On Friday, Trinity Church in Abingdon was prepared for its 150th anniversary celebrations. For the first time in many years, the north transept (top left in the photo) was opened up, creating enough space for the occasion.

Saturday saw a commemoration service. Over sixty names were read aloud, with candles lit in remembrance of those who played a part in the church’s past.

Sunday (today) was a homecoming. Former ministers and members returned, joined by friends from other churches in the area. The Mayor of Abingdon, Cllr Rawda Jehanli, led a procession that included previous ministers, local church leaders, and guests such as the great-great-grandson of John Creemer Clarke — whose vision and generosity helped establish Trinity Church 150 years ago.

The thanksgiving service involved hymns, prayers, and reflections, with many voices contributing to the celebration.

Here at the tea afterwards is the Mayor of Abingdon with Revd Malcolm Atherton, minister at Trinity from 1995–2005, and Revd Georgina Bondzi-Simpson, current minister of Trinity and All Saints.

Here Revd Paul Smith, from St Michael and All Angels, and St Nicolas Church in Abingdon, leaves a message in the visitors’ book.

Many thanks to Neil, who led much of the organisation of what was a fitting celebration.

On Sunday 1st June, Trinity Church in Abingdon will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of its opening in 1875. To mark this special occasion, there will be a thanksgiving service at 3pm, with former ministers Revd Malcolm Atherton, Revd Richard Bittleston, and Revd Ian Griffiths joining the current minister, Revd Georgina Bondzi-Simpson.
As part of the celebrations, there will be an exhibition in the church, looking back over Trinity’s 150-year history. A slideshow of images will be shown during the service, and from 2:30pm, a 20-minute extract from the 1980 BBC Songs of Praise broadcast from Trinity will be playing. The broadcast includes a performance by the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers.

If you have any photos or memories of Trinity Church that could be included in the exhibition, please get in touch via: trinity.abingdon@gmail.com.

The service will be followed by tea in the Conduit Centre, and all are warmly invited. If you’d like to stay for tea, please RSVP by 25th May to: trinity.abingdon@gmail.com. This will help with catering numbers.

Thankyou.

In Abingdon today, congregations from the town’s different churches began Good Friday in their own buildings before coming together for a united walk of witness. The procession moved solemnly down Bury Street, led by a man carrying a cross.

The Market Place was already busy with a Farmers’ Market.

So instead of gathering in the Market Place, the crowd assembled in nearby Roysse Court, where the Salvation Army band played hymns.

There were prayers, hymns, and reflections shared by speakers from various churches.

The Salvation Army speaker emphasized that the cross represents a message of love and forgiveness, uniting the churches in their shared faith.

Following a Palm Sunday service at Trinity Church, sixteen people (some pictured here) processed around Albert Park, Abingdon. The group shared the spirit of Palm Sunday through song and by handing out palm crosses, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem at the start of Holy Week.

Here are some pictures from the blog in previous years. Palm Sunday is the Sunday when churches go outdoors and hire donkeys.