Christchurch City Mission

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E nga mana, e nga reo, e kui mā, e koro mā, me nga rangatira o Te Whare Mīhana ki Ōtautahi, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou.  Kia ora tātou katoa. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, and leaders of the Christchurch City Mission, warm greetings to you all.

I specifically acknowledge: Your Worship Bob Parker, Mayor of Christchurch; Rt Rev Victoria Matthews, Bishop of Christchurch; Fr Peter Williams, City Mission Divisional Committee Chair; Michael Gorman, City Missioner; Rev Morris Gray, City Mission kaumātua; and members of Parliament—tēnā koutou katoa.

Thank you for inviting me to open the new Christchurch City Mission.  Before I formally open this new complex, and do “the honours” so to speak, I would like to say something about the significance of the project.  This opening ceremony is important, and it is important for three reasons.

The first is that the work of the Christchurch City Mission promotes and supports some things that are important to New Zealanders.  It gives real meaning to many of the values that we as New Zealanders hold dear.  Foremost among our values are compassion and public-spiritedness - being compassionate for those less fortunate than ourselves, and public-spirited in coming to their aid because it is the right thing to do

From its humble origins, visiting the sick and those in prison, the City Mission has grown to be a significant organisation that provides a wide range of social services.  Regardless of age, race or gender, all those who come knocking on its door are treated with dignity, with compassion, and given the help they need within the capacity of what the Mission is able to provide.  In contemporary times, the City Mission is a trusted and helping hand, which assists our less fortunate citizens: the poor, the sick, the lonely, the destitute and those living with addictions. 

The second reason this opening is important is because it highlights the work of the City Mission in promoting volunteering and philanthropy.  The hardworking paid staff would find it very difficult to achieve the results they do without the support of the more than 170 volunteers.  Volunteers underpin the workings of our society.  They help in in a variety of circumstances and roles.  With the City Mission, some volunteers help out a couple of times a year, while others give their time five days a week.  Yet, all demonstrate a commitment to others that is to be commended.

The host of services the Mission provides also relies on significant philanthropy.  People giving because it’s the right thing to do, it is the Christian thing to do!  The food donated to the foodbank through to financial donations, both small and large, keep the City Mission’s operations ticking over.  And, of course, this new multimillion dollar building has been built with the support of a countless range of donors and funders, including the Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Community Trust, who recognise the value of the social services the Mission provides.

I would take this opportunity to place on the record my acknowledgement and thanks to everyone who has been involved in bringing this wonderful project to fruition.  You can all be proud, as I am proud, of what you have achieved.

The final reason that this opening is important is it speaks of the future of Christchurch itself.  The completion of the new Christchurch City Mission marks another step in the rebuilding of this great city.

While this project was planned before the series of earthquakes that have devastated Canterbury and Christchurch since September 2010 - the tender was let two days before the September 4 quake - it was delayed by the February 22nd quake, primarily by being located so close to the red zone.  However, as they say a city is not built in a day, even if the awesome power of the earth can cause major devastation in a matter of seconds.  This new Christchurch City Mission, like many other buildings and facilities taking their shape in Christchurch, is a fantastic symbol of the regenerative nature of this city and the enduring spirit of its people.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to be here today.  The City Mission has been an integral part of the fabric of Christchurch since 1898, and opening this new building is a visible sign that after the devastation and heartache of recent times, there is a brighter future ahead.

And so it is on that note, as Governor-General, it gives me great pleasure to declare the new Christchurch City Mission building officially open.  Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.