Holy Week and Easter 2022

Holy Week

Holy Week is the name given to the week beginning on Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday. We offer services on each day of Holy week

    Palm Sunday 24th March

    Palm Sunday commemorates when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling prophecies, and was greeted with shouts of “Hosanna!” by the crowds. There are Eucharist services at

    09:15 Curbridge
    09:15 Hailey
    09:15 Minster Lovell
    10:45 Holy Trinity
    10:45 S Mary’s

    Monday 25th to Wednesday 27th March during Holy Week

      • Monday 25 Mar 19:30 Holy Trinity | Preacher: Rebecca Coatsworth He will cover you with His feathers and under his wings you will find refuge
      • Tuesday 26 Mar 19:30 Minster Lovell | Preacher: Revd Canon Dr Joanna Collicutt Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth
      • Wednesday 27 Mar 19:30 Hailey: Revd James Elward Very truly I tell you, one of you will betray me

      These services are not recorded streamed 

      Maundy Thursday 28th March

      Maundy Thursday is the day when we remember Jesus sharing the Last Supper with his disciples before his death. Maundy Thursday gets its name from the Latin word mandare meaning to command. We remember Jesus' command: 'Love one another as I have loved you'. At the Last Supper Jesus washed the disciples' feet. This is not only an important reminder of the nature of Jesus, who we serve, but also the kind of service we are meant to demonstrate in our love for one another.

      Please join us for the

      • Benefice Maundy Thursday drinks & nibbles at St. Mary’s Church at 6.15 pm (please sign up with office@witneyparish.org.uk ) and 
      • a service at 7:30pm which is also being streamed live on our YouTube channel. The preacher is the Revd Canon Toby Wright So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

      Good Friday 29th March

      Good Friday is the day when Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. There are two services

      • a reflective service 12.00 at Hailey on Good Friday
      • a solemn liturgy service at St Mary’s starting at 2 00pm. This service is being streamed live on our YouTube channel. The preacher is the Revd Sally Wright Darkness came over the whole land

      Holy Saturday 30th March

      The Easter Vigil is the first service of Easter and begins sometime on the evening of Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Day) at 8 00pm. The service will contain a number of readings from the Bible, and also an opportunity for all the participants to renew the promises made at their baptism. The Easter Vigil is usually a quiet and thoughtful service, but one full of joy. 

      This service is being streamed live on our YouTube channel. The preacher is the Revd Mark Bezerra Speeks: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God

      Easter Sunday 31st March

      We celebrate with these services

      • 09 15 St John the Baptist, Curbridge
      • 09 15 St John the Evangelist, Hailey
      • 09 15 St Kenelm’s, Minster Lovell
      • 10 45 Holy Trinity, Witney. 
      • 10 45 St Mary’s, Witney. This service is being streamed live on our YouTube channel

      From Easter Day onwards

      Easter Day marks the beginning of 50 days of celebrating Jesus' resurrection. The final 10 days begin on Ascension Day, Thursday 9th May where we celebrate?Jesus' ascension into heaven. 

      Finally, at the end of the 50 days, we celebrate Pentecost (sometimes called Whitsun) on Sunday May 19th when Jesus' disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

      Safeguarding

        If a child or adult is in immediate danger or requires immediate medical attention, call the emergency services on 999. If there are concerns about their immediate welfare, don’t delay: call Children and Adult’s Social care on 0345 050 7666 or the MASH Out of Hours Emergency Duty Team: 0800 833408. Also please inform one of Parish Safeguarding Team.
        For other safeguarding concerns please immediately inform our Parish Safeguarding Officer, Alison, on 07884 074812 or her Deputy, Sarah Jane, on 07506 515 952 or Pauline on 01993 648136. You can also email concerns to safeguarding@witneyparish.org.uk
        If you are unsure or worried about how serious a situation is, contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team on 01865 208295 or safeguardingreferrals@oxford.anglican.org. For enquiries outside of operational hours, contact Thirtyone:eight on 0303 003 1111.

      Click here for more safeguarding information

      Contact Us

      Contact details

      Please contact the Benefice Office if you have any enquires for the five churches in our benefice: St Mary the Virgin, Church Green Witney Oxfordshire OX28 4AW | 01993 779 492 | office@witneyparish.org.uk 

      Church addresses 

      St Mary the Virgin Church Green Witney Oxfordshire OX28 4AW 
      Holy Trinity Church Woodgreen OX28 1DN 
      St John the Baptist,
      Curbridge 2 Church Row, Curbridge Witney OX29 7NU
      Hailey Church
      Middletown Hailey Witney OX29 9UB
      St Kenelm’s Church
       Minster Lovell OX29 0RR (updated 23-09-21)

      Safeguarding concerns: safeguarding@witneyparish.org.uk