Faith Space
“Faith Space” is an emerging church group in Palmerston North with an emphasis on centring people’s lives on following Jesus. They are a rainbow-celebratory community.
Currently doing services on-line and then catching up in small groups throughout the week, they usually meet mid-week for pot-luck kai and korero conversation followed by a sacramental devotion.
“Our karakia prayers and reflections display three cultural expressions: an Anglican framework, a te ao Māori worldview, and Celtic rhythms that harmonise the trinitarian identity of God with who we are as Their icons of divine beauty,” says Andy Hickman. “We draw on the inspiration of the saints and martyrs who are our spiritual whakapapa to centre us as a faith community on the resurrected Jesus in our midst.”
Bek Hickman, co-creator of Faith Space, says “We salvaged a beat-up, weather-worn cylindrical table from a junkyard and converted it into an altar with wheels, showcasing all its beautiful bruises, sacred scars and rusty nails. It’s all about being welcome at the table. Jesus welcomes all. Faith Space is about welcoming all and drawing in towards that encounter with Jesus that changes us.”
The altar is redecorated each week with coloured lights, materials and plants that celebrate our care of creation. Utilising tactile elements of water, stones, incense, feathers, holding crosses, a simply crafted liturgy highlights the re-telling of the Jesus story that invites and calls us to follow Him in our day-to-day living.
Rhys Walker says, “We have been diligent to ensure a culturally safe environment for LGBTQIA+ people and how we can help them navigate their feelings and society’s pressures on them – that is what we're here for. It is what is so important and seemingly lacking in the current dialogue – to help develop and cultivate a positive culture around acceptance of redeemed self-expression in our Christian spirituality.”
Lynda Whitwell is one of the unofficial ‘camp mums’ and says, “It is such an incredibly special group. There's a mix of ages, beliefs, stages of faith, straight and non-straight with a wide variety within that. The people I've met there are some of the most friendly and accepting folk and I am privileged to be getting to know them. It has been a safe place to ask questions, to journey together not only in faith but in understanding of difference. More and more folk are becoming confident to pray and share openly knowing that it is a safe place to do so. We've grown quickly with new folk invited and coming almost every week.”
To get in touch with Faith Space contact andy@allsaintsnz.com.
