CiA News – February 2017

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The winter issue of Christian Focus is now available on the CiA website. Articles in this issue include: Celebrating 20 years of 35 Ock Street, 150th celebrations at St Michael’s, Advent, Host Abingdon – progress, LAMPS, Christmas services in Abingdon, TAB, Updating and revising ‘A diary of private prayer’, Young hope, St Teresa of Calcutta, as well as poems and a survey about Christian Focus to help the editors plan for the future. Please do fill this out.

WHAT’S COMING UP

The Abingdon Progressive Christianity Network Group

The next meeting will be on:

Tuesday 7 February 2017, 7.30 pm, in the Church Room, St Michael’s Church, Abingdon, OX14 1DU.

The topic for discussion will be ‘Comparing Traditional and Contemporary Frameworks of Belief’ using as a starting point a document from Christians Awakening to a New Awareness (CANA). All welcome. For more information,or the document for discussion, contact or 01235 530480.

Alpha launch event
The Alpha supper will be on Wed 18 January 2017, 7.30 pm at Abingdon & Witney College: a two-course dinner, drink on arrival and coffee & mints at the end. The speaker is Anne Wafula Strike MBE, paralympian, author and sports ambassador. Anne is clear that ‘having Jesus in my life puts a smile on my face every day.’ She believes: ‘Three necessities we need today are: Vision to see, Faith to believe, Courage to do.’ For more information, see her website Further details of the event will be uploaded to December and people will be able to order tickets there from then.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18-25 Jan 2017) – CiA activities:

Midday prayers, Mon 23 – Friday 27 January 2017, 12 noon, St Nicolas’ Church: A worship time will be led by Abingdon ministers on each day following the CTBI material. There will be rolls/sandwiches on offer each day after the worship together with a cuppa and fellowship.

United Service/CiA celebration, Sun 22 January 2017, 3 pm, Abingdon Baptist Church. The service will be followed by an exhibition of CiA community task groups.

Inter-Church Quiz, Friday 3 Feb 2017, Salvation Army, 8 pm: Teams of 6-8, £2/head, doors open 7.30 pm, refreshments from 7.45 pm. Contact Ed Evans at to register your team. All profits to South Abingdon Thrive.NOTE change of venue.

Back to 35, Abingdon Baptist Church Hall, Ock Street

These meetings, a joint venture between Age UK Oxfordshire and 35 Ock Street, provide an opportunity for conversation, activities, support and fellowship for the over-50s with tea and cake as well. They take place on the 1st and 3rd Thursday mornings, 10.30 – 11.30 am. Forthcoming meetings are as follows:

19 Jan 2017 – Thames Valley Police Community Officers

2 Feb – Your choice of music on CD

16 Feb – TBC

2 March – Bicester and surrounding areas

16 March – Trading Standards

6 April – Spring quiz

20 April – Seated exercise class

For further information, please contact David Lovegrove on 01235 533373.

CiA AGM

This will be taking place on 23 February 2017 at The Salvation Army on West St Helen Street at 7.45 pm. All welcome to come along and hear about the work the CiA and its task groups have been doing over the past year.

CiA Lent Lectures 2017

The Church in Abingdon is pleased to announce that David Cole will be the guest speaker for the Lent Lectures in March/April 2017.These lectures will take place on Mondays, 8-9 pm, at The Salvation Army in West St Helen Street (opposite the Co-op) on the following dates:

Mon 6 March 2017: Celtic Christianity – an introduction of history and for today (including New Monasticism)

Mon 13 March: Care for Creation – a work of the cross

Mon 20 - break

Mon 27 March: Christus Victor – a work of the cross

Mon 3 April: Mystical Union – a work of the cross

This series of devotionallectures will be based on David's latest book 40 Days with the Celtic Saints, so obviously will have a Celtic flavor and will include stories from the lives of the saints. The life stories of the Celtic saints are inspirational. They demonstrate great and unassuming faith, often in the face of insurmountable difficulties. In 40 Days with the Celtic Saints, David draws us to relate our own life journey and developing relationship with God into the life story of the Celtic saint of the day. A corresponding biblical text and blessing encourages and motivates us to transform our lives for today's world in the light of such historic faith.

David, having previously been a full-time church minister, is an international spiritual teacher and retreat leader. He is also founder of Waymark Ministries which creates opportunities for people to engage with the Christian message. More info at waymarkministries.com.

Copies of David’s book will be available to buy on the nights or you can pre-order via Debra McKnight (CiA Administrator - ) at £7.99

Experience Easter

This will be taking place on 28 March to 2 April 2017. For further information, please contact Rosemary Perrow at .

Church Twinning

A trip is planned in June 2017 to Saint Niklaas to celebrate 800 years of it being a Christian city.For more information, contact Eileen at .

Silent reflections

St Michael and All Angels Church, Park Road, 7.30 - 9.00 pm, last Tuesday of the month (except December):

31 Jan 2017

28 Feb

28 Mar

25 Apr

30 May

27 June

Enjoy prayerful activities in the quiet of the sanctuary with the option of coming together to share your journey at the end of the session. All welcome.

