Gloriavale man dies

A 20-year-old man has died in hospital less than two weeks after suffering a medical event at Gloriavale. On October 23, St John spokesman Gerard Campbell said the critically injured man was airlifted to hospital from the secluded West Coast Christian community. On Saturday, a police spokeswoman confirmed the man had died. The death was not suspicious and had been referred to the coroner. Gloriavale founder Hopeful Christian died at the secluded community in May. He founded the religious community in 1969. A former member, who still has family in the community, said former US Navy engineer Howard Temple was appointed the new ‘‘overseeing shepherd’’. Temple recently spent several weeks visiting a Gloriavale off-shoot in India.