The Dean of Christchurch, the Very Rev Ben Truman is pleased to be hosting the Christchurch City Mission Christmas tree this Advent, alongside a new art installation of large scale canvases painted with Gospel texts. 

"It's about bringing people back into their Cathedral at Christmas." said Dean Ben.

The exhibition's eight black and white canvases leading to the 10-metre steel City Mission tree give more than a nod to 20th century Aotearoa New Zealand Catholic artist Colin McCahon, as they employ a version of McCahon's familiar cursive white text on black to display the Christmas story writ large.

For Dean Ben, making a generous donation to the City Mission is an ideal way to respond to the gift of hope in the Christmas story. 

“We want to tell the story of hope and be a story of hope.” he said. 

Visitors wanting a closer look at the designer metal tree and exhibition in the partially restored Cathedral's interior are encouraged to donate a $25 koha for entry, with all proceeds going to the Christchurch City Mission's work with families struggling to cope with the cost-of-living crisis. Visits can be booked between 1 - 16 December 2025. 

Generous Christchurch businesses Naylor Love, Accessman and Holmes Solutions have backed the show reopening so that no costs will come from funds raised for the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project (CCRL) or Christchurch City Mission. 

Dean Ben said 2025 had been another hard year for many people living in Canterbury. 

“The Mission will provide 1600 families who need the help with special food parcels this Christmas. Hundreds of families will get gifts for their children they couldn’t afford to buy. This is something we very much want to get behind.” 

While a City Mission Christmas tree came back to the Cathedral for the first time last year, the Gospel canvases are a new addition from artist Pete Majendie, whose well-known artwork "185 Empty White Chairs" stood in the city for ten years as a memorial to the 185 people who lost their lives in the Christchurch earthquakes in February 2011.

Christchurch City Missioner Corinne Haines is delighted the City Mission tree is back in a worthy and historic home this Christmas.

“I am excited the tree will be back in our city’s beautiful Cathedral, and delighted to see it flanked by this new artwork by a local artist with such a fitting theme.”

“Christmas is a stressful time for many in our community so fundraising initiatives like this are incredibly important and mean so much to us, and the families your donation will help.”  

Booking is essential and places are limited: Twelve Days of Christmas Cathedral Visits for the Christchurch City Mission tickets are available at Humanitix.

For visitors who can't make it into the Cathedral, unwrapped gifts and non-perishable donations for the Christchurch City Mission can be left at the Transitional Cathedral on 234 Hereford St between 9am - 4pm on weekdays in Advent.