Hundreds of people gathered at four Auckland locations for a Christmas lunch sponsored by City Mission today.
Aucklander Karl Sylva with his 5-year-old god daughter Xea enjoy City Mission s Christmas lunch at Freemans Bay, Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen
City Missioner Chris Farrelly said they decided not to do one big lunch - which last year was attended by 2000 people - out of Covid-19 concerns.
Eight hundred people were expected this year at Freemans Bay Community Centre, Nando s on Queen Street and Manukau, and the mission building, according to Farrelly. We have smaller lunches, quite intimate, quite connecting, and I think in this is a lot of beauty. Also, we ve also provided 9000 families over the last week with a full Christmas lunch so that they can do that at home - chicken, vegetables and desserts etc, he said.
Press Release – Auckland City Mission
In light of COVID-19, this year the Auckland City Mission will hold several smaller Christmas events across different sites, rather than their traditional one large event.
The Mission will instead be holding five lunches around the city, sponsored by ASB and with two of the events supported by Nando’s at their restaurants. With the generosity of ASB, who are also sponsoring Wellington and Christchurch City Mission Christmas activities, the Mission will turn a central city venue and the Mission’s own site into Christmas wonderlands for guests to enjoy. Meanwhile Nando’s will offer guests special Christmas Day menus, complete with gifts and crackers, at two Auckland restaurants.