Reflected Glory

CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2012 [WEST]

D E T C E L F RE GLORY D E T C E L REF

INSIDE THIS ISSUE REFLECTED GLORY: TONY GRAY 20 YEARS OF STEPPING STONES WEST REGION MISSION TRIPS: SWEDEN REPORT

JUNIORS School years 3-6 Windrush Hall

16+ Our speaker today is Tony Gray Newland Hall Tony and Doreen Gray have been part of our Salt & Light Family since the very beginning. Both have a background in education. After almost twenty rears in Basingstoke they moved to Milton Keynes and then Lutterworth, before Tony became Principal of King’s Bible College in 1992, based in the Scottish Borders. When the College moved to Oxford in 2000, Tony & Doreen became part of Tees Valley Community Church, where they currently serve on the Eldership Team. They have four children and twelve grandchildren.

YOUTH School years 7-11 Room 32

DON’T M OUR SP ISS E CIAL EVENIN G MEET ING WITH T ONY. TONIG THE KIN HT 7:30 G’S SCH WITNEY OOL,

s

Faces tell stories; other faces told of the despair of failure and defeat, of the joy of triumph, of the sheer pain of giving every ounce of energy to push for the line, or the immense satisfaction of a goal accomplished.

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul, in contrasting the fading glory of the Old Covenant with the ever-increasing glory of the New Covenant says this (2 Cor. 4:6): “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” The face of the glorified Lord Jesus Christ tells a story of triumph over tragedy, of victory over sin and death, of the conquest of the rival, Satan, of the glory of the Winner on the podium! It is as we contemplate the face of Jesus that we see the glory of the Father. As we look at Jesus through the eyes of the indwelling Spirit we see a ‘mirror-image’ of the glory of God and as we contemplate this image we ourselves are transformed stage by stage to bear that image into our daily lives and into our communities (see 2 Cor.3:18).

Tony Gray

03| REFLECTED GLORY - TONY GRAY

INFANTS School years 1-2 Y5/Y6 Room

PRE SCHOOL F3-F1 Stepping Stones

One of the abiding images of the Olympic Games for us in the North East was the look on the face of local Gold Medal winner (in the Women’s Double Sculls) Kat Copeland – a look of astonishment and wonder as we see her exclaim to her partner “We’ve won the Olympics!”

2 News Gro up Newspaper

CRÈCHE & TODDLERS Ages 0 - 2 years Y3/Y4 room

D E T C E L F RE GLORY D E T C E L REF Copyright 201

GROUPS

WELCOME

Refreshments will be served at the end of the meeting.

We hope that you enjoy our time together. Here are some useful bits of information about our meeting.

If you have any questions, please ask one of the stewards.

THIS MORNING

STEPPING STONES 20TH ANNIVERSARY!!!

A LAUNCH PAD FOR LIFE

THE FIRST GROUP AT STEPPING STONES BAMPTON BAPTIST CHAPEL 1982 What started out as one parents search for suitable provision for her pre-school children fuelled a vision for the establishment of a Christ centred setting which was open to both church and non church children. It is from this pioneering heart that we have the Stepping Stones Foundation Unit which we know and love today.

(including the first school year formerly known as Reception) with Anne Brooks returning to the staff as Manager and now benefits from purpose built premises which are appreciated by staff and pupils alike and which has received praise other providers who visit the setting.

Stepping Stones first location was Bampton Baptist Chapel and opened with 11 children from across the county in November 1992 . The initial teachers were Anne Brooks & Jackie Pizzey with Pauline Mason as treasurer. The setting was a single room (plus storage) with very limited outdoor playing area for the children – it was the path to the backdoor! Even with limited facilities the setting soon gained an excellent reputation amongst both Oxfordshire Community Churches (OCC) parents and local mums. As a result it soon had a waiting list. With families experiencing the love and care from a growing staff team it was only a short step to running parenting courses and Alpha courses being a number of mums becoming Christians.

Over the years Stepping Stones has drawn on support from across OCC with many different people serving as staff, volunteering on various teams, giving financially or helping in the setting. Since 2009, the West Regional Team has been responsible for overseeing Stepping Stones and we look forward to seeing this rich tradition continue and hope many people within the Region will get involved too!

