Sharing the Good News in the Decade of Evangelism
Issue Number 44
The Diocese of Oxford Reporter: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
UP AND AWAY FOR JESUS A day to take the walls off the church!
July 1993
Inside this DOOR CHURCHES AND TOURISTS PAGES 10- 13 What do you think of visitors? Are they a nuisance? Or do you see ministering to them as part of the Church's mission? Burford Church has a whole range of guides for them and leaflets on prayer too. Does your church? Do you need help in writing a church guide?
WHAT ARE CATHEDRALS FOR? PAGE 9 Cathedrals attract thousands of tourists. But they are not just architectural gems. What is their future? Bishop Ronald Gordon, a Canon of Christ Church, writes about the Cathedrals Commission.
On stage, Marcus Green, an ordinand from Wycliffe Hall, cool behind his shades, sang with the Groovy Heroes. In the warm sunshine the young and not so young danced on the grass. A nun sat eating an icecream. Children queued excitedly to have their faces painted. The vast balloon gently tugged at its moorings. All in all it was an idyllic afternoon. But there was a serious side too. 'Together for You' organised by the Oxford Churches in South Park on Sunday, June 13 was described as an afternoon "to take the walls off the churches". Christians from all over Oxford and from many different denominations came together to express and celebrate their faith in all kinds of ways from gospel and rock music to Taize worship and silent prayer. Christian organisations, charitable groups and commercial concerns were also represented in the exhibition area.
There is stained glass in abundance in Christ Church and across the Diocese. June Osborne picks out some of our finest like this St Birinus window at Dorchester. This issue also tells you how to be a book agent, gives an insight into the week of a Christian broadcaster and includes our popular church tearoom guide.
Links between churches
In previous years Oxford' s churches have joined in the annual March for Jesus. This year they decided to do something new. So they decided to take the walls off the church in order to give others the chance to see them enjoying and celebrating God's love. The event was also seen as one w1ay of building and strengthening links between churches in the run up to the Oxford Christian Festival in 1994. Seven local churches in Thame did March for Jesus on June 12. More than 200 people walked through the streets of the town led by members of St Mary's Parish Church and Thame Baptist Church music groups. Marches were held simultaneously in over 80 countries including Albania where Phil Austin and Mark Fitter from Thame are both working with the youth mission YWAM. They sent a fax to St Mary's Church to say they were marching for Jesus in Tirana. Pictured: (above) Marcus Green singing with the Groovy Heroes, a rock band based at St Aldates' Church. All its members are Oxford University undergraduates and worship at St Aldates'. (right) The St Aldates Dance Group formed specially for the day are dancing with hand signs devised by Australian aboriginals to express the meaning of the Gospel. The group is led by Fiona Magawan (extreme left) who is researching Australian Aboriginal Music and Dance at One! College. Photos by Frank Blackwell.
And more. Craft made; skilfully designed; affordable. OXFORD: King Edward St (BETWEEN HIGH ST & ORIEL SQ)
WOODSTOCK: On the A44 CHELTENHAM: Regent Arcade 0
0
- •
on P AS TAK ACSPY - FR