New in Oxford?
New in Oxford?
The transition to a new university, city, country or continent can be both exciting and challenging. Through a warm welcome and opportunities for connection throughout the year the Oxford Pastorate hopes to enable each postgraduate to find their place within the academic community at Oxford.
At the start of each academic year we partner with local churches and Christian organisations to host several welcome events for postgraduates new to Oxford.
Throughout the year our team of chaplains are also available for conversation and questions covering all sorts of topics, from the mundane to the metaphysical! We'd love to connect with you.
For those looking to settle into the Christian community in Oxford, there are a wide range of activities, groups and events aimed at postgraduates. Many of these, along with their websites, are listed below.
The transition to a new university, city, country or continent can be both exciting and challenging. Through a warm welcome and opportunities for connection throughout the year the Oxford Pastorate hopes to enable each postgraduate to find their place within the academic community at Oxford.
At the start of each academic year we partner with local churches and Christian organisations to host several welcome events for postgraduates new to Oxford.
Throughout the year our team of chaplains are also available for conversation and questions covering all sorts of topics, from the mundane to the metaphysical! We'd love to connect with you.
For those looking to settle into the Christian community in Oxford, there are a wide range of activities, groups and events aimed at postgraduates. Many of these, along with their websites, are listed below.
Opportunities for Postgrads
Developing a Christian Mind (DCM) Senior Christian academics lead two annual conferences in January and March especially for postgraduate students studying at Oxford, helping foster integration between faith and scholarship.
Christians in Academia (CiA) A year-round in-depth programme of readings, discussions, retreats, dinners with academics, personal mentoring (from an academic in the mentee’s field of research) and one-to-one support. The 2023-24 cohort will run through Hilary and Trinity terms with some introductory events in Michaelmas term.
The Stella Aldwinckle Series: Thought-provoking lectures and online book/discussion groups. bethan.willis@oxfordpastorate.org for more information.
The Graduate Christian Forum (GCF) holds a Monday night speaker series during term, interviewing Christian scholars and professionals.
The 'Linacre Christians' meeting is on the first Thursday of each month, in College and via Zoom,12.45 pm. They write: 'Please join us! Just buy your lunch at the servery and we meet in the Small Dining Room. Unusually, our first meeting of the term is on Thursday 12th October (second Thursday) but all other meetings will be on the FIRST Thursday. We enjoy getting to know each other, reading the Bible, and praying; we are a mix of students, staff, fellows, and alumni. It would be a joy to welcome new students and other new Linacre members. Please e-mail anne.keene@linacre.ox.ac.uk if you can join us or just turn up
Scriptorium Weekly study days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays during term time, Weeks 1-8) enabling postgrads to carve out and protect a regular space in the working week for concentrated bursts of writing with the support and encouragement of the rest of our scholarly community.
The Global Leadership Initiative The programme's aim is to develop both intellectual and practical understanding of what makes for good leadership in your context and put the learnings into practice as you go on your own leadership journey after graduating from Oxford. The seven-month programme will help you to grow as a leader who is both effective and ethical, who furthers the good of society and enables others to flourish.
The Socratic Happy Hour is a gathering for postgraduate students in Oxford who are seeking civil and convivial conversations about life’s biggest questions. For the next meeting see the website.
Transformation Network (Prayer) A departmental prayer network with a vision to see prayer in every University faculty and college.
Thesis Together (T2) is a postgrad study space open in the Pennyfarthing building - this year's details to follow.
Developing a Christian Mind (DCM) Senior Christian academics lead two annual conferences in January and March especially for postgraduate students studying at Oxford, helping foster integration between faith and scholarship.
Christians in Academia (CiA) A year-round in-depth programme of readings, discussions, retreats, dinners with academics, personal mentoring (from an academic in the mentee’s field of research) and one-to-one support. The 2023-24 cohort will run through Hilary and Trinity terms with some introductory events in Michaelmas term.
The Stella Aldwinckle Series: Thought-provoking lectures and online book/discussion groups. bethan.willis@oxfordpastorate.org for more information.
The Graduate Christian Forum (GCF) holds a Monday night speaker series during term, interviewing Christian scholars and professionals.