However, the fabric of the building began to deteriorate and it was obvious that Stepping Stones had to find a new location. This coincided with the stirring of the Spirit for pioneering a new way to teach early years (Pre-schoolers & Reception Years). Sensing the prompting of God, Stepping Stones moved to New Yatt Road & continued to thrive under the leadership of Jackie Pizzey & Cheryl Prosser. In 2009, Stepping Stones grew to include provision for the whole Foundation stage

Stepping Stones is truly a “Launch Pad for Life” providing children with the best possible start. With its key three aims of helping the children Getting to know God, Loving Other People & Growing up in God’s World, the staff at Stepping Stones provide the environment to see each young person develop at their own pace.

Why not arrange a visit and come and see for yourself and join in with the adventure over the next 20 years. If you would like visit the Foundation Unit or find out more please contact Anna Biddlecombe at steppingstones@occ.org.uk

05| STEPPING STONES 20TH ANNIVERSARY

LAUNCH PAD FOR LIFE

Joy

JOY HOSPICE, MBALE A LITTLE BIT VERY SQUEEZED

1 | 2 | 30 | 10,000 - By any reckoning these are incredible numbers, but behind each one are a lot of people: patients, staff, and family members. And it’s all about showing the love, compassion and mercy of Jesus to those facing illnesses of various kinds.

With the good old British NHS, it is easy for us to take medical care for granted. But in the crop-sowing season Ugandan subsistence farmers often have to make the choice between seeking medical attention and planting for food at the next harvest.

Although each patient is encouraged to make some contribution (however small), both clinic and hospice need financial support from outside of Uganda in order to minister these acts of mercy.

Uganda since 1998 (a member of Witney Community Church and formerly a Witney GP)

SITES - Buwasunguyi Village Clinic: a purpose-built facility

which opened in 2005. It replaced small rented premises JOY Hospice, Mbale: a 10-bed facility which opened in 2001 in a converted bungalow and now with comprehensive laboratory facilities. But it is “a little bit very squeezed” as they say in Mbale!

STAFF - Doctor (Jan), clinical officers, nurses, midwives,

receptionist/interpreter, lab technicians, admin staff, cleaners

PATIENTS - The approximate number of patients seen each year, ranging from babies being delivered, inoculations to palliative care for cancer- and AIDs-patients

Because the hospice is “a little bit very squeezed”, Dr Jan has a vision for a new purpose-built hospice of 20 beds with a small operating theatre and facilities for training health professionals in palliative care. This has been approved by the Mbale Deliverance Church Elders and a plot of land has been allocated. But to build it, all monies will have to be raised outside of Uganda.

Edinburgh-based architect, Ian Stewart of BDG McColl has made a site visit and is drawing up plans. Rough estimates indicate that the new JOY hospice will cost about £500,000 to build and equipped.

We want to stand with Jan and her team in this faith venture. The new hospice will allow many more families to be reached and blessed. So our regional offering in January will be towards this new building project. Please prayerfully consider over the next few months how much God is asking you to give.

Your gift will help us to begin to build the new JOY hospice.

As Caleb said to the people of Israel, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Numbers 13:30)

07| UGANDA

1 2 30 10,000

PIONEERING LADY - Dr Jan White in Mbale, Eastern

One of the privileges Mary and I have is to be pastorally responsible for Jan. After each of our visits to her, we come back so impressed by all that has been accomplished under less than ideal conditions.

KONUNGARIKET SVERIGE A report on the first of the Western Region Mission Trips Dates: Sweden 22 - 27 August 2012 Team: David and Katrin Arrehn, Steve and Jane Gridley, Lindsay Graham, Zac Coleman, Harriet Birks, Charlie Heath, Catherine Lane and Esther Coleman.

Report: Chippy has had some links with Sweden since David and Katrin Arrehn joined us a few years ago. Katrin’s home church, Heby-Sala, Centrumkyrkan, has Salt and Light connections and so it was a wonderful opportunity for some of us to visit the area and join the church in some outreach, youth events, and a Sunday service. We were graciously and warmly received by the church folk there and they generously hosted us with families across the region which is just north of Stockholm.

The young people from Chippy were, without exception excellent. They gave themselves to every task in a wholehearted way. They led a youth evening with confidence and grace and a huge amount of fun. The Swedish counterparts were equally wholehearted and we as ‘older folk’ looked on in amazement as God wonderfully blended them together. It was a special night.

