University College is an ancient Christian foundation; but as a modern and inclusive community we welcome students and staff of all faiths and of none.
The Chapel is in the Front Quad, next to the Hall, and at the heart of the College’s main site. It offers a beautiful and tranquil space in which all members of the College and their guests are welcome.
The Chapel may be used for a variety of purposes: for the rehearsing and performing of concerts and plays, as a space for lectures and meetings, or as a quiet place to take time out in a busy day. However it was built as a place of Christian worship, and that remains its purpose today.
Chapel Services
Our services are those of the Church of England, and our ethos is welcoming and inclusive. Anyone who wishes to attend or to participate is welcome to do so to the extent that they feel comfortable. Some who attend services here are committed Christians, and glad to make connections between their faith and their studies. Many others would say that they are not religious, are agnostic or enquiring, or identify with another faith. Some people come simply because they wish to sing, or listen to the choir. Anyone who wishes to attend is welcome, for whatever reason they choose to come.
Our main act of worship is usually Choral Evensong on Sunday evenings at 5.45-6.45pm in term time. Our excellent choir leads much of our worship, and there is a short sermon, often by a visiting preacher. Our weekly service is also available as a podcast on our Online Chapel Services page. You can access these podcasts here, where you can find a written order of service with the full text of each recording. Information about preachers at these services can be read here.
Daily prayers are also said throughout most of the year, Monday to Friday at 8.40-8.55am.
Further information is on our termly Chapel Card and details of this term’s music in Chapel can be found below.
All Services that have been recorded since Trinity Term 2020 are available to listen to and to view on our Online Evensong page.
The Chaplain
The College Chaplain is the Revd Dr Andrew Gregory, who is also a member of the Welfare Team, and is always glad to see members of the College and its staff. He operates an open-door policy and any student or member of staff who wishes to do so is welcome to call in socially, or to talk to him in confidence about any matter of concern. The College is a very diverse community, and most of his work takes place in a context of pastoral support in which no assumptions are made as to whether individuals hold to any religious beliefs or to none.
Andrew can be contacted on +44 (0)1865 276 663 or via email Andrew.Gregory@univ.ox.ac.uk
Find out more about Andrew on his Profile page.
Find out more about provision for student welfare on our Welfare Support page and, for current students, on the Univ Intranet.
Chapel Music
Univ takes great pride in its organ scholars and choir, and offers them its full and enthusiastic support. Our Director of Music, Giles Underwood, is always pleased to hear from prospective applicants for organ and choral scholarships or from anyone who might like to join the choir or to get involved in music in College. Find out more on our Music page.
Details of the Chapel Organs can be found on our College Buildings Chapel page.
Chapel Music - Trinity Term
Week 1
Sunday, 24 April – Easter Sequence, 5.45pm
Hymns: 117, 296, 120
Introit: This Joyful Eastertide, Wood
Anthems: Easter Song of Praise, Shephard, Te Deum, Collegium Regale, Howells, A New Song, MacMillan, If ye be risen again with Christ, Gibbons
Preacher: The Chaplain
Voluntary: Festival Toccata, Fletcher
Week 2
Sunday, 1 May 1 – Choral Evensong, 5.45pm
Hymns: 476, 114, 486
Psalm: 30
Preces and Responses: Smith
Canticles: Byrd Short Service
Anthem: Sing Joyfully, Byrd
Lessons: Zephaniah 3.14-20, Acts 9.1-20
Preacher: The Chaplain
Voluntary: Fantasia No.8 (Fitzwilliam), Byrd
Week 3
Sunday, 8 May – Choral Evensong, 5.45pm
Hymns: 124, 282, 457
Psalm: 23
Preces and Responses: Briggs
Canticles: Wood in E flat No. 2
Anthem: Hail! Gladdening light, Wood
Lessons: Ezekiel 34.11-16, John 10.22-30
Preacher: The Revd Hadley Bennett
Voluntary: At Eastertide, Stanford
Week 4
Sunday, 15 May 15 – Choral Evensong, 5.45pm
Hymns: 388, 294, 461
Psalm: 148
Preces and Responses: Briggs
Canticles: Murrill in E
Anthem: Amazing Grace, arr. Ešenvalds
Lessons: Genesis 22.1-18, Acts 11.1-18
Preacher: The Revd Hannah Cartwright
Voluntary:
Week 5
Sunday, 22 May – Memorial Service for Brian Loughman, 2pm
Hymns: The Lord is my Shepherd (Crimond) & Ar hyd y nos
Music: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, from Nabucco, Verdi, Gute Nacht, from Winterreise, Schubert
Sunday, 22 May – Choral Evensong, 5.45pm
Hymns: 366, 342, 381
Psalm: 67
Preces and Responses: McDowall
Canticles: Wood in F
Anthem: Faire is the Heaven, Harris
Lessons: Ezekiel 37.1-14, Acts 16.9-15
Preacher: The Revd Mike Reading
Voluntary: Fantasy: Easter Hymn, Harris
Week 6
Thursday, 26 May – Singing in Front Quad for Ascension Day, 8.10am
Sunday, 29 May – Choral Evensong, 5.45pm, Ascension Sunday
Hymns: 128, 124, 349
Introit: Ascendit Deus, Philips
Psalm: 47
Preces and Responses: McDowall
Canticles: Howells, Coll Reg
Anthem: O clap your hands, Vaughan Williams
Lessons: Daniel 7.9-14, Acts 1.1-11
Preacher: The Revd Dr Nikolay Christensen
Voluntary:
Week 7
Sunday, 5 June – Choral Evensong, 5.45pm, Pentecost
Hymns: 413, 137, 333
Psalm: 104.26-35
Preces and Responses: Rose
Canticles: Moore, Second Service
Anthem: Pinselsalme, Grieg & Pingtsång, Fryklof
Lessons: Genesis 11.1-19, Acts 2.1-21
Preacher: The Chaplain
Voluntary: Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist, Böhm
Week 8
Sunday, 12 June – Leavers’ Evensong, 5.45pm, Trinity Sunday
Hymns: TBC
Introit: O lux beata trinitas, Andrew
Psalm: 8
Preces and Responses: Rose
Canticles: Dyson in D
Anthem: Give unto the Lord, Elgar
Lessons: TBC
Preacher: The Chaplain
Voluntary:
Thursday, 16 June – Concert, 5.45pm
Music to include:
Steal away, arr. Tippett
A Farewell, Hagenburg
Amazing Grace, arr. Ešenvalds
Three Shakespeare Songs, Vaughan Williams
The Road Home, Paulus
Bayléro, arr. Richards
Charm, Andrew
Shall I compare thee, Larsen
Enfance III, Hersant
O how much more, Crabtree
In Human Warmth, Williams (new commission)
The Chapel Building
The Chapel contains some of our most important material treasures, including our Van Linge windows and our Flaxman monument to Sir William Jones. You can find out more about the Chapel building and many of its features on our College Buildings Chapel page.