Wellington City Mission is expecting to welcome hundreds of people for Christmas lunches across the city tomorrow.
Five different locations will offer food and quality time for those living within City Mission housing, and those who use its services.
Missioner Murray Edridge told Andrew Dickens that it's been the hardest year many have experienced, but tomorrow's a time to come together.
He says Christmas can be difficult because it reminds those struggling of what they don't have.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Some families are going to be sitting down to a
gigantic Christmas lunch tomorrow with their loved ones. I'm going
to be sitting down to a medium sized lunch that
will be very tasty because it's all about the people,
not the food. But meanwhile others will be struggling to
get any food on the table at all. So of
course it's spread the Christmas Joy. Organizations across the country
(00:36):
host Christmas meals for the down and out, and one
of those organizations is the Wellington City Mission. And I'm
joined now by Wellington City Missioner Reverend Murray Edridge. Murray,
good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Good morning Andrew, and Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
To you, and thank you for your good work.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Oh look, it's a great it's a great pleasure and
but there's a lot of need in our community and
we've all got to take some responsibility for making sure
people are Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
How many are you going to feed tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Oh, there'll be several one hundred tomorrow. We have actually
five Christmas lunches happening around different sites of the mission,
serving those who both live with us and those who
who come in and use our services. So great opportunity
to sit with people and to have some festive cheer
and to give them some joy and some light and
(01:28):
what is often quite a difficult time for people.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
It's been a tough year as demand greater this Christmas.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Andrew, look, it's been I suspect the toughest year any
of us have ever experienced. People are doing life very,
very hard. And whilst Christmas is this wonderful time, I mean,
I love Christmas. It's a cool time of the year
for all of us and it brings enormous joy. For
those who are struggling that just accentuates the difference from
other people from there it reminds them of what they
(01:59):
don't have. So it has been a really, really tough year.
But I'll tell you what Christmas spirit is alive and
well because we've also seen this year reidented generosity from
our community to support those who are doing life.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Hard, and of course the people who come in A
man in your kitchen and man everything there. So the
question that will now be what food is being served
and what does it take to prepare it.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
We've got commercial caterers and excuse me, commercial caters, and
we've got staff, and we've got lots and lots of
volunteers who are already busy in the kitchens and tomorrow
about eleven am they start and it goes for a
couple of hours, and it is giving people a week
glimpse of what life can be like. And in the
(02:47):
midst of all of the challenges people are facing the
opportunity to eat together, to enjoy what you and I
take for granted. Possibly We've also had weeks now where
we've been providing hampers and support to people who are
hosting other people in their own homes, So that's an
awesome way to do it. And of course the toy shores,
the toy store has been going out for the last
(03:09):
three or four weeks, and we've got lots of toys
out there that on Christmas Day their parents and caregivers
can give their children tomorrow morning. So I hope for
people it's going to be an awesome Christmas despite their circumstances.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
And what is the atmosphere. I mean, you've done a
few of these for a few years, what is the
atmosphere in a silly mission Christmas lunch on Christmas Day?
Is it joyous or is it mordealing in any way?
Or does everyone get into the spirit of Christmas?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Yes, yes they do. It is absolutely joyous, and it's
a moment in time when people can forget about their circumstances,
can enjoy, as I say, what you and I might
take for granted, and be part of a community gathering
where they're honored. They are the honored guests, and they
get to eat wonderful food and it's wonderful fellowship. More importantly,
(03:58):
because so often the tragedy is people spending Christmas alone.
So our encouragement to people is, if you know someone's
going to be alone, it's Christmas, inviten into your place.
You know, the best Christmases we've had of when we've
had open houses and people have just come and you
get to meet new people and you get to share
this wonderful occasion together and it's just this amazing experience
(04:21):
for everybody.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yes, it's called the Orphans Christmas, isn't it. When I
was overseas back in the nineties, there was no way
I could afford to come back to New Zealand to
be with my family. I was alone, but I was
around all sorts of other people who are in the
same situation. And we said, let's have an Orphans Christmas.
And so for three Christmases we had five people who
would get together, same five people every year and we
(04:43):
would have just the most joyous Christmas lunch as well.
