The Anglican Church in New Zealand is encouraging social media as a way to tell of Christmas joy as it marks 200 years since the first proclamation of the Christian gospel in Aotearoa New Zealand.  

In 1814  "glad tidings of great joy" were brought to Oihi in the Bay of Islands.

The Rev Samuel Marsden, in partnership with the Maori Chief Ruatara, preached a sermon that was the beginnings of Christian mission in this land. This Christmas Day a service at Oihi will mark that bicentennial. 

The aim of the social media hash tag is to tell of Christmas joy through the use of the #gospel2014 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley of Waikato is a Twitter user and will be encouraging the youth of the Church to take pictures that mark how the gospel is being told 200 years on.

The Youth Commission of the Anglican Church is encouraging its followers to begin the campaign this weekend.

“The birth of Christ was told by word of mouth and more than 2000 years on we still meet face to face to tell of Christmas joy and that is important," says Bishop Helen-Ann.

"We also have other ways to share what Christmas is about with friends and family as well as people across the world.

“This year in New Zealand we celebrate the birth of Christianity in this country and so we have a story to tell and social media is one way of doing that."

People are encouraged to post pictures about Christmas and how they are celebrating the bicentennial using the #gospel2014. 

"My hope is that pictures will record the bicentenary in different ways and so bring joy and be a source of inspiration,” says Bishop Helen-Ann.