Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Happy Christmas 2014


Todd and Joey are playing with the guinea pigs in front of the poster of the Christmas issue of stamps available this Christmas.



Alana and Pat have arrived early to the Christmas Day service to be held at the site of the first Christmas service held in New Zealand.



Alana reads the poem out aloud to Pat.
Alana and Pat attended the Christmas service celebrating Rev Samuel Marsden arriving in New Zealand 200 years ago on Christmas Day 1814. He took the first Christian service held in New Zealand on the foreshore below Rangihoua Pa in the Bay of Islands. Ruatara, the Ngapuhi chief met him years earlier on a ship where he was unwell and Samuel Marsden nursed him back to health. He stayed with Samuel Marsden in Australia and invited him come and preach in New Zealand. A descendant of Samuel Marsden with the same name spoke at the 2014 service held at the same place.



Pat takes Alana’s photo standing by Marsden cross.