https://www.embraceme.org/sign-daily-advent-reflections Follow the link above and sign up for a daily reflection to be sent to you from December 1st. Following the path to peace on earth will lead you through 25 moments of stillness in December, as we consider a different scripture about peace each day. By signing up for these daily Advent reflections you…
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Our Fab Christmas Fayre
A big thanks to everyone who came along and all those who worked so hard to make our Christmas Fayre so fab! We raised £1089 which is a fabulous sum that will help to keep St Oswald’s open for its local community. Here are some photos. Enjoy!…
Let’s Get Asia Bibi Out of Pakistan
Asia Bibi, is a Christian woman who lives in Pakistan, and the mother of 6 children; one of many thousands of Christians across the world who are persecuted for their faith. Asia was arrested in 2009 after an argument with fellow workers whilst picking berries. She was subsequently arrested and imprisoned. In November 2010, she…
Remembrance Sunday – 100 Years
Today we commemorated the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI. A quiet service at 8 a.m. started the proceedings, remembering those whose names are on our War Memorial, and praying for peace. The congregations were the first to see the seats ‘reserved’ in memory of those names – our own version of ‘Seen but…
All Saints’ Sunday – Sermon
Years ago – and some of you will have heard me talking about this before – I went to a performance of John’s Gospel at St Luke’s Church in Blackburn – just next to St Wilfrid’s School. I say ‘performance’ because it featured a solitary actor who proclaimed the whole of John’s Gospel from memory…
Harvest with a Difference
Our All Age Worship here at St. Oswald’s broke new ground this morning. Our PCC decided that they wanted to focus, this year, on poverty at home: this is the 350th poorest parish in the Church of England. Our harvest collection of food went to Blackburn Food Bank. We listened to the amazing Rev Pam…
Remembrance Sunday – 100 Years
11th November 2018 sees the hundredth anniversary of the Armistice that brought the First World War to an end. At St Oswald’s we will be marking this historic date in several ways: 8 a.m. Holy Communion: A quiet service using the traditional words of the Book of Common Prayer 10 a.m. All Age Eucharist: A child…
Sermon – The Feastday of St Oswald, our Patron
Oswald was a member of the Irthing family – there’s still a village just east of Carlisle called Irthington. He was born around 604, the son of the Northumbrian King Aethelfrith. A victim of political change, Oswald spent his childhood in exile on the Island of Iona where he heard about Christianity and became a…
Celebrations!
This morning we had a real celebration: Canon Michael Ratcliffe celebrated 40 years of Priesthood, and during the service he baptised Theo Thomas Edward who has been coming to church since shortly after his birth. Michael reflected on 40 years of priesthood – what had changed for better or for worse – and shared some…
Sermon – Trinity 18 (Proper 21)
Today’s gospel is difficult because it begins with a discussion about casting out demons. This isn’t something we’re comfortable with – it sounds more something from a horror film than something we encounter in our everyday lives. In Jesus’ time, anyone who defied social norms was suspected of being possessed by demons – people who…