Our Chapel
October 19, 2020 - January 1, 2030
Our Chapel
The History and Heart Behind Our Chapel
At Marine Reach, we are blessed with so many beautiful spaces to get away with Jesus, whether it’s outside enjoying the green hills and the sheep (down in our valley) OR our special chapel at the end of the field.
As one of our founders, we wanted to get Linda Cowie to explain her heart and the history behind the chapel.
When was the chapel built?
“Its dedication was in 2012.”
What is the Maori name?
“Te Whare Karakia – meaning A House Of Prayer
It is a place to find freedom and intimacy with the Lord. Quoting Isaiah 56:7, the chapel is our “engine room” for the the ministry, “A House Of Prayer for all the nations”. People come from the nations and pray for the nations, I think it’s a beautiful picture.”
What was the original idea behind it?
“Catherine Hollister Jones loved prayer places, so much so she would visit them all over the world. So one day I asked her, ‘Why don’t we build one?’
You know there is the prayer walk down in the valley, but with that scripture we got (Isaiah 56:7), we thought it would be so valuable to have a specific place. It was a fresh expression of that verse for us. Through that Word of the Lord, we believed God for the money.”
What is the symbolism in the chapel?
“There so many things that I love to talk about. You know the chapel was made as a replica from the small churches on the east coast of New Zealand.
Carving – There’s a carving above the doors representing the open arms of God, and in the centre is an image of a hongi. A hongi is a traditional Māori greeting where two people meet together touching foreheads and noses and sharing one breath. A beautiful image of the divine breath in us.
Panels – These two panels on the wall were designed by our chief Huikakahu. They were based on the passage of John 15 talking about where Jesus says ‘I am the vine and you are the branches’ and about producing fruit. The Māori design on the panels is based off of a Māori proverb which says ‘I’d rather die like a hammerhead shark than a trevally’. A shark struggles and fights; it’s relentless – whereas the fish gives up easily.
Bi-fold Doors – The east wall is built as complete bi-fold doors so it could be opened and therefore using the chapel for a wedding platform with all the guests outside (which we’ve actually had before, it was LOVELY).
As well, the windows are all facing an open space in the trees for when the sun is rising. You can see it perfect from inside.
Garden of Reflection – Next to the chapel is, what we call, the Garden of Reflection. It is a garden to honour kiwi YWAMers. The very first two YWAMers to die on the field are also dedicated there. It’s a garden to reflect on the goodness of God in our lives.
Bell – The bell in the steeple was the church bell in a couple other churches before finding its home here. Bells are rung in maraes to call Māoris to prayer.
Hymn – Opposite the wall from the panels is the hymn ‘Here Is Love’ which is a love song from the Welsh revival. It says ‘Heavens peace and perfect justice, Kissed a guilty world with love’ and if you think about it, it’s the most divine hongi – a divine kiss of God.”
Share with us your favourite story about it !
“This isn’t my favourite story, but it’s funny…
One morning, a very important man from parliament was here. He went into the chapel to pray and when he came out, there was only one shoe. The other had gone missing. So he hobbled back up to his car with his only one shoe, telling others about his lost shoe. When I got home, I found the shoe right outside my dog door and felt so terrible about it. I had to call him up to let him know how sorry I was; I deeply apologised for the situation. He had to go buy new shoes before catching his flight back to Wellington.
Of all the people it could’ve happened to…”
Our base Leadership Team has over 160 years of combined mission experience. Want to know more about Linda Cowie and the rest of the team? Here is place to learn!
“The Medical Compassion DTS magnified my love for those in need. It stressed the importance of the power of prayer and how I can go to God in all the medical and daily situations in my life and the lives of those I minister to.”
Noah Armbruster, 20, Michigan, USA
“The GoPac Stream challenged me to broaden my view for the people around me, to step out of my comfort zone, and to expand the love that God has put inside of my heart, to love Him and others more.”
Alex Ronsdorf, 24, Germany
“God showed me that true worship always comes out of a place of intimacy and revelation of what Jesus has done for me. I realized that this is were I want to be – sitting at His feet and pouring out my love and affection before Him, because He’s so worthy.”
Julianna Suter, 20, Switzerland
“Being a part of the Pilgrimage Stream impacted my life for the better. Not only did it teach me how to function in a small community (as we shared the burden of climbing those mountains together), but also how to rely on one another, have fun and worship together, and, most importantly, how to be vulnerable with each other. The focus of our Stream taught me what it looks like to be on a pilgrimage for God. God calls us out of our homes to the wilderness, where we’ll see Him face-to-face, and are forced to fully depend on Him before we receive His inheritance.”
Harty Dumalagan, 21, B.C. Canada
“Doing SPHC was an amazing experience. Not only was I given the opportunity to continue to grow spiritually, but I learned things that can be used in a very practical and much needed way. SPHC gave me the opportunity to show the Father’s heart to people in a very unique way and love on the person in front of me while helping them in such a simple way.”
Karunia Been, 20, Portugal
“I’ve learn what the Kingdom means for us, how can we bring the Kingdom here and just share it with others… That makes me super excited! The key is to listen to God’s voice, seek His face and His presence! Everything else will be added as he promised is Matthew 6:33!”
Estera Welchar, 22, Poland
“Before coming to DTS I had a fixed view on what it meant to be a follower of God. Being on the Wild Heart Stream completely demolished every box I put God in and taught me to have reverence for the Lord. I learned that God doesn’t want a slave, he wants a best friend, a daughter and a relationship.”
Jessica Bryant, 19, England
“Last year I decided to seek after God wholeheartedly and applied for the Pilgrimage DTS. Going on this journey (physically and spiritually) has been life-changing! Instead of wandering on my own, I am now following the Almighty God. I have rediscovered a personal and intimate relationship with my Creator!”
Tim Stallard, 26, Switzerland
“Since being here at Marine Reach, my hunger for God has continued to grow more and more. In the Kingdom Come stream, our heart is to see the world changed by the message of His love and the demonstration of His power. It’s such a privilege to be apart of a group of people so on fire for Jesus!”
Joseph Pope, 25, Virginia, USA
“Did you know that according to WHO more than half the world does not have access to healthcare? After seeing those statistics first hand, while in the mission field, I was heartbroken, but I was not without hope. God used my SPHC team and me to meet the needs of many individuals both physically and spiritually, and He opened my eyes to the possibility of a career in healthcare. I now attend the University of Missouri and I am pursuing a degree in Public Health. I hope to one day work for the WHO and take on the challenge of reaching those without healthcare with God’s healing hands.”
Caroline Wilson, 21, Colorado, USA