Our Name

We are a Christian faith community called The River Ōpāwaho.

Rivers flow from the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation and throughout the entire Biblical story. Psalm 1 tells us that a person who is dedicated to living God's way "is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers". Our hope is that people who are planted at The River Ōpāwaho will thrive like the tree in Psalm 1.

Our dream is that The River would be a community where people experience the living water of God and a name that invites others into a conversation about the Source and the Giver of life.

Historically, Ōpāwaho was an outreach pā next to the river in Ōpāwa. Ōpāwaho Pā was a connection point for people from Kaiapoi Pā, Rāpaki, Wairewa, Taumutu, and other pā in Waitaha and Whakaraupo. Rivers were the main connectors, easily carrying people on their travels.

Ōpāwaho Pā was a hub for travellers where people would stop, rest and prepare for the next stage of their journey. Ōpāwaho Pā was a place of shelter, a place to swap stories, gifts, knowledge, experiences and resources.

The name Ōpāwaho - which was the name of the pā and is the Māori name for the Heathcote River was gifted to our community by Dave Reuban - Ngai Tahu. As we received Ōpāwaho as part of our name, we too seek to be a hub for our community, to care for the land and its people and to provide a place to connect, share and flourish.