St Oswald's, Durham

We are a Church of England parish with a strong tradition of music in worship, where all are very welcome. As an ancient Church in the centre of Durham, St Oswald's is a reservoir of peace for all who enter it.

The Sunday Eucharist is at 11:00am, and we have a play and books corner by the font for any younger worshipper who feels a parent or carer would enjoy it there. Evensong is at 6:00pm on Sundays, either in the chancel, or roughly every other week during term time when the usual hymns expand to a full choral setting, in the body of the church. Midweek Holy Communion is at 10:00am on Wednesdays, and the church is usually open from 9:30am till round about 5:00pm (or dusk, if earlier) on weekdays.

The latest editions of the weekly news-sheet and music notes are in the 'News' tab, and please ask if you'd like to join the mailing list. Here are links to bell ringing and choir and concert info. We have a strong connection with St Oswald's Primary and Nursery School, and with our neighbouring parishes within The Benefice of the Three Saints—St Mary's (Shincliffe), St Mary's (Coxhoe) and St Helen's (Kelloe). 

Wednesday, 15th July 2026 - Ordinary Time: The Feast of St Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, C862 [Lesser Festival]; The Feast of St Bonaventure, Friar, Bishop and Teacher of the Faith, 1274 [Commemoration]

'St Swithun's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain;
St Swithun's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain na mair.'

Traditional Rhyme for the Feast of St Swithun

The Collect of the Day:

Almighty God, by whose grace we celebrate again the feast of thy servant Swithun: grant that, as he governed with gentleness the people committed to his care, so we, rejoicing in our inheritance in Christ, may ever seek to build up thy Church in unity and love; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Common Worship 

Verses from the First Reading Appointed for Today's Morning Prayer:

Samuel as Judge

Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Astartes from among you. Direct your heart to the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’ So Israel put away the Baals and the Astartes, and they served the Lord only.

1 Samuel 7:3-4, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition

A Prayer for the Feast of St Bonaventure:

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee. 

Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savour and every delightful taste.

May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savour; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God; may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquillity, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably.

Amen.

St Bonaventure 

A Prayer for All Who Are Affected by the Wildfires Currently Spreading Across Much of Europe:

Holy God, in you alone we find safety and shelter. Be a sure refuge to all suffering from wildfires. Grant courage, protection, and favourable weather to firefighters and emergency responders; embrace with supportive communities all who are newly displaced or homeless; comfort those grieving all that has been destroyed and give patience to those who are anxious, not knowing when relief will come. Heal your whole creation, that out of flame and ashes new growth will spring forth. We pray through Jesus Christ, our life and our strength.

Amen.

The Parish of Upper Island Cove - Part of the Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador (The Anglican Church of Canada)

Durham Diocesan Prayer Cycle Deanery Intention for the Month:

July 2026 - Wearmouth Deanery

A Prayer of St Oswald of Northumbria:

Let us kneel together, and pray the true, the ever living and almighty God to protect us in his mercy from the arrogant savagery of our enemies, for he knows that we fight in a just cause for the preservation of our nation.

Amen. 

Saints of the North 

(Prayed by King Oswald with his Army on the Battlefield on the Eve of the Battle of Heavenfield, AD634)





















Get in touch

Revd. Peter Kashouris

St. Oswald's Vicarage,
Church Street

DH1 3DG
Vicarage
0191 374 1681
Parish Office
0191 383 0830
What's on

Sung Parish Eucharist

Occurring
Every Sunday at for 1 hour, 15 mins
Venue
St Oswald's, Durham
Address
Church Street Durham, DH1 3DQ, United Kingdom

The worshipping heart of parish life; a Common Worship service including Holy Communion, with refreshments afterwards in the Institute across the road.

All are very welcome.

Sunday, 19th July 2026 - Ordinary Time: The Seventh Sunday after Trinity

Sung Parish Eucharist followed by Refreshments in the Institute

Officiant:
The Reverend Peter Kashouris (Rector)

Hymns:
Please visit the 'News and notices' section

Psalms:
Please visit the 'News and notices' section

Readings:
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

The Collect of the Day:

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

A Passage of Scripture Taken from the Gospel Reading Appointed for the Day:

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.’ He answered, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

(Matthew 13:36-43, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition)

Durham Diocesan Prayer Cycle Intentions for the Day:

Hospital Chaplains: Ms Joanne Nicholson and the Reverend Kevin Tromans - Co Durham and
Darlington; The Reverend Canon Remi Omole - Sunderland; Vacant - Sherburn; The Reverend Gareth Rowlands and the Reverend Joan Urwin - Gateshead and North Tees and Hartlepool; The Reverend Pat Bealing and the Reverend Gordon Tough - South Tyneside; The Reverend Canon Colin Jay, the Reverend Debbie Baker and the Reverend Christine Britcliffe -Tees, Esk and Wear Valley)

Anglican Communion Prayer Cycle Intentions for the Day:

The Province of the Episcopal Church of Sudan: The Most Reverend Ezekiel Kumir Kondo - Archbishop of the Province and Bishop of Khartoum

Durham Diocesan Prayer Cycle Deanery Intention for the Month:

July 2026 - Wearmouth Deanery

The Post Communion:

Lord God, whose Son is the true vine and the source of life, ever giving himself that the world may live: may we so receive within ourselves the power of his death and passion that, in his saving cup, we may share his glory and be made perfect in his love; for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

Amen.

***Unless otherwise stated, all hymns are from Common Praise: A new edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern (2000); *SP = Sing Praise: Hymns and Songs for Refreshing Worship (2010).***

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Upcoming services and parish news.

Safeguarding

The parish of St. Oswald's, Durham is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults.

Please click through to our safeguarding page for more information.

St. Oswald's safeguarding page

St Oswald's, Durham Charity No. 1196296