About Hope Project

Hope Project is about keeping stories of faith and hope alive in a nation that has been significantly shaped by them — through over 200 years of local history and 2,000 years of wider global history.

An initiative of the Shining Lights Trust, Hope Project is currently connected with around 1,000 pastors and churches across New Zealand, seeking to serve them through clear and simple explanations of our shared belief and hope. A wide range of Christian denominations are united in these common beliefs. You can find many of the churches connected with this effort at HopeProject.co.nz/churches.

Its history:

The media efforts began from the united Christian celebrations in 2014 marking the bicentenary of Chief Ruatara’s invitation to the Rev Samuel Marsden to bring the Christian message — among other teachings and trades — to his people here in New Zealand. This moment marked the beginning of a hope-filled bicultural partnership between Māori and Pākehā. Early connections were remarkably positive.

Through Hope Project, we revisit that positive spirit which so strongly marked our early beginnings — sharing stories of hope and faith from both past and present, with the desire that together we continue to make New Zealand a more hope-filled place.