St John’s Ohakune Reopens with Celebration

On Sunday, April 13th, the doors of St John’s in Ohakune reopened in celebration, following a significant renovation aimed at creating a warm and accessible space for the wider community.

The occasion was marked by a gathering of local parishioners, members of Ngāti Rangi, Archbishop Justin Duckworth, and guests from around the Ruapehu region.

“It was a privilege to be joined by Ngāti Rangi, Rev. Alison Seifert and the leadership of the Ruapehu Parish, as well as Archbishop Justin and friends from the community,” said Reverend Amilie Paynter.

The reopening began with a time of karakia and waiata, offered by Ngāti Rangi, before the space was opened up for the community to explore. There was pizza to share, stories exchanged, and a bouncy castle outside for children to enjoy—capturing the spirit of welcome that the refurbished building now embodies.

The journey to this day began nearly four years ago, when Amilie and her family arrived in Ohakune in June 2021.

“We came with the intention of being part of this community,” she shared. “To hear its stories, make connections, and to see how we could love and serve our beautiful town.”

It quickly became clear that the church building needed significant upgrades—particularly bathrooms—before it could serve as a safe and usable space for the wider public.

“Outside of the Lions Hall, there are very few public meeting spaces left in Ohakune, especially since most other halls have been converted into accommodation,” Rev. Amilie said. “We wanted St John’s to be a place the community could use and call home.”

That vision took shape thanks to Bodhi Story and the team at Story Builds, who undertook the complex restoration of the more-than-100-year-old church building.

“Their creativity, care and craftsmanship brought this project to life,” she said. “We knew we were asking a lot, but they understood the story and legacy of the space.”

The renovations included transforming the old vestry into two modern bathrooms, with the original wood repurposed for exterior panelling around a new kitchenette. Two tiers of flooring were removed to create an additional twenty square metres of level space. A fire exit was also added, along with maintenance to the back wall—changes that will help support a wide variety of uses going forward.

“We hope that it becomes a space where we gather for loads of different events, from church services to live music gigs, from playgroups to meetings, and from carpet bowls to potlucks, reflective spaces to celebrations, weddings to funerals. Our place is your place. Welcome home.”

Special thanks were extended to Rev. Alison Seifert and the Ruapehu Parish leadership team, Ngāti Rangi for blessing the space and walking alongside the project, Archbishop Justin and Jenny Duckworth for making the trip, and the team at Story Builds for their care and commitment. Gratitude was also offered to Ben Pringle and Sisi Fountain from the Diocesan Centre for their support throughout.