About Us
Oasis Church Reading
We are a new and emerging local community who are developing ways of outworking the Oasis UK vision here in Reading town. We are committed to radical inclusion and kindness. Back in 2020 we started gathering around the Oasis vision and values, with other wanderers who dreamed of a fully inclusive faith space with no barriers to taking part. We longed for a place where doubts and questions about our faith and the world could be met with curiosity. Lead by compassion, we are excited to venture further into the high, wide, deep and mysterious Love of God in Christ. We want to create spaces that are good news to our community, that meet a need and bring transformation.
At Oasis Reading children and young people are really important to us. Many of us came here desiring a faith space for our families where our children could experience formation around the beautiful news of God’s accepting and unending love for them. We want to give all ages space to question, respond creatively and be fully able to participate in the life of our church.
We believe that everyone is made in the image of God. We understand God as divine triune community; diverse and relational. We realise our inter-connectedness, all able to reflect the divine in a unique way. We believe that our original God-given ‘very goodness’ makes us completely accepted, seen, known and loved by a God who wants us to participate in loving ourselves, loving others and loving God.
‘Salvation is not flight from the wrath of God; but accepting and reciprocating the love of God… Salvation does not divide. Salvation connects, so that one sees oneself in others and others in oneself’
James Baldwin 1981
Our Church
Our aim here in Reading is to build a diverse movement of people who form a Christ-centred community defined by four characteristics:
- Full inclusion (particularly regarding those who identify as LGBT+)
- An open, progressive theology
- A commitment to social justice
- Informal, accessible church service style and an open table
Full inclusion.
As a church, we’re committed to being a place where everyone is included and can contribute. If you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community, then please know that you can find a safe, welcoming church family here in which we welcome your participation without any glass ceilings. We believe we need each other, with all our beautiful diversity and difference, to reflect the creativity, image, and joy of God. We know that many religious spaces are unsafe environments for LGBTQ+ people. If you’re uncertain or it feels like too much to just turn up, we see you. Do get in touch louise.bisset@oasisuk.org
We are passionate about growing in all areas of inclusion. We aim to be a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, as well as sexuality and gender identity.
An open, progressive theology.
We have experienced a spirit-led widening away from fixed ideas, to discover more fruitful and inclusive ways of understanding our Christian story. We endeavour to lovingly apply this story to a constantly changing world. We don’t simply apply our bibles literally but try to understand the context, time and genre that passages were written in, viewing scripture through a Christ-lens where all things are reconciled and all people are included. We wrestle with what it means to talk about God and develop a Christ-centred approach to our original goodness and a theology of being loved.
We don’t shy away from other sources of wisdom, taking a posture of curiosity and knowing that She moves in mysterious ways. We desire to be led by the Spirit, who invites us into wholeness and brings about flourishing and shalom. We won’t bypass your very real pain or the ways in which our world is hurting. We hold hope for the future through being present to God, each other and through our actions. We acknowledge that that we can only see in part and that our theological reflections will challenge us and illuminate new ways of seeing and knowing.
A commitment to social justice.
We believe everyone should be able to reach their full potential. We work to include all in this beautiful invitation. We aim to respond with love to people on the underside or margins and aim to contribute to, collaborate on and develop community projects that bring about flourishing for all. You can find out more about what we are involved in here: Our Projects.
An informal church service style and an open table.
You don’t need to wear your Sunday best here (but you can if you would like to, and we’ll notice how snazzy you are). We believe church should be a place where you can be yourself. You won’t find complicated routines and we’ll always try to explain what we’re doing during the service and how you’re invited to participate. Often we will offer bread and wine/juice to practice communion…ANYONE is welcome to take part at any age in an informal way.
We always have drinks and snacks and you’re welcome to wander or be still.
We know families experience a range of challenges in church, and we know kids aren’t wired to stay still or indeed quiet for any length of time. Come as you are, we’ve all been there as parents!
Oasis Reading Leadership
As we form and grow as a church community, there are a few of us co-steering; Louise being employed as Church Lead currently supported by Ben, Kathryn, Martyn and Lorraine. We aim to be visible, accessible and accountable as we work together to lead our community into a place where everyone is included and finds a deep sense of belonging. Here are our faces!
Oasis UK Vision and Values
Oasis UK is inspired and motivated by the life, teaching and example of Jesus and driven by the passionate belief that each human being is uniquely valuable and of equal importance.
It informs our inclusive ethos, which we hope is obvious wherever and whenever someone encounters Oasis and permeates through everything we do.
Our five ethos values:
- A passion to include everyone
- A desire to treat everyone equally, respecting differences
- A commitment to healthy and open relationships
- A deep sense of hope that things can change and be transformed
- A sense of perseverance to keep going for the long haul
Find out more here about Oasis UK here: https://www.oasisuk.org/who-are-oasis/our-ethos/