Announcing Wycliffe Hall's 2026 Student Mission vision

(1) Bradmore Road Nursery, Oxford

Wycliffe Hall is delighted to be invited back this year to continue the partnership that has been created with the community on our doorstep. Bradmore Road is one of 5 University of Oxford nurseries, offering childcare to university staff and students. This mission is an opportunity to work creatively amongst children and nursery staff right on our doorstep! Last year, during 7 Easter-themed sessions, the team ran an Easter Egg Hunt, a Eucharistic sensory experience and an interactive all-singing-and-dancing session about Wycliffe chapel, in addition to leading activities based in the nursery. It was a chance to harness a range of creative talents - music, storytelling, acting and crafts, while also learning effective communication skills from childcare professionals for under 5s. Last year the team had a number of testimonies from nursery staff, children and parents.

(2) Emmanuel Church, Guildford

Emmanuel is an active and growing church, recently invited by the Bishop of Guildford to plant a new church. Emmanuel has three Sunday services, a midweek communion and holds various activities during the week including a café, fair trade shop, preschool and groups for children and adults of all ages. This mission takes on 2 forms:

(a) a team at the mother church working with engaging church-based events for all ages e.g. Toddlers, Kids Club, Youth Work, Students, Adults & Seniors.

(b) a team on the estate engaging in community contact by visiting homes, supporting the Food Bank and connecting with the local school, plus pastoral care and prayer.

(3) St Peter & St Paul, Buckingham

This mission will be based in a well-established town centre church that describes itself as follows: 'We are an all-age, local church made up of people from a wide spectrum of life and life experiences. We seek to teach, understand and follow the whole message of the Bible, showing us how to be reconnected with God, which is the most vital need for everyone in our modern world.'
We will be offering mission in 3 main forms:
(a) for adults in homes, via supper parties, home group open evenings, and cultural cooking 
evenings to suit varied tastes
(b) for youth in schools, leading school assemblies, RE discussion groups, Chapel talks, and 
Question and Answer Dialogues
(c) for contact in the community, engaging in pub quizzes, lunch talks, an art demonstration, a film 
evening, a shopping centre event, and healing prayer.

(4) Betel in Birmingham

Betel is a Christian recovery community for people with addictions to alcohol and drugs. When addicts have not found sobriety through traditional medical rehab facilities and other means, the NHS often refers them to Betel. The community itself offers a pathway to recovery through a structured programme of daily prayers and regular work. This Wycliffe mission involves a full immersion experience: living in male or female hostels and working alongside the residents of Betel (this is typically in furniture workshops and their local café). It is a great opportunity to learn and reflect on the approach Betel takes to addiction recovery, experience what their life together in community looks like, hear about individual journeys of transformation and support the work of Betel through leading daily devotions and also preaching, when/where there is opportunity. 

(5) Diocese of Kigezi, Kabale, Uganda

This 10-day mission will include:
• Visiting local schools to lead assemblies
• Visiting the Diocesan hospital to do ward-rounds and pray with patients
• Meeting Diocesan staff who lead a range of Diocesan projects supporting communities living in extreme poverty
• Visiting Bishop Barham theological college and meeting Church of Ugandan ordinands and their tutors for discussion, sharing, encouragement and mutual learning
• Preaching and sharing testimonies in local churches and the cathedral
• Meeting mission partners from different countries to understand their role alongside the African church.

Key learning opportunities include:
• Learning how to present the gospel into a different cultural context
• Experiencing the holistic mission of the Church of Uganda, as it serves people's spiritual, social and physical needs
• Learning about the East African Revival and how its legacy continues today
• Gaining first-hand experience of the church in the Global south and getting a perspective on international Christianity
• Understanding some of the challenges and opportunities facing the African church
• Learning how churches in the UK can send and support mission partners and what that partnership looks like now
• Sampling African life, culture, hospitality and cuisine!