10 Reasons People Remain at Gloriavale

Opinion piece: Liz Gregory.

(Disclaimer: Views are not necessarily those of the staff, trust or other leavers from Gloriavale. Pass feedback directly to me if necessary.)

After writing “10 reasons why people should leave Gloriavale” I was challenged by someone who lives in there to write a post about why people want to stay there.

I took up the challenge and reached out to a few people still living in Gloriavale and have assembled the answers they gave. You will have to take it on good faith that I have not changed or added a slant to their answers. Many gave the same answers and so they may have been rewritten or combined.

1. The initial premise of people living together with a common vision and faith is good one.
2. We’ve always been taught that the Church/Gloriavale is a safe haven from the world for our children. We like to stay nearby our families and enjoy the support that our relatives and other provide. Outside families seem to spread out far and wide. We were also taught that we wouldn’t survive in the outside world with all these children, and we have believed that… until recently.
3. This is a life we are familiar with. There is stability with that. We know how it operates.
4. Lovely recreation facilities nearby – lake, fishing, tramping, hydro-slide. No air pollution and you can see the starts at night.
5. Limitless hot water (who doesn’t want to stand under the shower for 45 mins?!)
6. Lots of fresh fruit and eggs, and your food is delivered to you each day and you just say thanks and eat it!
7. Easy to learn a vast array of skills. There are very creative people here.
8. We don’t have to worry about money. Why worry about something you don’t have?! We don’t have to pay bills. If you crash a car, break a window or drop an apple core, you just stand up and say, “I’m sorry” and that’s the end of it. You don’t need to find money to fix it!
9. We believe that because we are born here, that’s where God wants us to be. We also took a vow unto death and we take our promises seriously.
10. We have been taught that we have salvation and eternal security if we true to the faith here at Gloriavale. We would be worried that either us or our children would lose their faith if we left. We find peace in doing what we believe is to be God’s will for their lives. (Liz note: I would love to engage with current members around these last two issues. They seem to be the biggest hurdles leavers face. The invitation stands for a polite, private messenger conversation .)
11. BONUS point: Some are staying to see if they can bring about the change that is necessary.