Thankful for 25 Years

In 2024, Oasis celebrates 25 years as a church community. In this blog article, Vince Ricketts shares a few things that he is thankful to God for from across the journey — he also shared a version of this message at the Open Air Service during the Oasis Big Weekend in June 2024.

Jesus said “I will build my church”.

I want to thank God that the testimony of Oasis Church is that it is Jesus who has done the building, and continues to do so.

Deb and I have been a part of this story for 23 years now, and I can remember us catching something of the heart and vision of Oasis at the very beginning: that it would be a community built by God, at the heart of which was that we would seek to love God and love people.

On a personal level, we are thankful for this family who have journeyed through life with us, both in prayer and in practical ways. We have experienced the community living out their love for God and love for people in many ways.

I thank God that this is what has been and is being built.

I thank God that we are more reflective of the culture and diversity that is expressed across Birmingham now than we were 25 years ago. God has done it!

I thank God that we are a people that love the word of God, the direction of the Spirit, and the joy of worship.

I am thankful for saving grace and living grace that is evident amongst us. It is the Lords doing an it is marvellous in our eyes!!

I am thankful to God for the many people that have found Oasis to be an oasis; a place of rest where some can stay for a while before moving on to the next part of their journey.

I thank God for those we have sent who are in Birmingham, in the nation, and across the nations.

I am thankful to God that He continues to fulfil His plans and purposes through each of us; to build His church and for us to be revealing His love, joy, peace and wholeness by loving Him and loving people. More and more, I am encouraged by stories of people living lives centred on Jesus and knowing Him to be enough, full stop.

What about the next 25 years? Two passages came to mind:

Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus the champion who initiates and perfects faith — Hebrews 12:2

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! — Hebrews 13:1–2