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A new commandment I give you: love one another,
as I have loved you
APRIL 2021
SUNDAY SERVICES
​
10.0 a.m.
Parish Communion
​
6.30 p.m.
Evening Prayer
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For more information
click here
For recent sermons,
click here
​
Happily, the Government and Church guidance is that we may still meet
for a short, said service on Sundays,
provided our building is
Covid-secure.
Unless this guidance changes,
a few of us will continue
to meet at 10.0 and 6.30.
For those who do not yet feel able to attend services,our Diocese
continues to livestream a
Sunday Communion
and other services:
you can find details on www.oxford.anglican.org/coronavirus-covid-19-2/livestream/
​
If you would like to join Littlemore church's Zoom service on Sundays,
please email
for a link each week.
A Song for the Tomb
Ages before Jerusalem was founded
I was formed for this day.
God said, shall these sea-bones live?
I will sculpt me a tomb: a lime-white chamber
fit for a king.
I was ready when they brought him in,
bloody and broken, like a king from his last
battle. Dusk was falling. They hurried, careful
– so careful. They were brittle with pain. They straightened him (legs, arms, head) in the
niche,
stopped my mouth with a rock, and crept away.
We were quiet together.
He slept inside me. I cradled him
like an unborn child. Outside,
earth shuddered; the sun failed; stars shot like bolts
through warring heavens.
I kept him safe
till he began to stir
like the child whose time has come.
The deep places of creation whispered, Open! A mighty spasm shook the stone. I gaped.
He rose. For a moment
he stood facing the dawn, then he was gone.
Later, there would be angels, blazing-eyed
and docile, folding linen bandages.
There would be men and women, storms of grieving
suddenly stilled.
But first, as the sun rose,
there was just light and silence. A cave, empty,
and a world full of promises fulfilled.
Teresa Morgan
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Also by Zoom:
SUSTAINABILITY
Ideas around growing and keeping plants, trees, bees and all things natural . . . Wednesdays 10.10 a.m.
​
IT'S QUIZ TIME! Thursdays 10.10 a.m.
To join in these zooms, or to know more, please contact 01865 721564
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We are linked with St Mary and St Nicholas church, Littlemore,
in a United Benefice whose Team Rector is the Reverend Margreet Armitstead (vicar@littlemorechurch.org)
NEW TO OUR CHURCH?
If so, you would probably like to know a bit more about what goes on.
MUSIC
will take you to the website for the Oxford Diocese, which has loads of information on events in the Diocese.
St Mary and St Nicholas church in Littlemore is our sister church.
www.sandfordtalkingshop.org
Sandford's amazing cafe, shop and Saturday market (always looking for new volunteers).
The village website, which includes Parish council information.
facebook.com/Sandford.on.Thames/
Facebook page for the Sandford Link magazine.
www.facebook.com/sandfordonthamesWI/: information about what is going on at the Sandford Women's Institute
​
USEFUL LINKS
WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?
A Christian is someone
who believes that if we get to know Jesus Christ and follow his teachings, we can work with his Spirit to let God's kingdom into our world - a kingdom of love, justice,
and peace.
​
If you want to explore further, christianity.org.uk is a great website:
click here
For over 900 years St Andrew's has stood at the heart of the village, and its church bells have rung out to mourn or celebrate every great event of our country's history.
For centuries Sandford villagers have been laid to rest in the churchyard, which is
a place steeped in history and memories - still open to all
and visited by many for
peaceful meditation or reflection.
​
The church building is of interest in itself - click
on the button below
for a leaflet on its history.
OUR CHURCH
AND CHURCHYARD
EXPLORING FAITH
We've put together a list of our favourite websites which have helped us to pray, meditate and reflect
on God's word.
If you discover others that you find helpful,
do let us know.
OUR VILLAGE
In 1086 the Domesday Book
counted 18 families as living by
the sandy ford over the Thames
Six hundred years later the
population of the village
had barely doubled,
and it was still under 200 people
at the start of the 19th century.
Today the parish boundaries
have been enlarged, and the
population numbers
more than 1,200.
​
If you are new to the village,
welcome.
You may find the newcomers
guide (click here)
a useful introduction
to what goes on.
(The guide was written
pre-Covid - some things have
changed (e.g. Talking Shop
times of opening)
but there's not much point in
making the corrections until
some normality returns to life.)