Meet our ministry team

Revd Canon John Tattersall (Associate Priest)

John Tattersall is a non-stipendiary minister, and has been an Associate Priest in the benefice since June 2007 when he was ordained, having previously been a church warden in Swalcliffe parish.

He is a retired chartered accountant who now works part time as a non-executive director on the boards of a number of companies and charities in addition to his duties in the benefice. He is also Chair of the Diocese of Oxford trustee company - Diocesan Trustees (Oxford)  Limited - and was until 2021 Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance.

John read Economics at Cambridge University, and subsequently studied theology at the South East Institute for Theological Education (now St Augustine’s College of Theology).

In 2021, in recognition of his services to the Church, he was made an Honorary Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, the cathedral in which he was first ordained as a deacon. In 2021 he was also made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his service as Chair of one of her charities, the Royal Foundation of St Katharine, and in 2023 he was made a CBE by His Majesty The King for service to the financial sector.

Contact John at Abingdon House, Park Lane, Swalcliffe, Banbury, OX15 5EU. Tel: 01295 780 283, 07711 733 978 or by email [email protected]


Jocelyn Merris (Licensed Lay Minister)

I grew up in West Cumbria and after my Maths degree in London went to Nepal to teach in school which was jointly run by two mission organisations. I have since taught in a variety of schools.

I was first Licensed as a 'Reader' in 2005 in Coventry diocese and have served in both rural and urban parishes. I am also an Archdeaconry Advisor for LLM (Licensed Lay Ministry) for Deddington, Chipping Norton, Witney and Woodstock deaneries.

I try to keep fit by going to the gym but sadly I like my food more than such things. In my holidays I enjoy spending time with family and friends and I also assess Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions in the Lake District.

Contact Jocelyn by email: [email protected]