Wellington Churches Unite for Christmas Crawl

Three days, SIx churches, one story: Wellington’s Christmas Crawl returns for 2025

After the success of last year’s inaugural Christmas Crawl, two more Wellington City churches have joined the initiative for 2025. From Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 December, six central churches will open their doors from 11 am to 3 pm, inviting visitors to experience creative displays, installations, activities, and self-guided tours—all designed to bring the Christmas story to life for adults and especially children.

St Peter’s on Willis has run the popular “Journey to Bethlehem” stations for several years. Sarah King from St Peter’s said the idea to collaborate came naturally.

“We have run our ‘Journey to Bethlehem’ stations at St Peter's for a few years now, so last year we invited other city churches to join us and see what we can offer Wellingtonians,” Sarah said. “St Andrew’s on the Terrace and St Mary of the Angels are on board this year, along with last year’s St John’s in the City, Wellington Central Baptist, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, and us here at St Peter’s on Willis.”

Sarah hopes the Crawl will offer families a chance to pause during the busy lead-up to Christmas.

“The days after school finishes can be hectic with Christmas preparations, shopping and busy family life—sometimes the original story of Christmas gets lost in all that. We are hoping that whānau will enjoy time to visit, slow down and be present to the story, activities and experiences at each of these city churches.”

Rev Allister Lane, Minister at St John’s in the City, said his church was eager to return for a second year.

“Some people don’t always know what churches are about, but probably do recognise there’s some connection with Christmas,” Allister said. “As part of this cool city, we love to open up the church space along with the other churches in the city to share the Christmas story with all who are curious. This is an invitation to add some spirituality to your Christmas, and to visit these warm and hospitable places in our city that love to see meaning in our lives beyond the shopping.”

The Christmas Crawl runs for three days—Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 December. Each participating church will offer its own unique display and activities, creating a rich and varied experience across the city.

Full details, including a downloadable map, are available at http://www.christmascrawl.org.nz.