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Living Faith Stories

How has Living Faith inspired you in your local setting?

We'd like to follow up the Living Faith DVD with

  • stories
  • videos
  • interviews
  • pictures

that demonstrate how parishes in our diocese are focusing their work on the five Living Faith principles.

If you've got a story, activity or event that we could cover please tell the parish development adviser for your area.

Living Faith for the future

NEW : See below for Bible Study, Prayer Leaflet and Local Church Health Check

‘Living Faith for the Future’ is the vision for the Diocese of Oxford for the next five years as approved by diocesan synod in November 2008.

I’ve always been clear in my own mind that the health of our diocese lies not at the centre, but in the vitality and imagination of the local parish or arena of ministry. What we have attempted to do with ‘Living Faith’ is to provide a vision, and a set of priorities, to help you frame your thinking as you live out your faith together.
Bishop John

Vision

Living Faith for the Future - Revised
Bishop John's revised paper setting out the Living Faith vision

 

Living Faith Video

The Living Faith video explores the five priorities, with snapshots from around the diocese. You may like to show it in a PCC meeting, during a service or in small groups – indeed anywhere where it might stimulate further prayerful thinking about your mission.
You need Flash player 8+ and JavaScript enabled to view this video.

Visit our Youtube channel for subtitled versions.

 

Logo and Diagram

Colour:  jpg eps             Grey: jpg    

Black and White: jpg



Living Faith Diagram: jpg

 

Posters

The posters are intended to go on your church noticeboards. It would be wonderful to see the same splash of colour appearing right across our three counties.
Living Faith A3 Poster

 

Leaflets

The leaflets offer a beginner’s guide to ‘Living Faith’.
Living Faith Introductory Leaflet

 

Calling Cards

The little calling cards are designed to be carried in a wallet or purse, or stuck to a computer or fridge – anywhere where they might serve as a useful reminder of our five priorities.
Living Faith Calling Card

 

Postcards

The postcards can be used in any way you like to reinforce the ‘Living Faith’ brand.
Living Faith Postcard

 

Prayer Leaflet

At the heart of Living Faith for the Future is the priority of ‘Sustaining the Sacred Centre’. This is a priority for us as individuals and as church communities if we are to deepen our enjoyment of God and to recognise God’s presence in everyday life. Here are some ideas to help.
PRAYER : A Simple Guide

 

Health Check

‘Health Check’ is a useful tool for assessing where your local church is now, and where you’d like to travel as a church.
Health Check Handouts | Health Check Introduction

 

Bible Study

The Bible Study guides will help you dig deeper into the theology that underpins ‘Living Faith’.
Bible Studies Handout | Bible Study Booklet

 

Please share the resources with your congregations as you think best. If you run out of materials, speak to the Communications Team (01865 208225) who will do their best to help.

 

Dates for your Diary

The most important date for your diary now is the archdeaconry evening in the autumn when we will have a chance to develop the ‘Living Faith’ ideas further, as well as discussing some Area issues:

  • 5 October Buckingham, St James’s Gerrards Cross (time tbc, but afternoon and evening)
  • 6 October Oxford, Dorchester Abbey 4 pm – 10 pm
  • 23 October Berkshire, Reading (venue and time tbc, but afternoon and evening).

The goal is growth - unashamedly. In a sense, growth is what you think it is! Growth in numbers, in prayerfulness, in social engagement, in Christian maturity and confidence. But we want to grow the Kingdom, not manage decline.

Thank you for all you're doing to share God's love in so many exciting ways. There's an amazing amount of wonderful work going on in this diocese. ‘Living Faith for the Future’ is simply intended to provide a supportive framework for local initiative around common priorities. So let's paint something beautiful for God in the Diocese of Oxford.