Bright Lights – Annual Review 2020 We are thrilled to share our ‘Bright Lights’ Review of 2020 with you. It’s a year we will always remember for its exceptional challenges, as well as opportunities. And a year in which you shone a bright light into some very dark and broken places. Against a backdrop of […]
Working for Innovista over the last 6 years has grown me and stretched me in ways I didn’t see coming. I have learned so much about leadership, teamwork, training and ministry in Ireland. I remember one day our international director, Jason, came to visit from Oxford to share with our team. Our office was in […]
Do you think of yourself as a leader? Perhaps the question brings to mind your role at work or at church, or perhaps you jump to compare yourself to someone else. If you are a parent, then the answer is a resounding yes regardless of your roles outside the home – and we want to […]
Determined to be there Plunging into a third national lockdown just as the new term started has been hard for young people. Loss of routine again, separation from friends again, and contending with online learning again amplifies anxiety for so many. Thrive Teams are determined to be there, supporting and cheering on young people in […]
Adjusting to a new normal Our work has been dramatically changed as a result of the pandemic. As I keep reminding our team, the context has changed enormously – but the mission of God has not. We’ve had to work out new ways to do what God has called us to. During the first […]
This Christmas, many young people in Oxford’s most challenging estates are struggling and have little to look forward to. We have been offered £10,000 of matched funding for Thrive Teams, meaning that any gift you are able to give will be doubled. With your help, Thrive Teams can reach out to the most marginalised – […]
Today is #GivingTuesday and I want to bring the needs of Innovista before you. 2020 has been a year like no other. Coronavirus has cast a shadow over us, and our Christian hope doesn’t make us immune to the pain of loss and separation we are experiencing. But our Christian hope does give us someone […]
The word I’ve heard most this week is fatigue. Everyone is tired. The respite of the summer feels like a lifetime ago. With news of another round of restrictions, you could hear the collective question: How do we get through this? I’ve shared here, three practices that will help us to live and lead […]
Multiplying our mission in Oxford Two years ago, an enthusiastic young man called Daniel approached Innovista, wanting to take part in our pilot Youth Ministry Training programme. He had a heart for youth work but very little experience, and wanted to be better equipped. Fast-forward a couple of years, and Daniel is now leading our youth […]
Multiplying our mission in Moldova The restrictions of coronavirus have rapidly become our “new normal” this year. Like you, we are grateful daily for the technology which allows us to connect and communicate in meaningful ways even when we can’t meet in person. In Moldova, coronavirus cases continue to rise, hospitals are running out of […]