We are a Church of England parish with a strong tradition of music in worship, where all are very welcome. As an ancient Church in the centre of Durham, St Oswald's is a reservoir of peace for all who enter it.

The Sunday Eucharist is at 11:00am, and we have a play and books corner by the font for any younger worshipper who feels a parent or carer would enjoy it there. Evensong is at 6:00pm on Sundays, either in the chancel, or roughly every other week during term time when the usual hymns expand to a full choral setting, in the body of the church. Midweek Holy Communion is at 10:00am on Wednesdays, and the church is usually open from 9:30am till round about 5:00pm (or dusk, if earlier) on weekdays.

***A very warm welcome to all new and returning Durham University students! Please do join us this Sunday, 27th September 2026 at 11:00am for our Harvest Festival Sung Parish Eucharist, followed by tea, coffee and biscuits. We look forward to welcoming you in Church.***

God of peace, as young people and young adults begin higher education, university, or enter the world of work, may they know your presence with them in this time of change. Grant them courage, wisdom, and confidence and inspire those they encounter to have welcoming hearts.

Amen.

Diocese of Bath & Wells

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Romans 15:7, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition

Friday, 25th September 2026 - Ordinary Time (Creationtide): The Feast of Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, Spiritual Writer, 1626 [Lesser Festival]; The Feast of St Sergei of Radonezh, Russian Monastic Reformer, Teacher of the Faith, 1392 [Commemoration]; Ember Day

If you want to serve God, prepare your heart not for food, not for drink, not for rest, not for ease, but for suffering, so that you may endure all temptations, trouble and sorrow. Prepare for severities, fasts, spiritual struggles and many afflictions, for 'by many afflictions is it appointed to us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven' (Acts 14:22); ‘The Heavenly Kingdom is taken by force, and the who use force seize it' (Matthew 11:12).

St Sergei of Radonezh

The Collect of the Day:

O Lord God, who didst give Lancelot Andrewes many gifts of thy Holy Spirit, making him a man of prayer and a pastor of thy people: perfect in us that which is lacking in thy gifts, of faith, to increase it, of hope, to establish it, of love, to kindle it, that we may live in the light of thy grace and glory; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Common Worship 

The Second Collect for Ember Days:

Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, who by thy Holy Spirit hast appointed various orders of ministry in thy Church: look with mercy on thy servants now called to be deacons and priests; so maintain them in truth and renew them in holiness, that they may faithfully serve thee both in word and deed, to the glory of thy name and the benefit of thy holy Church; through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Common Worship 

The Gospel Reading:

‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’

Matthew 13:44-46, 52, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition 

(From Exciting Holiness: Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester)

The Post Communion:

O God, the shepherd of thy people, whose servant Lancelot Andrewes showed forth the loving service of Christ in his ministry as a pastor of thy people: we pray that, by this sacrament in which we share, thou wilt awaken within us the love of Christ and keep us faithful to our calling in his name; through him who laid down his life for us, but liveth and reigneth with thee, now and for ever.

Amen.

Common Worship

Durham Diocesan Prayer Cycle Deanery Intention for the Month:

September 2026: Durham Dales Deanery

A Prayer of St Oswald of Northumbria:

Let us all kneel, and together beseech the true and living God Almighty in his mercy to defend us from the proud and cruel enemy; for he knows that we have undertaken a just war for the safety of our nation.

Amen. 

(Prayed by King Oswald of Northumbria and his army on the battlefield on the eve of the Battle of Heavenfield)

A Reading for Creationtide 2026 - Living Water:

Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes.

On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.’

Ezekiel 47:9, 12, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition 

A Prayer for Creationtide 2026 Inspired by St Hildegard of Bingen:

A Prayer for Living Water

God of living water,
source of all life,
you breathe your Spirit into creation
and the earth becomes green with life.
You make the rivers flow,
the seeds germinate,
the trees bear fruit,
and the earth renew itself.
As Hildegard saw,
your life-giving power is within all that lives.
Where there is dryness, bring water.
Where there is barrenness, bring new life.
Where there is sickness, bring healing.
Where there is despair, bring hope.
We pray for the waters of our world:
for rivers polluted and seas rising,
for communities without safe water,
for creatures whose habitats are disappearing,
and for all who suffer because creation is wounded.
And we pray for the Holy Land.
Let your living water flow
where there is war and violence,
where homes have been destroyed,
where families have been divided,
where children live with fear
and where hope has been crushed.
Protect the children of Palestine and Israel.
Hold those who grieve.
Heal those who are wounded in body and spirit.
Give courage to those who work for peace.
Turn our hearts away from violence
and towards the flourishing of life.
May your Spirit make us green again –
alive with compassion,
alive with courage,
alive with justice,
alive with peace.
God of all creation,
make us part of the river of your healing. 

Amen.

Pilgrim Uniting Church, Adelaide (the Uniting Church in Australia)