Faith, Culture and Community: God’s love woven through People and Place
Rev Natasha He reflects on faith, culture, and identity as intricately woven by God’s love, grounding her in community and purpose
January 28, 2026
by Rev Natasha He, Minister at Saltbush Community
I have come to see that God’s love is not handed to us neatly folded. It is woven, patiently and purposefully, through people, cultures and places.
Last November, I attended the President’s Conference in Tonga. Going back home is always deeply emotional, as a daughter of the land, and a leader of God’s people. I carried with me both gratitude and responsibility, knowing that I was walking in the footsteps of those who nurtured my faith long before I answered God’s call to ministry.
The highlight of the conference for me was from one of the keynote speakers, Principal of Sia’atoutai Theological College, Rev Dr Paula Onoafe Latu. Listening to him was both grounding and inspiring. He spoke not only of the history of Christianity in Tonga, but also of the sacred practice of weaving. How faith, culture, and identity are intricately woven together. The mats, ngatu (tapa) the patterns, the patience of the process that all reflected a theology deeply connected to God and the fonua, the land itself. In his wisdom he shared that theology is not only written in books, but lived, touched, and passed down through generations.
Rev Dr Latu reminded us how the gospel took root in Tongan soil, shaping not just belief, but community, hospitality, and a sense of belonging. Faith in Tonga is embodied – sung, shared, cooked, woven, and lived out in everyday life. Faith is not meant to be distant or abstract, but deeply relational and incarnational.
"It was a gift to gather alongside so many First Nations peoples from across Australia and our Pacific neighbours. There was something deeply sacred about being in that space together..."
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It was a gift to gather alongside so many First Nations peoples from across Australia and our Pacific neighbours. There was something deeply sacred about being in that space together, like sitting around a shared table in the presence of Christ where we heard stories of faith, resilience, and hope. They shared testimonies of communities walking the long road of reconciliation in their own lands and cultures, seeking justice while holding fast to the Gospel.
As we listened, we caught a glimpse of what it means to love Country as God’s gift of creation and the pain of being treated as strangers on the very land where your ancestors have prayed, walked, and worshipped for generations.
Sometimes it was confronting, even heavy on the heart. Yet the stories felt holy. Because truth-telling is holy work. It is the work of light breaking into darkness.
It was a great joy to travel with two young Tongan members from Dubbo Uniting Church. They were eager to learn more about the wider Church and what it means to belong to a Church that values justice and inclusion. Watching them engage with international speakers, ask questions, and immerse themselves in worship was deeply moving.
Going back to Tonga grounds me in my identity as a second generation Australian-Tongan woman, which is not fragmented, but woven together by God’s grace.
May we continue to listen to one another’s stories, honour culture as a gift from God, and nurture the faith of our young people. For “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10), woven together by God’s love, for the sake of the world.
Rev Natasha He
Minister, Saltbush Community
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