Fresh Vision

Fresh Vision is a discussion group for those who wish to explore ideas about Christianity in an open, liberaland non-dogmatic setting. We meet on the last Wednesday of the month 7.30 – 9 pm inthe Garden Room at St Ethelwold’s House, 30 East St Helen Street, Abingdon. Everyone is very welcome.For further information, contact Liz Domoney at .

Trinity Evergreen Club, Trinity Church, Conduit Road

Meetings have changed from the first Monday in the month to the third Monday at Trinity Church.Although mainly for senior people, it is open to anyone. Meetings start at 2 pm, with a varied programme and refreshments. Transport can usually be provided. For further information, contact Rita Gilbert on 01235 528837.

Meeting God in the silence

This group meets on the first Monday evening of the month in The Barn at Christ Church, Northcourt Road, 7.30 for 8 pm and every third Tuesday morning at Christ Church at 9.30 for 10 am. For more information, contact Sarah Turner on 01235 521433.

Nourishment in Christ – St Nicolas’ Church

This new informal and reflective service takes place monthly on the first Thursday of the month at 7.30 pm. All welcome with refreshments from 7 pm.

Cake & Conversation – St Edmunds Church

This friendly, informal session for anyone whose first language is not English takes place every Wednesday during term time from 9.30 to 11 am at St Edmund’s Parish Centre (entrance in Oxford Road). For further information, please contact Ann Corbett (01235 559471) or Anne Dodd (01235 525997), otherwise just come along.

Abingdon gospel choir and music group

Do you like gospel music and would you like to sing it? Then maybe our music groupis for you–we have some 20 members, who have been meeting weekly since the groups began in October 2013on Thursdays atTrinity Church, Conduit Road, 8.00 - 9.30 pm. Singers of all standards are welcome. We sing mainly gospel and spirituals but are planning to expand our repertoire this coming term, which starts on Thursday 7 September 2016. For further information, contact Ian Miles on 07788 715873 or at .

Abingdon circle dance group

This groups meets on Thursday mornings from 11 am to 12 noon at St Michael’s Church, dancing traditional folk dances and modern steps in a circle, to a variety of music from around the world, some lively, some joyous and celebratory, and some more meditative. All dances are demonstrated and then broken down into smaller stages for teaching. No prior experience/partner needed. For more information, contact Mary on 01235 520608 or at . NB: no circle dancing on 24 March.

The Archway Foundation

Since 2008, The Archway Foundation has been developing its service in Abingdon and surrounding areas by providing social evenings and other special events, a befriending service for those who are unable to get out, as well as offering volunteering opportunities through driving, befriending or helping at social events. Social evenings are held at Abingdon Baptist Church Hall from 7.30 to 9 pm on the 2nd and 4th Fridays. Daytime socials also take place. For more information, contact Joy Dadswell on 07718 769103 or at .

ONE HOUR A FORTNIGHT is all you need to make a difference. YOU could be just the person to bring much needed company by volunteering to become an Archway befriender. Training and support will be given. For further information, visit (online application form available) or contact Conrad at the Archway office on 01865 790552.

Abingdon Emergency Foodbank (Christ Church)
Thank you so much for your continuing support of the Foodbank. Please deliver your donations to Christ Church, Northcourt Road, weekdays 9 am – 4 pm, or drop off your donations at the collection point in Waitrose. For further information, contact: Sarah Fry or Hilary Beale on 01235 539172 or at .

Host Abingdon – Syrian Appeal

Once again, we are being asked to help furnish and equip homes for Syrian families arriving in our area as part of the Government’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons Re-Settlement Scheme (VPRS). The British Red Cross here in Abingdon has the job of providing integration and support services to these families, and they need our help.If you can donate furniture, electrical equipment or make a donation, please contact Theresa Foster on 01235 552667.

Abingdon Street Pastors

For more information on how to get involved with Abingdon Street Pastors, either as a street pastor or a prayer pastor, contact .

The Abingdon Bridge

Infineum UK Ltd, based at Milton Hill, has adopted The Abingdon Bridge (TAB) as their Charity of The Year for 2017.

This is a most significant boost to TAB’s fundraising efforts this year since all funds raised by the colleagues (employees) at Infineum will be matched by the Company.Already, Natalie Berkeley, one of the colleagues has registered to enter the Coventry Half Marathon in March to raise funds for TAB and has opened a JustGiving page at

If you or your friends are considering making a donation to TAB in the near future this is an excellent way of ‘doubling your donation’ as well as adding Gift Aid if you are eligible.

Local job vacancies

The Bible Reading Fellowship is a registered charity offering creative programmes and resources for individuals, schools and churches. They currently have two vacancies: Press and Media Officer and Accounts Assistant/Customer Services. For more details, go to

CHRISTIAN FORUM COLUMN

Could you help by writing a one-off article (350 words) for the weekly Christian Forum column appearing in the Abingdon Herald newspaper or join our circle of writers that submit one article per year? Articles do not have to be original - they can have appeared in a church newsletter or similar – but need to have a Christian message. If you are interested or would like to know more, contact Debra Mcknight, the CiA Administrator, on 07896 860381.

The CiA News is circulated by the Church in Abingdon to member churches within Abingdon to promote church activities and groups, news and any other information that may be of interest to CiA news readers. If you would like to submit news or receive

the news by email, please contact Debra Mcknight. The deadline for publication is the 15th of the month previous to publication. For more information about the Church in Abingdon, go to

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