Ray Valley Benefice

St Andrew

St Mary the Virgin, Charlton-on-Otmoor

St Mary the Virgin church stands prominently in the middle of the village and with its tall tower it can be seen from some miles away. The congregation is a small friendly group and we welcome all to our services and events. Coffee, tea and usually delicious homemade cakes and biscuits are available after most services, The usual service is Holy Communion (with sung hymns and office music) but there are some Communion services with a simpler liturgy and some non-eucharistic family services where communion is not adminstered. Services of congregationally sung evensong have been customary once a month in recent years but the pattern of services has had to be reduced during an interegnum which affects all 8 churches (11 villages) of the benefice. Some of the congregation are happy to go to services at the next village (Oddington) which is not quite a mile away and to the other churches in the benefice where we can worship with the other fellow and friendly C of E christians in the other villages. Equally some of the congregation also like to come over to worship in our beautiful Grade 1 listed building where we feel we are in the centre of the village. (Brian 11iv2024)

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St Nicholas

St Nicholas is a village church with a rich history but is today an active place of worship with a dedicated church community seeking to serve the whole of the parish. We are a liberally inclined, inclusive, and, we hope, friendly community which values Anglican traditional worship alongside more contemporary expressions of faith and worship. Our website is at https://stnicholasislip.wordpress.com/

In 1987 the five parishes of Islip, Noke, Woodeaton, Charlton-on-Otmoor and Oddington were united into a single benefice. In 2001 this benefice was combined with that of Ambrosden, Merton and Piddington to form the Ray Valley Benefice under a single rector.

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Murcott Mission Room

Murcott MIssion Room (Sometime known as "Murcott Church" no doubt to distinguish it from Murcott Primitive Methodist Chapel) is not in use. It is in the ecclesiastical parish of St Mary the Virgin Charlton on Otmoor so please go to that church's page on "A church near you"

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St Mary the Virgin, Ambrosden

St. Mary the Virgin church is the parish church for Ambrosden, Arncott and Blackthorn. We aim to welcome everyone and to be involved in the varied community life in a way that expresses our Christian values and beliefs.

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