinternet.com

Bidding ends at 12noon on Friday 12th July. Thank you for your support.

St Mary’s Church gratefully acknowledges the support of The 2024 Wilderness Festival.

A new chasuble for the ‘Green’ Trinity season of the Church’s liturgical year was presented on Sunday 30th June to our Vicar Fergus. It was given by Leah Fowler in memory of Derek, who died in March 2021. Derek gave much of his time to the church, not least being a bell ringer and choir member for many years, as well as verger. We remember his service and friendship with love and thanksgiving.

St Mary’s ran the coffee/tea/cake tent at Charlbury Beer Festival on Saturday 29th June. The array of home made cakes was staggering. A huge thank you to everyone who baked, served, washed-up, helped set-up, helped tidy-up, took payments and helped make the tea tent a huge success. All proceeds from the tea tent were for Church funds, and we managed to raise just over £2000.

Many thanks to all of the volunteers who worked so hard to make the event such an astounding success. It could not happen without all your enthusiasm and help!

Charlbury Churches Holiday Club – The Charlbury Paris Olympics

Tues 30th July – Friday 2nd August 10am – 12:30pm, St. Mary’s Church, Charlbury

For 4 to 11 year olds (Reception – Year 6). £25 for the four mornings, further siblings can attend for £20

Reduced fees available – please ask.

Optional afternoon sports sessions £15/day.

Please complete the booking sheet and the permission form. Paper copies available from the school office or Christine Pearce.

Spaces for the mornings and afternoons are limited – your booking will be confirmed once it has been processed.

These stunning flower arrangements were placed in church for a wedding on Saturday 15th June in St Mary’s.