The first is the Church of the Good Shepherd which stands on the shores of Lake
Tekapo in the Southern Island. It is a small Anglican Church, built in 1935 as a memorial church
to commemorate the early settlers and today it is used by various denominations. It is one of the
most photographed spots in the country. From the beginning it was decided that a feature of the
church was to be a plate glass window behind the altar.
The church was to be sited so that the window would give a view of the mountains and the lake. It was also decided that the church was to be built “firstly to the glory of God” and secondly, as a memorial to the pioneers of the district. The church was completed in eight months and dedicated on Saturday 3rd August 1935 by his Lordship the Bishop of Christchurch.
Tekapo in the Southern Island
On Christmas Day, 1979 the church of the Good Shepherd was part of a live international television
link–up showing how Christmas was celebrated around the world. Pictures of the Mackenzie basin, the lake and the Church, were beamed by satellite throughout the Commonwealth and formed part of the Queen’s Christmas broadcast.
Christchurch
The Cardboard Cathedral was constructed after the devastating earthquake to hit Christchurch in 2011, which severely damaged the original Christchurch Anglican Cathedral. It is constructed from cardboard tubes, timber and steel and was designed by the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and was dedicated on the 15th August 2013.
This temporary Cathedral building, apart from religious services was to be able to host concerts
and civic events. It was the first significant building to be opened as part of Christchurch’s rebuild.
The building rises 69 feet above the altar. In place of a rose window, the building has triangular
pieces of stained glass. It seats around 700 people.
