Kapiti Parish Reflects on Community-Focused Christmas Initiative

Kāpiti Parish is embracing new strategies to address post-pandemic decline and engage with the community.

By implementing the principles of Leading Your Church into Growth (LYCIG), the parish has seen an inspiring response to its outreach efforts.

To bring the real meaning of Christmas into the community, the parish launched an ambitious Advent initiative that combined festive decorations, interactive storytelling, and hospitality. Over 100 parishioners helped host and set up St Paul’s Church into a welcoming space, complete with lights, an interactive nativity, and a series of nine storytelling stations that guided visitors through the Christmas narrative.

“We wanted to invite as many people as possible to our Christmas services and our Journeys course,” said Rev. Julie Rokotakala. “By making the church part of the Kapiti Lights Trail and keeping our doors open every night until Christmas, we created an opportunity for real connection.”

All this required significant volunteer commitment, with at least two hosts welcoming visitors every evening. Over 24 nights, approximately 300 people visited the church, engaging with the interactive displays and enjoying the warm hospitality of parishioners.

One of the standout aspects of the initiative was the 'Passport to Bethlehem,' a creative engagement tool designed by the Children and Families Minister, Fee Thomson. “Children were able to collect a page and sticker at each station, colouring in the story as they progressed,” Julie explained. “More than 135 passports were used, and we saw families taking their time to engage with the journey.”

It also included a Christmas pop-up market with coffee and dessert offered in the final weeks before Christmas. Volunteers distributed hundreds of invitations to Christmas services and the upcoming Journeys course. “We watched our volunteers come out of their shells and truly welcome people who had come to see the lights and hear the story,” said Julie.

The impact extended beyond just the numbers. “We were changed by these interactions,” she said. “It wasn’t just about putting on an event; it was about opening our doors, being present, and sharing our faith tangibly.”

Encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response, Kapiti Parish is already planning how to build on this success for next year. “We saw some of these visitors return for Christmas services,” says Julie. “This experience has shown us that intentional presence and invitation can make a real difference.”

The initiative aligns with the parish’s efforts to embed the four ‘P’s of Leading your church into Growth (prayer, presence, proclamation, and persuasion) into its approach to mission. A colour-coded calendar was introduced to track initiatives across these focus areas, ensuring a balanced and strategic approach to church growth.

With renewed energy and a strengthened sense of community, Kapiti Parish is proving that growth is not just about numbers but about fostering genuine relationships and deepening faith engagement.