A very big thank you to all those who brought gifts to the gift service on Sunday 4th December. You brought in a wonderful selection of items which has given the filling of the bags much more variety. They will be very gratefully received.
- Margaret Butcher
The Christmas Fair raised just over £1,285. A big thank you to you all for your support – Jo Graham
Today we sent off 42 shoe boxes all wrapped up and full of presents for Christmas to those in this world who would have none. May they bring the Joy and love of God in the world to those children who open them.
People brought non-perishable food items on Harvest Sunday, Sept. 25th, for the Asylum Welcome Food Bank.
Even more asylum seekers are now needing help and last year 1121 bags of food were given out.
Asylum Welcome care for asylum seekers, refugees and detainees who have fled persecution and danger in their own countries and seek refuge in Oxford and Oxfordshire
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, Revd. Kevin
Watson, visited Trinity Church during the weekend 6th-7th May.
There
were two occasions on which he lead us during the weekend:
1. On Saturday 6th May at 3pm, ''Alive and Still
Kicking' - ministry with the elderly' where Kevin shared his experiences and
Trinity members shared theirs.
2. Kevin conducted the morning worship on
Sunday 7th and spoke on our effect on the planet, and how we have a choice when it
comes to sin.
2017 marked our 8th and biggest yet Experience Easter, visited by around 500 people. Between Wednesday 30th and Friday 31st March 390 school children and their staff joined us, including groups from Kingfisher Special School, who had their very own sensory Easter Encounter back at school.
Then on Thursday 30th March there was a Musical Easter Journey with Abingdon Gospel Choir followed by a Family Open Morning on Saturday April 1st.
Witness: On Sunday 9th April at Trinity Church, there was a Circuit Service in the form of a performance of the musical, Witness (composed by James Garnett).
Witness tells the Easter story from the perspectives of those whose lives it touched, including bystanders, Jesus' disciples, those in power, and - in particular - the crowd. Through songs and monologues we were invited to experience a range of responses from the excitement of Palm Sunday to the desolation of Good Friday and the wonder of Easter Day.
The performance was watched by about 100 people. Refreshments were served afterwards, and there was a retiring collection for charities chosen by the cast.
A very big thank you to all those who brought gifts to the gift service on Sunday 4th December. You brought in a wonderful selection of items which has given the filling of the bags much more variety. They will be very gratefully received.
- Margaret Butcher
The Christmas Fair raised just over £1,285. A big thank you to you all for your support – Jo Graham
Today we sent off 42 shoe boxes all wrapped up and full of presents for Christmas to those in this world who would have none. May they bring the Joy and love of God in the world to those children who open them.
People brought non-perishable food items on Harvest Sunday, Sept. 25th, for the Asylum Welcome Food Bank.
Even more asylum seekers are now needing help and last year 1121 bags of food were given out.
Asylum Welcome care for asylum seekers, refugees and detainees who have fled persecution and danger in their own countries and seek refuge in Oxford and Oxfordshire
On 30th August there was a Welcome Service at Trinity for Rev Ian Griffiths, who will be Minister of All Saints and Trinity. There was a large congregation and many visiting ministers.
A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who contributed in any way to this joyous occasion for Trinity, All Saints and the Circuit. To judge from the wonderful spread of savouries and cakes provided for tea by both churches, All Saints and Trinity co-operate well on the catering front! We look forward to more opportunities to work together under Ian’s leadership.
Richard and Anne's Farewell Shared Lunch was on Sunday 17th August in the Conduit Centre following Richard's last service at Trinity
Prayer written by Richard for URC 40th Anniversary.
Flowing river of love, on which we are carried,
taking us to places of renewal and refreshment;
we pray for the courage to trust the direction in which you take us.
For all the sights we have seen, all the stories we can tell;
we smile at your great skill and give thanks.
As we strain to see what lies around the corner,
may we also know when to set the oars of our boat at rest.
And when we have drifted enough to understand your direction;
and more fully appreciated the view of both shore and sky line;
may our energy meet with the current and carry us on.
In your love, in your way, in your creation.
