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).
Upcoming Services:
Sunday, 18th October 2026 - The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist; Church Action on Poverty Sunday: Sung Parish Eucharist (Common Worship) at 11:00am, and Said Evensong with Hymns (1662 Book of Common Prayer) at 6:00pm
All are very welcome.
Sunday, 18th October 2026 - Ordinary Time: The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist; Church Action on Poverty Sunday
The Collect of the Day:
Almighty God, who calledst Luke the physician, whose praise is in the gospel, to be an evangelist and physician of the soul: may it please thee that, by the wholesome medicines of the doctrine delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls may be healed; through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Common Worship
The Epistle Appointed for the Principal Service on the Feast of St Luke the Evangelist:
As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.
As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Do your best to come to me soon, for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds. You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message.
At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
2 Timothy 4:5-17, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition
A Prayer for All Medical Professionals on the Feast of St Luke the Evangelist:
Sanctify, O Lord, those whom thou hast called to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of disease and pain. Strengthen them by thy life-giving Spirit, that by their ministries the health of the community may be promoted and thy creation glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Ministration to the Sick, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer (The Episcopal Church)
We pray especially today for our friends who worship and serve at St Luke's, Ferryhill (the Benefice of Chilton St Aidan and Cornforth and Ferryhill in Plurality).
A Sonnet for the Feast of St Luke the Evangelist:
Luke
His gospel is itself a living creature
A ground and glory round the throne of God,
Where earth and heaven breathe through human nature
And One upon the throne sees it is good.
Luke is the living pillar of our healing,
A lowly ox, the servant of the four,
We turn his page to find his face revealing
The wonder, and the welcome of the poor.
He breathes good news to all who bear a burden
Good news to all who turn and try again,
The meek rejoice and prodigals find pardon,
A lost thief reaches paradise through pain,
The voiceless find their voice in every word
And, with Our Lady, magnify Our Lord.
Sounding the Seasons, the Reverend Dr A Malcolm Guite (former Chaplain of Girton College, University of Cambridge), Canterbury Press Norwich
A Prayer for Church Action on Poverty Sunday:
God, we pray for your mercy upon those who hurt, those whose voices are silenced, those who faithfully persist in speaking truth to power:
We pray for those silenced for speaking out against corruption, and for those who continue to demand justice;
for those silenced for speaking out against greed;
and for those who continue to cry out for a fairer distribution of wealth.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Amen.
Church Action on Poverty
(This year's theme is 'Food, Faith & Fellowship'.)
The Post Communion:
Almighty God, who on the day of Pentecost didst send thy Holy Spirit to the apostles with the wind from heaven and in tongues of flame, filling them with joy and boldness to preach the gospel: by the power of the same Spirit strengthen us to bear witness to thy truth and to draw everyone to the fire of thy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Common Worship
A Prayer for Black History Month (October 2026):
Loving God,
You have created all things and by your will they have their being.
We rage at a system that teaches and treats black people as if they are not made in the image of God and created equal.
We seek redress for the years of torment and trauma of being othered.
We repent of a system that still demands black people justify their place in every space.
We pray for your liberating kingdom and kin-dom to come on earth as it is in heaven.
The light of the Lord has come, the glory of the Lord is rising.
Lord, shine and arise within us, as we rise, we rise.
Amen.
The Right Reverend Dr Rosemarie Mallett - Bishop of Croydon (Diocese of Southwark) in Rage & Hope: 75 Prayers for a Better World (Christian Aid), ed. Chine McDonald and Wendy Lloyd, SPCK Publishing, 2021
Durham Diocesan Prayer Cycle Deanery Intention for the Month:
October 2026: Darlington Deanery
A Prayer of St Oswald of Northumbria:
Let us all kneel, and together beseech the true and living God Almighty in his mercy to defend us from the proud and cruel enemy; for he knows that we have undertaken a just war for the safety of our nation.
Amen.
(Prayed by King Oswald of Northumbria and his army on the battlefield on the eve of the Battle of Heavenfield)
St Oswald's, Durham Charity No. 1196296
