On Saturday 18th June, over 100 Christians from 20 churches in Oxford gathered for our first Renew Oxford event. Through a range of talks, interviews and breakout groups – all accompanied with prayer – we explored three key questions: What is? What are the needs of our city, and how are churches currently making a…
An Interview with Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol
At Renew Oxford 2022 we showed an interview between Steve Jones (Senior Pastor of Oxford Community Church) and Marvin Rees (Mayor of Bristol). In this full interview, we hear Marvin share on a wide range of topics, including: The relationship between the church and local authorities Handling conflict The role of the church in working…
Preview: An Interview with Marvin Rees
At Renew Oxford 2022 we will be hearing an interview Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, in which he discusses some of the challenges faced in our cities, and how churches can work together for the common good. Here’s a snippet to whet your appetite! To book your ticket, visit the Renew Oxford event page. And please…
Friendship and the Loneliness Epidemic
‘What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.’ (Kurt Vonnegut) Our world has never been more connected. Technology, the internet, and social media make it possible to be connected to people…
Introducing: Lloyd Cooke
We are looking forward to hearing from guest speaker Lloyd Cooke at Renew Oxford in June. Lloyd is the Chief Executive of Saltbox, a charity in Stoke-on-Trent that provides support for local churches, Christian ministries and faith groups, and facilitates partnership between churches, the public sector, and voluntary and community sectors. Saltbox organises many united Christian…
For Good
Last year, I heard Professor Grace Davie saying that the biggest story in Western European religion since the turn of the millennium has been the huge mushrooming of church-based social action. (I wonder whether an even bigger story might be the great number of churches being planted in Europe by African and Asian Christians, but Prof. Davie…
Introducing: Dr. Russell Rook, OBE
We are excited to have Dr. Russell Rook, OBE as one of our keynote speakers at Renew Oxford on 18 June. Russell is a social entrepreneur who has spent much of the last thirty years helping Christian organisations to help transform their communities and take a stand in the public square. Having started his professional life with…
Light in the Darkness
In November 2021, Steve Jones, Senior Pastor of Oxford Community Church, spoke about having a vision for the city, and living as those who reflect the glory of God and shine the light of the gospel. This talk expresses the heart behind the Renew Oxford initiative, and the role we have to play in helping…
Coming Soon…
Over the coming months, we hope to share a range of resources, which will help us to better understand the needs of our city, and consider what role we can play in continuing to work for the renewal of Oxford. This will include theological articles, biblical reflections, book reviews, and other recommended resources.
RENEW OXFORD 