Oasis Life: October 2016
Hello, and welcome to the October edition of Oasis Life, our monthly Magazine for those both inside and outside of Oasis! The aim of the Magazine is to provide a longer, more in depth view of everything that’s been going on at Oasis lately, and everything coming up in the next month of so; it’s not meant to be a quick read like our Weekly Email Blast, but rather is something to be (hopefully!) enjoyed in a bit more time over a cup of tea or coffee.
You’ll notice that with this edition, we’ve freshened the design up slightly, reorganising into three sections: ‘Home’, ‘Life’ and ‘City’. Put simply, ‘Home’ is all about who we are, ‘Life’ is about what we do together, and ‘City’ is about what we do in Birmingham and Beyond. You can click here to sign up to get this Magazine emailed straight to your inbox each month. So sit back and join us for a look back at what’s been going on in Oasis lately, and a look ahead at what’s to come.
A Thought from Adrian
Running lessons: It was a privilege once again to play a small part in the Great Birmingham Run this year! I always come away from the event celebrating in the amazing City we are in and the people that make it up. After this year’s run I have been left with two lasting impressions which I believe aren’t just limited to the run, but shape how we live our lives.
Firstly, small actions make a big difference. In proportion to the size of the event, where we are stationed is small and the number of Oasis people involved is small. One could look at the part we play and think what does it matter? However, from the visible reactions of those running past to the music, applause, shouts of encouragement and the decorations we provided, you could see the difference it made. Whether it was from the smiles, the applause, the picking up of pace or ability to start running again; though our contribution was small we positively impacted the 20,000 runners. It is important that we live with this mentality throughout our lives, as often much of the impact we have is through the small actions we take but we mustn’t limit them. This is the way of the Kingdom: like a mustard seed that becomes a vast tree or yeast that mixes throughout the bowl of flour.
Secondly, encouragement breeds encouragement. It was amazing to witness during the run how the encouragement given by Oasis caused runners to thank and applaud those from Oasis, which in turn led to greater encouragement from Oasis. Encouragement does that; it breeds encouragement. It is amazing the impact our words can have on others as we seek to build them up and the way it can shape the culture of the environment we are in.
These two takeaways from the Birmingham Great Run can seem so simple yet they are so powerful in living out all we are looking at in our series at the moment of ‘Building Culture’.
Love and peace,
Adrian
An Interview with Chris Taylor
Recently, we caught up with Chris Taylor from Midsummer to find out all about their upcoming plans as a band, highlights so far, and thoughts on songwriting and faith. Check it out here, or on the link below:
Hope for Justice
Glen Darby: A few years ago I heard a speaker say something very simple yet profound, which has stuck with me to this day; he said, “All life is sacred, because all life is God Given”. I remember thinking there was weightiness about this statement and I started to think about what that means to me and how it should shape both my heart and my response. I started to embrace the realisation that I had a part to play in honouring the sacredness of both my own life and the lives of others.
Shortly afterwards I discovered the charity, Hope for Justice, which is a Christ centred charity, with the vision of wanting to free the world of modern day slavery. Conservative estimates state that there are approximately 27 million slaves in the world today, 27 million people whose freedom and true identity has been taken from them. I found it deeply disturbing to think that someone’s son or daughter, mother or father, brother or sister, is having their God given freedom violated, for greed and distorted gains.
Unbeknown to me, these people were not thousands of miles away working on some plantation, slaves are right here in Birmingham! H4J actually has one of its key rescue hubs in Birmingham. H4J is a passionate and bold charity, literally pushing back the forces of darkness in this nation and beyond. I encourage you to check out what they are doing on their website and be inspired by their audacious vision.
One of the ways H4J mobilises supporters, is through local abolition groups. This involves meeting approximately once a month, watching a short video about what’s going on for that month, praying and discussing ideas about what the group could do to support with things like charity events and raising awareness etc. All of this is usually punctuated with the obligatory tea and cake J. If you want to find out more about H4J or you are interested in being part of an abolition group, please let me know, it would be fantastic if we could have an Oasis abolition group.
Many blessings,
Glen Darby (darbyg1@hotmail.com)
Recommendations
Each month, we aim to share recommendations of things to read, things to watch, or things to listen to which will do you good and help you in your walk with Jesus and in revealing him in the world. Please do feel free to send in your own recommendations of things you’ve found helpful for us to include and share with others too! On the back of the Catalyst4theworkplace day last month, there are a couple of books which go deeper into the themes we explored at the conference: “Every Good Endeavor” by Tim Keller and “Know Your Why” by Ken Costa. For something to listen to, we’ve really been enjoying the “Simple Gospel” album from United Pursuit (including the song “Seasons Change” that we sung at Oasis a few weeks ago), and the latest from Rivers & Robots, “All Things New”.
Men’s Curry
Saturday 29th October: Over the past few years, our Women’s ministry has gone from strength to strength, and we’d love to see our Men’s work grow in a similar way over the coming months. To kick things off, we’re heading out for a curry together on the evening of the 29th October, from 8pm, at Sundarbon Restaurant on Bristol Road. Click “going” on the Facebook Page, or let us know at admin@theoasischurch.com if you don’t have Facebook but would like to coming along, so that we can know how many places to book.
Super Sunday!
Sunday 30th October: Coming up at the end of October we’ve got a Triple Header - a Sunday with not one, not two, but three fantastic events. Kicking things off, we have Baptisms in the morning, when we’ll be running two meetings as normal (9:30am and 11:45am at Edgbaston), and then having testimonies and baptisms in the slot in between the two (from 11am-11:45am). So if you’re coming to the second meeting, do make sure to arrive for 11am so you don’t miss out!