And Orphans Christmas for all those people who can't be
with family is a great thing to do in Black
people and it isn't that cool?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And so many of our volunteers Andrew come in because
there again potentially lonely or struggling on Christmas, there's no
one around and they come in and they can be
part of the joy. So it's not just the recipients,
as those that are serving get to experience the joy
of Christmas and it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Good on you, Murray, I thank you so much for
your time. Murray Eldridge, who is the Wellington City Commissioner.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
For more from News Talks ed B listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Some families are going to be sitting down to a
gigantic Christmas lunch tomorrow with their loved ones. I'm going
to be sitting down to a medium sized lunch that
will be very tasty because it's all about the people,
not the food. But meanwhile others will be struggling to
get any food on the table at all. So of
course it's spread the Christmas Joy. Organizations across the country
(00:36):
host Christmas meals for the down and out, and one
of those organizations is the Wellington City Mission. And I'm
joined now by Wellington City Missioner Reverend Murray Edridge. Murray,
good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Good morning Andrew, and Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
To you, and thank you for your good work.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Oh look, it's a great it's a great pleasure and
but there's a lot of need in our community and
we've all got to take some responsibility for making sure
people are Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
How many are you going to feed tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Oh, there'll be several one hundred tomorrow. We have actually
five Christmas lunches happening around different sites of the mission,
serving those who both live with us and those who
who come in and use our services. So great opportunity
to sit with people and to have some festive cheer
and to give them some joy and some light and
(01:28):
what is often quite a difficult time for people.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
It's been a tough year as demand greater this Christmas.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Andrew, look, it's been I suspect the toughest year any
of us have ever experienced. People are doing life very,
very hard. And whilst Christmas is this wonderful time, I mean,
I love Christmas. It's a cool time of the year
for all of us and it brings enormous joy. For
those who are struggling that just accentuates the difference from
other people from there it reminds them of what they
(01:59):
don't have. So it has been a really, really tough year.
But I'll tell you what Christmas spirit is alive and
well because we've also seen this year reidented generosity from
our community to support those who are doing life.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Hard, and of course the people who come in A
man in your kitchen and man everything there. So the
question that will now be what food is being served
and what does it take to prepare it.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
We've got commercial caterers and excuse me, commercial caters, and
we've got staff, and we've got lots and lots of
volunteers who are already busy in the kitchens and tomorrow
about eleven am they start and it goes for a
couple of hours, and it is giving people a week
glimpse of what life can be like. And in the
(02:47):
midst of all of the challenges people are facing the
opportunity to eat together, to enjoy what you and I
take for granted. Possibly We've also had weeks now where
we've been providing hampers and support to people who are
hosting other people in their own homes, So that's an
awesome way to do it. And of course the toy shores,
the toy store has been going out for the last
(03:09):
three or four weeks, and we've got lots of toys
out there that on Christmas Day their parents and caregivers
can give their children tomorrow morning. So I hope for
people it's going to be an awesome Christmas despite their circumstances.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
And what is the atmosphere. I mean, you've done a
few of these for a few years, what is the
atmosphere in a silly mission Christmas lunch on Christmas Day?
Is it joyous or is it mordealing in any way?
Or does everyone get into the spirit of Christmas?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Yes, yes they do. It is absolutely joyous, and it's
a moment in time when people can forget about their circumstances,
can enjoy, as I say, what you and I might
take for granted, and be part of a community gathering
where they're honored. They are the honored guests, and they
get to eat wonderful food and it's wonderful fellowship. More importantly,
(03:58):
because so often the tragedy is people spending Christmas alone.
So our encouragement to people is, if you know someone's
going to be alone, it's Christmas, inviten into your place.
You know, the best Christmases we've had of when we've
had open houses and people have just come and you
get to meet new people and you get to share
this wonderful occasion together and it's just this amazing experience
(04:21):
for everybody.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yes, it's called the Orphans Christmas, isn't it. When I
was overseas back in the nineties, there was no way
I could afford to come back to New Zealand to
be with my family. I was alone, but I was
around all sorts of other people who are in the
same situation. And we said, let's have an Orphans Christmas.
And so for three Christmases we had five people who
would get together, same five people every year and we
(04:43):
would have just the most joyous Christmas lunch as well.
And Orphans Christmas for all those people who can't be
with family is a great thing to do in Black
people and it isn't that cool?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And so many of our volunteers Andrew come in because
there again potentially lonely or struggling on Christmas, there's no
one around and they come in and they can be
part of the joy. So it's not just the recipients,
as those that are serving get to experience the joy
of Christmas and it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Good on you, Murray, I thank you so much for
your time. Murray Eldridge, who is the Wellington City Commissioner.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
For more from News Talks ed B listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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