HISTORY
Oasis Outreach Opportunity, Inc. began as an urban mission emphasis out of St.John/St.Paul Lutheran Church under Rev. Richard Gordon in August of 2006. Lisa Arledge was called to be an urban missionary to reach out to the urban youth in the areas surrounding the downtown church. Individual donations were secured to begin the outreach effort. A community outreach youth night began on Monday evenings which included a hot meal, a bible study, prayer, large group activities and arts and crafts. At about the same time a creative worship service was added to the 8:15 and 10:00 AM traditional worship services on Sunday mornings. The creative worship service is a youth-friendly, interactive worship experience.
In fall of 2006, we began the Mommy and Me Advocacy Project where we provided babysitting in our nursery for the babies of students between the ages of fourteen and nineteen during school days for the Akron Digital Academy students housed in the church building. Summer Outreach Program, funded by a grant from Northeastern Ohio Synod, provided six weeks of activities for middle school to high school age students.
During 2007 we received private donations for new basketball goals, a twenty-five passenger bus, a power point projector for worship, a new shower room for youth to bathe, and a new washer and dryer for use by families in need. The Mommy and Me Child Advocacy Project continued through 2007. Open Gym Discipleship Program, led by South Street Ministries, met in our gym on Thursday evenings from January to June of 2007. At this time, high school boys met for a hot meal, a faith talk, and a three-on-three basketball tournament. During the summer of 2007, a private donation designated to provide trips to West Virginia and New York City was received and allowed thirty youth to see places that they otherwise would never have been able to experience. White water rafting and an interactive day at the former site of the Twin Towers were highlights. Wednesday night youth heart-reach nights continued on a new night, Wednesday evenings.
During 2008 we purchased a new sound system for worship and hired two full-time urban missionaries. Weekly activities now include Young men's Bible study on Friday nights, Worship Team Practice on Thursdays, in addition to the continued Wednesday night heart-reach night. During the summer, five youth attended Summer's Best Two Weeks Citikidz Sports camp in Pennsylvania and 17 youth attended a YouthWorks Mission trip to Newport, Tennessee to repair homes and help in nursing homes and at a children's day camp. During the summer of 2009, ten youth went to Sports Camp in Pennsylvania and fifteen youth attended Youth Works Mission trip to Alabama to repair homes still left un-repaired after Hurricane Katrina damage.
In 2010, 23 youth made a commitment to The Way, a program that provides resources and direction to inner-city youth as they complete high school and post secondary education. During the summer of 2010 two youth attended Citikidz Sports Camp in Pennsylvania and 15 youth traveled to rural New York to work on a private camp and to visit nursing home residents. Through their working camp experience youth grew in faith and confidence as they built a bridge and a volleyball court and as they cleared trails in the woods. Throughout the year special trips to movies, paint ball, a corn maze and bonfires supplemented our regular Wednesday and Sunday outreach activities together.
In 2011 attendance has increased at all ongoing OASIS activities as youth gather with twenty adult mentors and volunteers to experience interactive faith building activities and fun. This year, 40 youth have made commitments to The Way as they pursue their educational and spiritual goals. Plans for this summer include a YouthWorks trip to West Virginia.