Amen
Trinity helped raise money for the Street Child World Cup which Miriam of Trinity Learning is involved with. Events included:
At Trinity Church on 17th January there was a Sevice of Thanksgiving for the life of Leslie Argyle. Leslie had been a member at Trinity since the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Ock Street Closed and joined forces with Trinity in 1945. He also worked for over 40 years at Trotman’s Bakery, and when that was taken over by Holmes, he joined Day's Bakery in Edward Street. He used to bake communion bread for Trinity and the special bread shaped like a sheaf of corn for harvest.
He had a love of music and dancing and joined the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers in 1950 and was elected as Mayor of Ock Street (leader of Morris Dancers) in 1980.
One of the hymns was "Lord of the Dance."
There was a report back from the recent meeting about inviting a deacon to the local Methodist Circuit now the number of ministers is to be reduced by one.
There was a wish to continue the link with a local URC Church, and to ensure regular visits from URC preachers. Aston Tirrold URC was mentoned as a possible partner church.
Rev. Ian Griffiths' Welcome Service will be at Trinity Church on Saturday 30th August at 3:00p.m. when Rev. Peter Hancock, Chair of our District, will be the preacher.
There was a report by the Faith in Action Group. This Lent, Trinity will be supporting the Street Child World Cup.
Plans for the fifth year of Experience Easter are well underway, and members were encouraged to help either setting up, or taking part.
After a marvellous visit to Abingdon Community Hospital, a group of Year 5 children from Thameside Primary School have produced "Thameside Tiger Hospital Care", a fully-illustrated introduction to the staff they met during their visit.
Thomas, Oliver, Miya, Harry, Jamal and Phoebe, from Year 6 at St Nicolas C of E Primary School, interviewed Councillor Lesley Legge & Heather Brown from The Choose Abingdon Partnership. Their magazine St Nicolas world of Abingdon explains some of the ways in which Abingdon caters for tourism.
Both magazines are the result of workshops run by TrinityLearning, with the help of The Community Covenant. The project enables forces and local children to find out about their community and work together as a team. Thanks to the help of Welfare Officers at Dalton Barracks, every family stationed there will receive a copy of both magazines.
Following the successful visit by the Rev’d Ian Griffiths and his wife, Tabitha, and with positive responses from both churches, an invitation was extended to Ian by the Circuit Invitation Committee.
This is for an appointment commencing on 1st September 2014.
Ian has accepted the invitation and says that he will be delighted to come to Abingdon.
The rain kept off on Tuesday 12th June for the opening of Carswell Community School’s Sensory Garden.
Academic, explorer, television presenter and local celebrity Dr George McGavin officially opened the garden by pulling aside a “ Very Hungry Caterpillar” curtain.
The area’s transformation from derelict concrete and scrub to a place of magical tranquillity for children and staff has brought together people from all over the community, in a project very much in keeping with the school’s title.
I am a Fitzharrys student in year 10 and this is my work experience diary/blog. I ended up in Trinity Church by accident to be honest, as I was originally meant to be at Milton Park ICT centre but unfortunately they had to drop me due to staff shortages. Trinity gave me a place so I didn't miss out.
On my first day here (Monday) I arrived at the gate outside feeling very nervous (...)
Nearly 450 primary-aged school children, accompanied by almost 100 adults, took a journey back in time at Trinity last week.
They not only heard the story of the first Easter, but experienced the events of that week through a series of interactive workshops. They wrote prayers on palm crosses, helped wash each other’s hands, shared bread and rolled up fears into plasticine, as they explored how Jesus and his disciples had felt and related this to their own lives.
On Sunday, the congregation joined the children’s journeys as we worshipped in the centre of the Easter Experience. We listened to the stories & took part in the reflective activities.
Helpers shared their experiences of the week and after communion, we shared the peace by singing "Shalom my friend"
Read more at Trinity Learning.
Monday 8th November marked the official launch of TrinityLearning’s latest project, TrinityLearning News. as five young reporters from Carswell Community Primary School, accompanied by Richard, Rosemary & Head Teacher Sue Gore, interviewed Abingdon Mayor Duncan Brown.
The youngsters were collecting material for their very own newsletter, about and for their own community, to be distributed free to care homes and day-centres in Abingdon. From content to format and distribution, the group will make all the decisions and do all the work – in just six two-hour sessions. Besides putting classroom skills into practice, they’ll be learning life-skills like team-work, responsibility and working to deadlines.
When their time with the project finishes, a new group of youngsters from another Abingdon primary school will take their place. The project is funded totally by a generous grant from The Big Lottery Fund.
