All Saints Singers and Musicians

Since Easter 2021, All Saints has been developing a voluntary choir to lead congregational singing and offer music as part of our worship. We are fortunate to have both an excellent pipe organ and a grand piano; occasionally we have been joined by instrumentalists. Since September 2021, we have been led by our music director and organist, Stuart Donaldson.

Our core activity is singing at the weekly Eucharist on Sundays at 10.00am, but beyond that we are involved in music-making at other times, when we often welcome additional singers who cannot be with us in the morning. We have offered occasional choral Evensong at St Luke’s Nursing Home, which is in our parish; there were carol services for Advent and Christmas; and in December we also sang for the Oxford Brookes University carol services at Christ Church Cathedral. In the future we will be participating in various extra services (e.g. for Lent and Easter) and we anticipate launching an occasional choral Evensong in the church. These will be announced on the website.

Already, our repertoire has been wide. Hymns are mainly drawn from Common Praise, supplemented by Hymns Ancient and Modern (2013) and periodically other sources. Anthems have taken in styles and traditions from medieval plain chant, Tudor anthems and Henry Purcell, via the major classical composers and standard Anglican church music, to Taizé, Iona and other recent writing. We aim to match closely the themes of the service in question, so as to focus and develop our thoughts, and make them memorable.

Choir practices take place weekly on Friday evenings from 8.00pm to 9.15pm; we also convene at 9.30am for a warm-up before Sunday services. None of our members is a professional singer. Rather, we aim to make our contribution to church life and worship, to improve our skills and to enjoy music together. You are very welcome to join us – regularly or occasionally. It helps if you have some experience of learning and holding a part, but we regard a commitment to practising together and at home as even more important.

Below is a list of anthems we have sung recently. Please do take a look!

Choir anthems

Anthems-page-001

If you would like to learn more about the choir, or about playing an instrument in our services, then please contact our organist, Stuart Donaldson, via organist@allsaintsheadington.org.uk , or our choir secretary, Vivienne Larminie, via music-organiser@allsaintsheadington.org.uk .

We look forward to hearing from/meeting you!

Planning your Visit

A Warm Welcome

We welcome everyone to our Sunday services - whether you are sure you believe, sure you don't believe or not sure either way!

We are a Church of England parish church in the central area of Headington, Oxford.

Our worship is traditional, joyful and friendly. You can read more about how we worship here.

We celebrate communion every week. All who profess belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and who have been baptised are cordially invited to participate with us in the Lord’s Supper.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. When you arrive, you will be greeted by one of our sidespersons who will give you a service booklet, a bulletin and a hymn book.

You are welcome to join in as much as you like - or just to listen quietly if you prefer.

There is no need to book.

We serve refreshments after the service. We would love for you to join us.

Come as you are

You will find people in t-shirts and jeans and others in suits and dresses. Come in whatever you find most comfortable.

You are equally welcome to wear a mask or not.

Accessibility

There is wheelchair access (via the south door), and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There is an accessible toilet at the west end of the church.

What about my kids?

We welcome children at all our services and we encourage them to participate in our worship. Of course, we understand that babies and young children sometimes need a break - so we have a children's corner at the back where parents can take children when necessary.

There are also often activities put on for children during the sermon.

But please don’t worry if your little ones make some noise. No-one in the congregation will mind. Quite the opposite! (the vicar's daughter is one of the loudest...)

Get in touch with us

If you would like to discuss your visit - or come and see the church beforehand - you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

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Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes