Ashy Salvos House Church – flipping the script on faith
- deansimpson7
- Jul 1
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 2
Church. One word – many meanings. In living rooms and modest spaces across Australia, house churches are flipping the script on faith – raw, real and rooted in community, reaching those who need it the most, come what may. And tucked within the heart of Melbourne’s Ashwood precinct is one such thriving community, where belonging and connection matter more than buildings or pews. Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH spent an evening with the Ashy Salvos House Church to witness how genuine friendship and heartfelt fellowship can truly be transformative.
Nearly two decades ago, on the edge of a park in Melbourne’s Ashburton precinct, something small and quietly revolutionary took place.
It was a Sunday School with no walls – just open hearts, gathering families, and a vision that saw possibility where others saw need.
The brainchild of corps officers from Camberwell who had a passion for the marginalised, the curbside school sparked something long-lasting.
What started as an open-air gathering eventually evolved into a home church for residents from nearby Markham Ave Housing Commission flats. Over time and across several locations, Ashy Salvos House Church took shape, and now, with a longtime commitment from Camberwell Development worker Norman Gale, it is thriving.
“Caring for people and helping them through is what we do,” said Major Cilla Bone, Program Leader and senior soldier at Camberwell Corps.
“This is connecting with people who are struggling with faith and life – and I love that. This is our community, this is the neighbourhood. They know each other and they support each. It is a good place and a safe space.”
Today, the church meets not in a chapel but around a kitchen table in rented premises at Ashwood’s Power Neighbourhood House. There is no pulpit, no booming sound system – just real people, real stories, and real connection.
But this isn’t just a church gathering. It’s a sanctuary.
There is no expectation to impress, no pressure to donate. Just a warm meal, good company, and space to be your true, authentic self.
“I think this is a place where people feel comfortable who are similar to each other,” reflected Cilla. “There is no expectation of expensive outings or donations. They all share the fact that they live on a pension, apart from one person who is working. We all wait for our pension next week, and we are all glad of a free meal."
And the nourishment goes deep.
Drop in on a Tuesday night, and the friendly ambience is immediate. Warm welcomes, hugs and big hellos set the tone. Then comes dinner and a conversation about all things God and life related, plus an inspirational worship song. The top priority is acceptance, friendship, and inclusion. No judgement or condemnation.
For nearly two decades, the church has been a place of quiet transformation. Small steps. Big impact.
“We have a lady who is reasonably illiterate,” Cilla shared. “But in the couple of years that she’s been back and regularly coming, she has gained this amazing confidence in reading out loud.”
Cilla recalls one night they read about the Bible character, Nebuchadnezzar.
“We decided to call him Neb,” Cilla laughs. “But she was having a go. She will have a go and read. Now there is nothing spiritual – just a confidence in nobody is going to make fun of her. So, she will have a go at reading. It is those kinds of little things have happened that are big things.”
Then there’s Shae. A young woman who attended years ago and grew up in the now demolished and rebuilt Markham flats. She reconnected three years ago and has since developed leadership skills.
And there’s a quiet father who never speaks publicly but has become a youth group driver. He undertook volunteer training to become a youth group driver thanks to the church leadership, who helped him get his licence. At the Red Shield Appeal, he turned up for fundraising collection in a Salvos jumper – a small act that spoke volumes.
“So, one is thinking there is some God stuff happening in him that he would not talk about!” Cilla reflected.
“It is really just trying to say – you are made in the image of God, and you are loved by God, and by looking at Jesus and the stories of Jesus, you get an idea of what it means to follow and be like him if they pick up other things along the way.”
One young lady and church member, Lauren Barns, has also been involved in the church after experiencing a catastrophic car accident that left her legally blind.
She emphasised how Ashy, as it’s affectionately known, had become her family and looked forward to attending it each week with her beloved Guide Dog, Honey – a highlight in her calendar.
Major Kate Baudinette, Area Officer and church leader, says Lauren has been a great influence and lights up the room when she walks in with Honey.
“Lauren is the kind of person that when we open up the Bible, she will just share from the heart,” Kate shared. “It is fabulous to have her in the group. People just love her – she’s one of the family.”
Lauren has since become a soldier of The Salvation Army with Kate enrolling her: “It was a privilege for me to be able to enrol her on that day.”
“Ashy House is a beautiful expression of The Salvation Army’s mission,” Kate added.
“We see that happening in really simple ways around the table. In really quiet ways, we are fulfilling that justice mission in being here for each other, just hearing what people are going through and loving them. It’s the work of all of us at House Church. We love Jesus – and we love each other.”
From the very beginning, this church has been for everyone – truly living out an open-door policy.
But it’s especially been a place for those who never thought they would belong in a church. Most who gather here come from non-Christian backgrounds, bringing with them a rich tapestry of life experiences. Cultural and social diversity aren’t just accepted, they are embraced.
People from all walks of life, ethnicities, and backgrounds are not only welcomed but woven into the very fabric of the community. About 25 people attend the house church each week – as many as they can fit around the dinner table. Growth isn’t limited by interest, but by seating capacity.
And even those who may arrive “a little under the weather” are met not with frowns, but warmth, Cilla remarked – and a plate of food.
“It is meeting the socio-economic needs of the local community,” she explained. “And a place where people can come without any judgment or condemnation for friendship, fellowship, and hearing God’s word in a very relaxed, comfortable environment.”
And every Tuesday night, the Bible is opened to give church members a basic understanding of how the Bible works.
The church sticks mostly to the New Testament. Recently, they were exploring the book of Acts because of Pentecost, and so were looking at the Apostle Paul. However, the Old Testament has not been left out – the “stuff that happened before Jesus, and after Jesus” is covered. Members get the chance to read the story of Jesus and what his followers did, offering valuable insight.
Physically handling a Bible is important, too.
They are handed out around the table, and printouts are offered too. But there is always engagement with Scripture – and with one another. One church member has taken on board the Bible seriously and undertakes daily readings.
“One Tuesday night when we say, ‘Will someone read these verses? She is first,” Cilla said. “That’s not just confidence. That is transformation.”
Prayer is key, too. Church attendees will often request various prayer requests.
At the heart of Ashy House Church are leaders Cilla, Norman, and Kate, with Meredith Daniels, a youth worker at Camberwell, running the youth group, while parents and caregivers join the main session. The Salvos can also assist with subsidised holiday camps.
Cilla fondly recalls how she became connected. During her last appointment as territorial candidate secretary, she felt her heart wasn’t content to stay behind a desk.
After visiting the Markham flats, she recalled meeting people whom she could invite to the house church if she went with them.
The response was a yes, including a mother of seven children.
“So, I went to the territorial commander of the day and said, I want to have a day a week here thank you very much,” she recalls. “This is what I’m going to do. He knew better than to argue! When I retired, it was an easy progression.”
Even though the Markham flats have been rebuilt, the mission remains unchanged: build connection, keep the kettle on, and open the Bible.
And the leaders don’t just focus on who turns up, but also look for signs of grace, signs of growth, and what God is doing in the special place.
“You just have to be philosophical about what God is doing here,” Cilla said.
“Are they ready to even believe that God can do something? On a good day, they (the church members) do want something different. On a bad day, they just want some food. But that’s completely ok because at the end of the day, we know Jesus is so powerfully in our midst and at work in everyone’s lives. We simply want to wait and see what new thing God wants to bring about in Ashy.”
