On December 25, 1814, in the Bay of Islands Anglican cleric Samuel Marsden conducted the first Christian service ever held on New Zealand soil.

The Change Point's annual Christmas Lights display is on until December 21 at the church's Poike Rd church in Hairini. Photo: Supplied.

This Christmas will mark 200 years since the arrival of the gospel and to celebrate Change Point has erected a special display at its Hairini church, starting tonight.

Christmas lights coordinator Ruth Tuiraviravi says the display will feature a seven-minute DVD which will touch upon the gospel's two-century history in New Zealand.

'We've been showing DVD's in our auditorium each Christmas for the last five years and they change from year to year.

'This year members of our church have created a forest and a little lake out of polystyrene to make our auditorium look like what New Zealand would have 200 years ago.”

Ruth says the DVD presentation will run alongside their annual Christmas lights display, which they've put up around the church for the last 14 years.

A live choir will also be at the church for audiences to watch or sing along with, if they felt inspired, says Ruth.

'Each year we get up to roughly 7000 people come down to visit the church and it's a wonderful thing.

'This is a free event which is child-friendly and open to absolutely everyone and anyone.”

Change Point Church's Christmas Lights and 200 Years of the Gospel display starts tonight and runs 8.30pm-11pm daily to December 21.

The church is at 131 Poike Rd, Hairini, Tauranga. For more information, call 07 544 2713.