Business South May 2021

20 | All Souls Church - a new beginning for community T from page 18 Higgs Construction DEVELOPMENT “The extensive use of glass makes us transpar- ent to the world and we’ve made a proclama- tion that we welcome everybody. “There’s the ability for the world to look in and see us and for us to look out at the world.” The foyer’s sense of welcoming is enhanced by a huge glass wall at the rear with large doors opening out into a beautiful deck area surrounded by native bush with church bells that fell in the earthquakes taking pride of place. “With the historic bells sharing space with the native plantings, there’s a continual marker of where we’ve been and a beacon to where we’re going. “On a Sunday at the end of the 11.30 morn- ing service we open the foyer up and put the BBQ out. “ The people at the 11.30 service bring food to share. Sometime street people turn up, people from out of town and more recently we’ve had overseas people who have been stuck in New Zealand because of Covid. We feed anyone that comes and there’s always enough food for more.” Rather than just a through-space to other areas of the church the foyer has become a place of first welcome and hospitality. Throughout the week the foyer is used for a diverse range of community and church ac- tivities. It has become a small group meeting space, a ‘get your cup of tea space’, a ‘sit down and have lunch space’. Talk to us today, the feature profile experts Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz PROFILE YOUR PROJECT... “The extensive use of glass makes us transparent to the world and we’ve made a proclamation that we welcome everybody.” creating archi tec tural solutions 19 Senior Place, Bromley, ChCh | info@metalworkanddesign.co.nz | 021 082 99320 STEEL - ALUMINIUM - STAINLESS FABRICATION AND WELDING Carpet, Vinyl, Timber & Tiles For all your floor covering requirements come to The Flooring Warehouse. Proud to be the preferred supplier to Higgs Construction The Flooring Warehouse 47 Gasson St Ph 03 353 8899 www.theflooringwarehouse.co.nz Wordsworth Brougham Gasson Waltham Road Coleridge Suspended Ceiling Specialists Paul Glassey 027 2065157 Steven Pope 027 520 2091 SI Interiors install all leading brands of suspended ceilings & metal ceiling batten systems. SI Interiors is a Christchurch based firm specialising in quality ceiling installations of suspended systems for the residential and commercial building sector. The company has a reputation for meeting deadlines & having a proactive attitude to solving issues for the client. “I think the use of the foyer will develop further as a hospitality space beyond Sundays. Already we’re seeing small wedding receptions here. “Every time someone does something there it’s likes the building absorbs that love and energy and it helps shape us. I think for non-church people nervous about going into a church, having a space where they can easily get out of it, makes it a little easier to visit.” Reflecting on the successful integration between St Mary’s Church and St Matthew’s Church, Megan says she was once told, ‘you need to know the ghosts in your corridors’. “And it’s so true. What are the things that will jump out and bite you? — but also what are the precious things of each community and what are the gifts that they bring that need to find a place to rest in this new crea- tion? Everyone went in with a spirit of ‘we are going to make this work and want to make this work’. And so even though there were times when it was painful, there was a com- mitment. ‘We have lost our buildings, we want to survive, what do we do?’” There is now a blended culture and about a third of the congregation are new who only know the ‘All Souls’ way.