The Rev Rik Rasmussen had been wondering how they could spiritually feed the 50 or so recipients of the church’s Sack Lunch programme.
In December 2024 he introduced Soulspace and called it ‘Feeding our Spiritual Side.’
They met in the sanctuary when the lunches had been given out. ‘That didn’t work! When we started packing up the sack lunch table people just left.’ So they moved out of the building into a pop-up canopy on the sidewalk and now meet earlier. Nineteen of their volunteers and un-homed neighbours attended ‘last Saturday.’
After a few weeks he asked if people would welcome individual healing prayers and anointing with oil. The answer was yes. So now the short service, which he changes every week:
- ‘starts with an opening prayer and candle lighting,
- ‘followed by a reading from scripture – usually the Gospel, or part of the Gospel for the next day.
- ‘Then a time for silent prayer/meditation while I go around and offer healing prayers.
- ‘We conclude with a closing prayer and a blessing.’
In August 2025 Rik reported that 12-20 people were attending Soulspace and added, ‘I don’t know if it is because of the Saturday ministry but I have noticed that we have more homeless folk showing up for church on Sunday. Two weeks ago we had 44 in church on Sunday (our average is 39) and at least 25% of them are unhomed or marginally homed. It was fabulous.’
Then in November he wrote that he had asked the gathering if they would like Holy Communion.
‘ The answer was yes. Using, in part, resources from Soulspace, I created a paired down Eucharist with Advent 1 candle lighting, Collect for Purity, Gospel for Advent 1, reflection and then the Eucharistic Prayer. Because many of our unhomed neighbors are in recovery I used grape juice. We had 20 people and almost all of them received….At the end I asked if they wanted me to do Eucharist again on a Saturday. They all said thy did, so we will now do Eucharist two Saturdays a month.’
Within a year, this group has moved from experiencing ‘A taste of spirituality’ to ‘full Christian worship.’
Rik has now retired from ministry, but his bishop has given permission for him to continue to lead ‘Feeding our spiritual side.’ The challenge now is to help worshippers deepen their emerging faith.