200yrs of Good News
Celebrating 200 years of the Gospel!
On Christmas day in 1814 the first Christian Gospel was preached in NZ by the Anglican Missionary, Reverend Samuel Marsden in the Bay of Islands. It was the first Christian service to be translated into Maori and this was undertaken by Marsden’s friend the great Ngāpuhi chief Ruatara. The site where the congregation gathered is marked by the Marsden Cross at Oihi Bay. This year on December 25th is the bicentenary of their first service.
Rev’d Marsden preached on the text: “Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Ruatara earned the moniker “Te Ara o te Rongopai” or “the Gateway for the Gospel”.
To commemorate this event, our Diocese is organising a Bicentenary campaign. The aim of this campaign is to share the gospel with practising Anglicans and the wider community.
Advent and Christmas Service Liturgies
Sunday 30th November
- Liturgy: Advent 1 – Te Pahi
- Preaching through Advent with Bishop Kelvin: watch on YouTube
Sunday 7th December
- Liturgy: Advent 2 – Samuel Marsden
- Preaching through Advent with Bishop Kelvin: watch on YouTube
Sunday 14th December
- Liturgy: Advent 3 – Ruatara
- Liturgy PowerPoint: Advent-3.ppt
- Preaching through Advent with Bishop Kelvin: watch on YouTube
Sunday 21st December
- Liturgy: Advent 4 – The Holy Spirit
- Liturgy PowerPoint: Advent-4.ppt
- Preaching through Advent with Bishop Kelvin: watch on YouTube
Christmas Day
- Liturgy: Christmas Day – Jesus is Born
- Alternative Liturgy: Children’s Christmas Service
Agape Meal and a Christmas Grace
Christmas Nativity Play
- 200 years of Good News Christmas Play 2014 PDF
This Christmas Nativity Play has been specially written to mark the bicentenary at Kaikorai Primary School. If anyone would like to use this one, they are very welcome to do so. The above file is a pdf but if anyone wants it as a Word document, they can just get in touch with Jo Fielding.
T-Shirts, Caps and Billboards are available to order!
Download the order form for Parishes/bulk: Good News Order Form – Parish
Download the order form for individuals: Good News Order Form – Individuals
The First Kiwi Christmas Book and Resources
The First Kiwi Christmas book is currently at the printers and will be distributed to our parishes and deaneries in time to be given away on Christmas Day.