Worship
At the core of Oxford Youth Works is a worshipping community of Christians. Drawing on the skills of our interdenominational team we are continuing to develop fresh worship experiences. We seek to invite young people to share in our worship and explore the promises of God with us.
JOY
Our weekly service, JOY, held at the Oxford Youth Works centre on the Cowley Road, combines friendship, food, fun, prayer, worship and reflection. This is a time on a Thursday evening when we open our doors to the young people we work with to spend time playing together for example, badminton, football and snooker, or talking through the events of the week. We then share a meal together and finally spend time in creative Worship/prayer. We try to find culturally relevant ways for the young people to identify with God and God’s work in their own lives.
Vicky’s experience of JOY
“I was a confused, very sensitive, lonely little girl. I did have friends but I didn’t feel like I belonged or fitted in with anyone. It didn’t matter what type of people I was talking to, I was just an observer. I was always on the outside looking in, learning what I could then moving on. Deep down inside me was a longing for belonging, a yearning for self discovery, a need to feel whole.
Although I was aware of Gods presence I never felt that I had an opportunity to learn about Him, then I met Sam (a youth leader at Oxford Youth Works). I went to worship down at the Oxford Youth Works centre on a Thursday, it was good and I learnt a lot. The one thing that was really cleared up was the rumour that Christians lead a boring life and are boring to talk to. At the Centre there were a wide variety of different Christians and none were boring, none hit me around the head with the bible to knock some sense into me and not one of them tried to brainwash me. The trouble was I was a teenager and I wanted excitement in the form of alcohol, clubbing, sex and a few drugs (not heavy ones). I left school after staying on for a diploma, I decided that I would take a year out then go back and do my ‘A’ levels. During that year out I fell pregnant, me and my partner split up and it was then that I started to think seriously about my life and the direction I wanted to go in. Suddenly out of the blue I dialled Sam’s number, at the time I didn’t really know why. Now I can say that the Lord made me ‘phone her. ‘He’ was trying to make contact with me, He had been for my whole life, but the message was just beginning to get through.
Now my excitement comes from life from God. Discovering who he is and who I am. The longing to find me will be over because God will reveal the real me, the me he planned me to be.” (Vicky, a young person)
JOY Christmas Party 2007
It was amazing to have 30 of the young people we know so well join us to celebrate the festive season. This is what Fran Wright, JOY Project Leader, had to say about the latest Christmas Party:
“This term also saw another exciting J.O.Y Christmas party, another excellent meal co-ordinated by Liz Ridler ably assisted by her son Robbie (without their support such a feast would not be possible)! We were VIP’s to another energetic adaptation of the nativity story performed by our young people and staff. Much fun was had by all, old faces returning, new faces emerging. It was a fantastic way to end the year!”
Words could not do justice to the fun we had celebrating the festive season, so have a browse through the photos and galleries below to witness some of the antics we all got up to.
 
Photo 1. Christmas Post Box Photo 2. Mulled Wine
An opportunity to send their friends some It wouldn't be Christmas without a but of mulled
Christmas cheer. wine - non alcoholic of course.
 
Photo 3. Karaoke Photo 4. Young-person-a-saurus
The leaders get up and strut their stuff! Number 32 of '101 Things to do with Party Hats'
Come back soon for more photos of the evening's activities.
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