Goodhand in Banbury

My grandson who is undergoing chemotherapy had the opportunity to be a mascot for the day at Oxford United. This meant apart from his mum and dad getting tickets there was one spare. Granny did not mind Grandad going along!!!  The community team at the club were great. He was given their kit, saw the stadium, dressing room, met the players, gained their signatures on his programme, met the club's mascot, had a kick about on the pitch and then of course walked out with the team for the match. He loved every moment.  For me it was a very relaxed day. I was not able to go round with him, only mum and dad could, and that was fine. So I was able to relax and observe. It was like watching a community come together with a  common purpose. People slowly arriving at the ground greeting not just each other as fans but clearly knowing each others names. The fact the staff on duty spoke to people by name quite often, revealed the family nature of the club. The handful of police on du...

  Intercessions St Hughs 20th September 2026 Our Gospel reading today Matthew 20:1-16 was about the compassion of the landowner. Concern for the unemployed, for their dignity, their need to feed their families. The Landowner was willing to be personally poorer that they might have enough. So Jesus says here is a sign of the Kingdom for compassion and mercy reflect God’s justice. Let us pray. God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit one in perfect community we believe you brought everything into existence and everything we have is a gift from you. Help us to behave like the Landowner and be willing to be poorer that others might have enough. Disturb us until we reflect your generosity. Lord in your mercy   Hear our prayer Creator God in   Scripture and in Jesus You revealed that we can’t sit on the fence we have to take sides. The widow, the orphan, the refugee the homeless, the child leaving care.   Unless we speak for them who will?   In scripture and in Jesus you chal...

  ‘We have a new superintendent minister’ in our Banbury Methodist Circuit.   Revd Charity Tozivepi-Nzegwu Already we have had the pleasure to share in worship with Charity as  she led the first of the new Methodist year midweek communion service’s. Ironically, there were on that occasion as is often the case, more people present than at most of the chapels on a Sunday!!   Then we took the time to be in worship at her first Sunday at Marlborough Road which was a great encouragement by the way she led worship as well as how she spoke.  Drawing on her own life experiences she enriched the message and enabled us to know something of what makers her who she is. In doing so you couldn't but help but warm to her. Yesterday, the 13th September, Charity was welcomed formally by the chair of district. To walk into the building hearing Zimbabwe African music was a joy. It revived memories of my own predominately Ghanian Congregation back in Sheffield or times in Ghana. Th...

  This Sunday’s Gospel reading see’s   Jesus ask his disciples a question. "Who do you say that I am?" When Peter in response declares you are the Messiah we need to note that he was influenced by the Jewish thinking of the day.   Pharisees who said the Messiah could only come if people became pure and who then discriminated against others who they said were not. By implication they were holding up the Messiahs return. Zealots who said it would take a war against the Romans for the Messiah to come. Then there were those Priest’s and sadducees   who colluded with the Roman authorities and who really wanted the status quo so no Messiah thank you. When Peter makes his response he had not yet grasped what sort of Messiah Jesus was. Jesus was a very different Messiah. He said violence could never destroy violence. That no one was to be excluded. Those in authority needed to care for all not just themselves.   Hopefully as disciples our answer to the question   W...