Out in the town square in Sala an afternoon of balloon animals and face-painting drew in the crowds. Our team quickly learned the necessary skills and threw themselves into it.

Steve spoke on Sunday morning about ‘Journeying with God’, which had become our theme for the week. And Charlie, Lindsay and Catherine gave moving testimonies to God’s faithfulness in their own particular journey.

THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN GETS INVADED!!!

We had a wonderfully fun day in Stockholm....a beautiful city with much to see. And had an exciting trip to a Moose Farm! Real live Elk very close and friendly!

Our team was a ‘mixed bag’ in one sense but it was an enormous pleasure to travel together and link up with new and different people.

We are looking forward to a return match next year!

Jane Gridley on behalf of the team.

JOIN US NEXTTIME BRUSSELS

POLAND

A trip to support the church in Brussels, led by Richard and Anna Ellwood (formerly part of North Witney)

The church in Nowy Sącz, Poland, has strong links with Oxfordshire Community Churches, with regular visits taking place each year.

SPRING 2013

Further information from Gary Pizzey (North Witney).

SPRING 2013

This trip is being organised by Dan Campsall and John Gridley (Moreton-in-Marsh)

09| WESTERN REGION MISSION TRIP

WESTERN REGION MISSION TRIPS

THE KING’S SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FAYRE

An independent, Christian School for girls and boys aged 5-16 with early years provision on site for ages 2½-5 through Stepping Stones Foundation Unit

CHRISTIAN IN CURRICULUM, CHARACTER AND COMMUNITY

Photo taken during the school’s recent expressive arts week

One of the most popular attractions on the day is the ‘secret present room.’The glittery lights, festive decorations and the chance to choose Photo taken during the s and wrap up presents for their family ‘in secret’ is something many children look forward to each year. Children will be expecting to pay £2recent for expressive art a present so we are keen to give them good value for money. For this to be a success we would love to have donations of NEW gift items. Gifts that are popular include: Attractive stationery, Toiletry sets, Jewellery, Mini DIY sets, Hat, scarf, glove sets, Seasonal food sets (shop bought chutney, jam etc) (Local supermarkets often have a range of Christmas gift items that incorporate a buy one get one free offer that can be a way of blessing the school.) We would also welcome donations of boxes/tins of biscuits, chocolates and sweets, soft drinks and wine for our tombola and second hand books for our book stall. Most parents of pupils would be happy to collect donations so do ask a parent in your church. Finally we will be also having a raffle. If you or the company you own/work for feel able to donate a prize or sponsor the fayre in some way, please taken during the s contact Lesley West lesley.west@tkswitney.org.uk or ring 01993 778463. All sponsors are acknowledged in the fayre leaflet given out onPhoto the day.

recent expressive art

Our next open morning will be on Saturday, 6th October.

Please see our website for more details.  CHRISTIAN IN CURRICULUM, CHARACTER AND COMMUNIT

www.tkswitney.org.uk

An Christian School for girlsCharity and boys aged 5-16 Part independent, of Oxfordshire Community Churches | Registered 1056921 with early years provision on site for ages 2½-5 through Steppin Stones Foundation Unit Our next open morning will be on Saturday, 6th October.

Please see our website for more details.

www.tkswitney.org.uk

Part of Oxfordshire Community Churches | Registered Charity 1056921

TOUR ISRAEL 26 MAY - 3 JUNE 2013 WITH GEOFF & MARY NORRIDGE FURTHER DETAILS geoffn@saltlight.org

FREEDOM FROM YOUR

   HANG-UPS HURTS,         & HABITS A new Celebrate Recovery Course is starting on 25th   September. This year the course will be running on Tuesday

evenings at The King’s School, New Yatt Road, Witney.

Find our more from Geoff and Mary Norridge 01993 772375 geoffn@occ.org.uk | www.celebraterecovery.co.uk 

NEXT CELEBRATION

18 November Area Celebration The King’s Centre, Oxford

Our guest speaker Joel Edwards is the International Director of Micah Challenge, a global campaign to mobilise Christians against poverty, and to influence leaders of rich and poor nations to fulfil their promise to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

11| ADVERTS

Well done you crazy people!!!

www.tkswitney.org.uk

A massive £500 was raised by John Gridley, Dan Campsall and John Green as they cycled through torrential rain to complete a tour of all 7 west region churches.

