2008

The Cathedral Choir took a little time out of their busy pre-Christmas schedule to record the Christmas carol 'In the bleak mid-winter' which was voted the favourite carol in a recent BBC survey. BBC South Today filmed the Cathedral Choir singing the carol for a news item to be shown on Monday or Tuesday on their early evening and late-night bulletins.

It is very good to welcome Canon Edmund Newell, who is the new Sub-Dean and a Canon of Christ Church. He knows Oxford well, having studied at Nuffield College and served later as Chaplain to Bishop Richard Harries.

Christ Church Regatta is currently running on the Isis from Wednesday to Saturday this week. The Regatta is entirely for novice rowers from all colleges so all those rowing or coxing in it have started learning just seven weeks ago. Its a great opportunity for college support as everyone gets down to the river to cheer and many of Christ Church's senior rowers help with coaching and marshalling. This year there are three Christ Church Men's boats and one Ladies' boat, which also include rowers from Kellogg college.

Christ Church, Oxford announces the 2009 Christopher Tower Poetry Competition on Tuesday 4 November – the 90th anniversary of the death, aged 25, of Wilfred Owen MC

The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition, the UK’s most valuable prize for young poets, is once again open for entries, and this year students between 16-18 years of age are challenged to write a poem on the theme of ‘Doubt’.

Christ Church undergraduate Vicki Barker has won the SET Maritime Technology Award for her 4th Year Project

At the 2008 Science, Engineering and Technology Student of the Year Awards, the Lloyds Register Educational Trust Award for the Best Maritime Technology Student went to Vicki Barker of Christ Church and the Department of Engineering Science for her 4th year undergraduate project studying extreme waves off Norway.

Choristers of Christ Church Cathedral and Worcester College Choir joined forces on Saturday 11th October with former choristers, choir parents, governors, teachers and other friends for a Choral Workshop and concert of Handel's music in the Cathedral. The programme was organised jointly by the Christ Church Cathedral School Parents’ Association and the Christ Church Cathedral School Old Boys’ Association to raise money for the school

Two ordination services took place in Christ Church Cathedral last weekend, when a total of eighteen men and women from the Diocese were ordained as Deacons by the Rt Revd John Pritchard, the Bishop of Oxford.  We wish them every fulfilment in their new ministries.

A Memorial Service was held for The Very Reverend Professor Henry Chadwick KBE (1920-2008), former Dean of Christ Church, in the Cathedral on Saturday September the 27th. The Dean of Christ Church welcomed the very large congregation and addresses were given by Professor Henry Matyr-Harting and  Dr Stephen Darlington. Prayers were led by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Archbishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, and the final belssing was given by Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu.

Members of the Cathedral congregation gathered after Evensong on Sunday the 28th of September to say goodbye to Nicholas and Edith Coulton, on Nicholas' retirement from the position of Sub-Dean. The Dean, the Very Revd Christopher Lewis, thanked Canon Coulton for his contributions to the life and ministry of the Cathedral and presented gifts on behalf of the congregation and Cathedral Friends. We wish them well in the next period of their lives.