Sunday 6th July, The Third Sunday after Trinity11:00am Parish Eucharist & Baptism 6pm EvensongSunday 13th July, The Fourth Sunday after Trinity11:00am Parish Eucharist 6pm EvensongPlease see the Calendar of services attached.Mid-week service: Wednesday 10am Holy CommunionPlease see David’s Music Notes attached.Parish magazine : The 40-page Summer issue of the magazine is now available, with plenty of news about church, school and community; local history - and more.As usual, copies will be delivered to regular subscribers and extra copies are available from the back of church. (Price £2)Foodbank – Weekly message from Lynda Delf :On 29th June 15kg of food was donated in Church, a local Parishoner gave 7kg of food and £10. On 22nd June £20 and 3kg of food was donated. In total this will provide meals for 32 people, many thanks for your continuing kindness.In June £140 and 42 kg of food was given by Parishioners, this will provide meals for 53 people and the money will be used to buy more food.At our foodbank we always need longlife milk and fruit juice also toilet rolls and household cleaning materials as well as sugar, jam, biscuits, coffee, squash, kettle food and tinned fish, meat, potatoes, spaghetti hoops, rice pudding and fruit.Thank you for all you do to support your local foodbanks. Many thanks for your generosity including those who anonymously give money.Cash or cheque donations for the foodbank: These should be posted through the door at 23 Church street Head, rather than the Institute letterbox. Cheques can be made payable to Durham Foodbank. Here is a link to the gift aid form:https://durham.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-money/Thanks for your generosity, LyndaConsultation on Elvet Waterside: https://letstalkcountydurham.co.uk/en-GB/projects/elvet-waterside-outdoor-gym-equipmentAmongst the sick please pray for Andrew Perry, Angie Robley.Please pray for the repose of the soul of Christopher Wright RIP, whose funeral will be at St. Oswald’s on Wednesday 23rd July at 11:30amWith All Good Wishes and Prayers, Peter
There has been a bonfire every year in the churchyard for hundreds of years, and this year's bonfire took place, for once, on 5th November itself. Our usual crowd was even bigger than previously, with St. Oswald's schoolkids, students, and longstanding residents enjoying the fire, the sparklers, and the refreshments. Thanks to everyone who came and made it such a lovely evening, to Roz Layton for organising everything brilliantly, to everyone who contributed toffee, biscuits and sweets, and to Giles Radford, Scout Leader extraordinaire, silhouetted in the photo, for building and superintending the magnificent fire.
Oswald, King of Northumbria 634–642ᴀᴅ, was instrumental in bringing Christianity to this region, and is celebrated on 5th August every year with a choral evensong at the cathedral in which we traditionally join to celebrate our patron saint. Generally, we meet in church for a short prequel, and then peregrinate the 715 yds. (0.65 km) across Kingsgate Bridge to the mother church, though this year for a variety of reasons we made our own ways there. Nonetheless, we were very graciously welcomed by the Dean as the 'pilgrims' from St. Oswald's, and three of our younger members made a fine job of processing His Northumbrian Majesty's banner to the high altar.The banner party is pictured here with other members of the congregation, in an image that has been watercolourised to try and rescue a truly dreadful snap.
ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏ ᴄʀᴇᴅɪᴛ: ᴛʀᴇᴠᴏʀ ꜱᴍɪᴛʜCongratulations to David Harris, our much-loved organist and choirmaster, who is joint winner of the 2024 Laudemus! competition with his setting of the anthem Hail, Gladdening Light! for SATB and organ. Laudemus!, an adult choir which meets annually to sing evensong in churches down in Dorset, will be singing the winning anthems at Wimborne Minster on 10th August, which by happy coincidence is also David's birthday.The Royal School of Church Music will be publishing both winning pieces, and our choir at St. Oswald's will be singing Hail, Gladdening Light! just as soon as it has been premièred.David has been Director of Music at St. Oswald's since his second year at Durham University in 2014. Before that, he was an organ scholar at Portsmouth Cathedral, and works as a performer, teacher, and church musician.
