Respect and friendship were topics covered in an address by Bishop of Wellington Justin Duckworth in Wanganui on Friday night.
It was a moving talk, Wanganui City Mission manager David Reed said, adding the dreadlocked, jandal-clad bishop enlivened it with personal anecdotes. The bishop was the main speaker at Christian Social Services Wanganui's Mid-Winter Christmas Dinner at which about 200 people wined and dined in the Big School room at Wanganui Collegiate. Mr Reed hopes the smorgasbord meal, catered by Mike Hos, will become an annual event.
Funds raised will help the mission's food bank and budgeting service.
As well as the bishop's speech there was a fundraising auction of seven items.
Mr Reed believed the total amount raised would be between $6000 and $7000.