Part of Oxfordshire Community Churches | Registered Charity 1056921

An independent, Christian School for girls and boys aged 5-16 with early years provision on site for ages 2½-5 through Steppin Stones Foundation Unit

100k in 4hrs 40!!!

Thank you to everyone who supported eurotour2012!

Our next open morning will be on Saturday, 6th October.

Please see our website for more details.

CHRISTIAN IN CURRICULUM, CHARACTER AND COMMUNIT

THE KING’S CENTRE Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0ES 01865 297400 office@occ.org.uk

ABINGDON COMMUNITY CHURCH Ed & Kate Evans 01235 521622 ede@occ.org.uk THE KING’S CHURCH, DIDCOT Robin & Lisa Howard 01235 848422 robinh@occ.org.uk HENLEY BAPTIST CHURCH Roger & Di Cole 01491 576883 rogerc@dtwo.co.uk SWINDON COMMUNITY CHURCH John & Gail Reeve 01793870916 johnreeveuk@hotmail.com WANTAGE COMMUNITY CHURCH Neil & Denise Townsend 01235 771152 neilt@occ.org.uk

SOUTH REGION TEAM LEADER NEIL TOWNSEND

STEPPING STONES FOUNDATION UNIT New Yatt Road, Witney, OX29 6TA www.occ.org.uk/steppingstones

CARTERTON COMMUNITY CHURCH Matt & Anna Biddlecombe 01993 846510 mattb@occ.org.uk CHIPPING NORTON COMMUNITY CHURCH Paul & Lottie Meathrel 01608 646127 paulm@occ.org.uk COTE BAPTIST CHURCH Richard & Rachel Bloomfield 01993 850134 richb”occ.org.uk COMMUNITY CHURCH, MORTON-IN-MARSH Dan & Kerstin Campsall 01608 812445 danc@occ.org.uk NORTH WITNEY COMMUNITY CHURCH Gary & Jackie Pizzey 01993 702615 garyp@occ.org.uk WEST WITNEY COMMUNITY CHURCH Jason & Jennifer Huffadine 01993 702979 jasonh@occ.org.uk WYCHWOOD HOUSE CHURCHES Tony & Charlotte Osborn 01993 878169 tony_osborn99@yahoo.co.uk WEST REGION ADMINISTRATOR John Gridley 01865 297400 johng@occ.org.uk

WEST REGION TEAM LEADER GARY PIZZEY

THE KING’S PRESCHOOL, BICESTER www.occ.org.uk/bicester

GEOFF & MARY NORRIDGE 01993 772375 GeoffN@occ.org.uk

CEDRIC & AUDREY HOBBS CedricH@occ.org.uk

DAVID & ROSIE FREEMAN DavidF@occ.org.uk

BRYN & DOROTHY FRANKLIN BrynF@occ.org.uk

ROGER & DI COLE 01491 576883 rogerc@dtwo.co.uk

MIKE & LIZ BEAUMONT MikeB@occ.org.uk

STEVE & LORRAINE THOMAS 01993 850990 SteveT@occ.org.uk

APOSTOLIC MINISTRY TEAM TEAM LEADER STEVE THOMAS

Oxfordshire Community Churches | A Family On Mission Together | Registered Charity 1056921

THE KING’S SCHOOL, WITNEY New Yatt Road, Witney, OX29 6TA 01993 778463 www.occ.org.uk/tks

COMMUNITY CHURCH, THAME Kevin & Debbie Bowers 01844 260319 kevinbo@occ.org.uk CENTRE REGION ADMINISTRATOR Andrew Clark 01865 297420 andrewc@occ.org.uk

Oxford Church Office 01865 297420 oxford@occ.org.uk

PATHWAYS CHURCH, BANBURY Barrie & Mary Wood 01295 279268 barriew@occ.org.uk BICESTER COMMUNITY CHURCH Steve & Tammi Beegoo 01869 240651 steveb@occ.org.uk THE LEYS COMMUNITY CHURCH Chipper & Anna Betts 07985 982804 chipperb@occ.org.uk LIFEHOUSE COMMUNITY CHURCH, KIDLINGTON Mark & Katherine Eley 01865848659 markeley84@gmail.com OXFORD COMMUNITY CHURCH Stephen & Beverley Jones 01865 402141 stephenj@occ.org.uk

CENTRE REGION TEAM LEADER STEVE JONES