The Oxford Cup, 1953-54

The aim of all services in a School Chapel is the offering to Almighty God of as worthy an act of worship as is possible. The services must be in accordance with the Prayer Book, and a further aim which we must always bear in mind is that we must train boys to take their part in the worship of the parish church which they attend at home. Increasingly in parish churches today, the "Parish Communion", as it is normally called, is winning its way. This is a Sung Eucharist at some convenient hour, usually 9-0 a.m. or thereabouts, with the Communion of all Confirmed members of the congregation as its natural and correct climax. In most churches the service at the Parish Communion is sung to iMerbecke. For some time now we have tried at St. Peter's to accustom boys to this service on certain important Saints' days throughout the year.

We are now familiar with this idea; and increasingly familiar with, and appreciative of, Merbecke. This last term we had two such "Parish Communions", on Ascension Day and St. Peter's Day; and very beautiful Acts of Worship to Almighty God they were, with an average of 245 Communicants.

Only very occasionally do we have "special" services outside the Prayer Book; but our now well-known service "in Thanksgiving for the Life of St. Peter", and an equally well-known Commemoration Service, which ends the School year, are two such justifiable occasions. Commemoration followed its now traditional form, only the Anthem really being a variable item in a constant setting. Our preacher this year was the 'Provost of Newcastle, and we are deeply grateful to him for coming. Our other visiting preachers have been the Dean of York, the Revd. E. G. Moreton, and Canon A. E. Baker, and to all of them we offer our sincere thanks.

The Chapel Monitor and the majority of our servers are leaving this term, almost inevitably. J. N. T. Howat has been most conscientious and efficient in attending to all his duties. His predecessors set a high standard, and Howat has fully lived up to that standard. To him, and to all the Servers, who have been most regular both on Sundays and weekdays, we owe a great debt of gratitude. They rightly regard their work as a privilege; but that does not diminish its value in helping to make the worship of God what it ought to be; orderly, devout and, above all, sincere.

The Chapel Accounts for the year are given below.

C.P.