Then, in the afternoon, gathering right after the second meeting, it’s our next Loving The City event (more info on this in the ‘City’ section). Rounding things off, in the evening is our next Creative Worship Encounter night from 6pm-8pm at Edgbaston; a place to share different creative expressions, all united by a common desire to meet with God in a unique, powerful way.
The Boiler Room
Wednesday 9th November: Prayer is at the heart of everything we do as Oasis; it’s why we call our gatherings ‘The Boiler Room’. Join us for our next meeting on Wednesday 9th November from 8pm-9:30pm in the RES Wyatt Building at Edgbaston when we’re going to be praying for our community, city, nation and the nations, as well as sharing some updates in relation to building and finance.
Momentum Thirst
Sunday 13th November: Momentum Thirst is back for November with more opportunities for our Students & 20's to gather to seek God, build community and share life. We’ll be hanging out, worshipping together and continuing our focus on growing in God throughout different areas of life with our series “Go Long: Practicing Perseverance”. We start the evening with a free, cooked meal together, before a time of worship and teaching/discussion in an informal atmosphere. Join us in the Old Players Dining Room (RES Wyatt building) at Edgbaston, from 6pm-8pm.
Christmas is coming…
There’s less than ten weeks to go until Christmas - a thought which will fill some of you with joy, and others with dread! We thought it’d be helpful to give everyone a heads up of our plans for Christmas this year, so you can get them in your diaries nice and early. Things kick off on Sunday 4th December when we’ll be hosting a Christmas Ceilidh at Edgbaston in the evening, before a double-header the following week, Sunday 11th December, with All-Age Carols in the morning and Creative Carols in the evening. Always a highlight of the Christmas season, Nativity Who returns for Sunday 18th December, and we’re also planning on hosting a Christmas Day meeting at a venue to be confirmed. We’ll get you exact times and more details for each event soon, but that’s the shape of things to come at Oasis this Christmas!
Loving The City
Sunday 30th October: Anyone who has been around Oasis for any length of time will know that as followers of Jesus, wherever we are and whatever we do, we can bring God’s colour and flavour to people around us. Often, that’ll be in the context of our normal, daily lives, but we’re also seeking to expand opportunities to reach out to those we might not normally encounter. That’s the heart behind ‘Loving the City’; bringing God’s colour and flavour to people on the streets and in the parks of Birmingham. After the second meeting, some of us will be grabbing some lunch together and then heading out for about an hour for Loving The City, with anyone who wants to welcome to join us! Find out more from Paul Samms at paul@theoasischurch.com.
Mountain Biking: The Untold British Story
Sunday 30th October: Pip Piper’s latest film, “Mountain Biking: The Untold British Story” is heading to Birmingham’s famous Electric Cinema at 3pm on 30th October, followed by a Q&A with Pip and his fellow director Michael B. Clifford. Another excellent option for what’s shaping up to be a busy day in the life of Oasis!
Impact
Wednesday 2nd November: After a great night our with DAME and Mondo Royale last time around, get the 2nd November in your diary as the date of the next Impact night at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath. Acts to be confirmed closer to the time, but it’s set to be another fantastic evening of live music!
Is Faith Reasonable?
Wednesday 2nd November: An event being hosted by our friends at ChaplaincyPlus, asking the question “Suffering: Is God asleep at the wheel?”. Suffering presents both a logical and an emotional challenge to belief in God, but are the alternatives any better? And what reasons might we have for believing that God might indeed have answers or, even better, a solution? Come along for a half hour talk, a drink and pizza, and an extended time of Q&A at Pizza Express in the Bullring. The evening costs just £4, and you can get tickets here.
Bridge Afternoon Tea
Sunday 6th November: At the start of November, The Bridge is hosting an afternoon at Rowheath Pavilion to raise funds and awareness for our work with men and women who are battling to beat drug and alcohol addiction. There’ll be tea, cake, music, children’s activities and a short chat about what The Bridge is and what it does, and we’d love for you to join us for what’s set to be a fantastic event. Entry is just £5 per adult and £2.50 per child, and you can get tickets online here.
Festive Favourites
Monday 19th December: Our very own Vince Ricketts will be gracing the stage at the Birmingham Symphony Hall this Christmas as part of the CBSO Community Choir, for an evening of festive favourites. Find out more online.
Community Highlights
Music Teacher: A friend of Pete & Cheryl Lockhart has recently moved to Birmingham to help with a church plant; he’s a music teacher living locally on Dad’s Lane, so if you or anyone you know is interested in music lessons, do check him out here.
Cornerstone Mission: Some of you may remember Lizzie, who was part of Oasis a number of years ago, and worked in Brazil with Pete & Cheryl. Her and her husband Tiago are moving to the Netherlands to begin a new project working with refugees and migrants, and would love your support! Find out more about what they’ll be up to here.
Simeon’s Watch: Just down the road from us, Christ Church Selly Park are hosting the Riding Lights Theatre Company for a performance of Christmas play “Simeon’s Watch” on Friday 4th November. Find out more here.
Thanks for reading this edition of Oasis Life! If there’s anything you would like to add in to the next edition, please do get in touch with me, either by dropping me an email on richard@theoasischurch.com or by chatting to me on a Sunday. Whether it’s a story of what God is doing in and through you, an event or cause you’re passionate about, or a resource you’d like to highlight, Oasis Life is a place for all of us to add in.
