Tens of thousands of New Zealanders from Hamilton and further afield are expected to visit the grounds of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ temple to view the lights in the days leading up to Christmas.
Watch an introductory video here.
Tying into the Church’s #LightTheWorld initiative, this year visitors are encouraged to bring a can of food to donate to the Hamilton Combined Christian Foodbank Trust. The initiative provides suggestions for people to perform acts of service in 25 ways over the first 25 days of December. The initiative’s suggestion for December 21 comes from Matthew 25: 35, “For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat.”
The temple grounds have been lit annually for almost 30 years. Over 40,000 people are expected to view the lights this year. Approximately 2,000 hours are required to install and remove the 300,000 lights each year. Fifteen hundred volunteers will assist visitors who come to see the lights.
The Hamilton New Zealand Temple is located in Temple View, a suburb of Hamilton. Lights will shine from 8:00 until 11:00 each evening from 12 to 31 December and there is no charge for admission. Choirs from throughout the area will perform each week from Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.