The 'Linacre Christians' meeting is on the first Thursday of each month, in College and via Zoom,12.45 pm. They write: 'Please join us! Just buy your lunch at the servery and we meet in the Small Dining Room. Unusually, our first meeting of the term is on Thursday 12th October (second Thursday) but all other meetings will be on the FIRST Thursday. We enjoy getting to know each other, reading the Bible, and praying; we are a mix of students, staff, fellows, and alumni. It would be a joy to welcome new students and other new Linacre members. Please e-mail anne.keene@linacre.ox.ac.uk if you can join us or just turn up
Scriptorium Weekly study days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays during term time, Weeks 1-8) enabling postgrads to carve out and protect a regular space in the working week for concentrated bursts of writing with the support and encouragement of the rest of our scholarly community.
The Global Leadership Initiative The programme's aim is to develop both intellectual and practical understanding of what makes for good leadership in your context and put the learnings into practice as you go on your own leadership journey after graduating from Oxford. The seven-month programme will help you to grow as a leader who is both effective and ethical, who furthers the good of society and enables others to flourish.
The Socratic Happy Hour is a gathering for postgraduate students in Oxford who are seeking civil and convivial conversations about life’s biggest questions. For the next meeting see the website.
Transformation Network (Prayer) A departmental prayer network with a vision to see prayer in every University faculty and college.
Thesis Together (T2) is a postgrad study space open in the Pennyfarthing building - this year's details to follow.
Churches in Oxford
There are many excellent churches in Oxford. We partner with the following churches each year to put on Welcome events for postgraduates at the start of term. The Rectors of the four Anglican churches in the circles below also sit on the Oxford Pastorate's Governing Council.
Oxford Evangelical Presbyterian Church
St Andrews Church, North Oxford
There are many excellent churches in Oxford. We partner with the following churches each year to put on Welcome events for postgraduates at the start of term. The Rectors of the four Anglican churches in the circles below also sit on the Oxford Pastorate's Governing Council.
Oxford Evangelical Presbyterian Church
St Andrews Church, North Oxford
St Aldates has Sunday services at 10am, 12pm, 4pm and 6pm.
Additionally, the Postgrads community meets on Wednesday evenings at the Church Centre (40 Pembroke Street) starting with a meal together at 7pm before a time of worship, teaching and small group discussion and prayer. Each November we go away for a weekend retreat in the countryside.
See: www.staldates.org/postgrads or contact Owen and Laura: Owen.gallacher@staldates.org.uk Laura.gallacher@staldates.org.uk
St Andrew’s, North Oxford, has four services on a Sunday including Holy Communion, a Family Service, Morning Worship and Evening Worship.
St Andrew’s has a small group of postgraduate/postdoc students who worship and serve as part of our church family. We gather together from time to time for lunches, and postgraduate and postdoc students are encouraged to join in with other ministries within St Andrew’s. As a large and diverse congregation there are lots of ways you can get involved! We also offer mentoring to postgraduate/postdoc students if that’s of value. For more information or if you have questions, email our curate, Henry Swayne (henry.swayne@standrewsoxford.org)
St Clements is a fairly small church with a big heart! People from a variety of ages and stages enjoy meeting, worshipping together and being friends. As part of this community, we enjoy having a number of postgrads or academics in our midst. Do join us here for our main Sunday morning service (10.30am), or a quieter evening service (at 6.30pm).
St Ebbe's has 4 Sunday services, but most postgrads come either for the 6.30 p.m, or (particularly those with families) at 9.45 a.m.
Thesis is the St Ebbe's postgraduate student group. It is a diverse community from over 20 nationalities (including spouses of postgrads). They meet every Tuesday night at 7:00pm during term time in St Ebbe's church for a delicious meal (£3), and Bible study or a talk and discussion. Thesis also runs fun afternoons out, a weekend away in the Cotswolds in November, and seasonal events at Easter and Christmas. Both Christians and those interested in Christianity are equally welcome. For more information please contact the postgraduate student minister, Glenn Nesbitt
International Students
If you are an international student who has just arrived in Oxford, Friends International Oxford have produced a series of short videos introducing Oxford visit: https://www.youtube.com/channe...
If you are an international student who has just arrived in Oxford, Friends International Oxford have produced a series of short videos introducing Oxford visit: https://www.youtube.com/channe...