Churches ready for festive feast

The church is ready for Christmas lunch.

They've had to turn volunteers away, but organisers of the Rotorua Combined Church Christmas Lunch are hoping everyone who wants to join in on the event will be catered for.

So far more than 500 people have registered for the annual free lunch at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre tomorrow.

Pastor Jill Moore of the Harvest Church said they preferred people to register ahead of the lunch so they knew how many they were expecting, but they weren't planning to turn people away.

She said they could cater for a maximum of 500, but expected a few who had registered would find they had other plans on the day, as happened last year.

Those who still hadn't yet registered could phone the Citizens' Advice Bureau on (07) 348 3936 or the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre to register today.

They could also turn up on the day, she said.

"We don't want to think people are on their own for Christmas. We will do all we can to accommodate them."

There will be 100 volunteers helping to make the lunch possible - 50 helping prepare the meal today, with another 50 volunteering tomorrow.

This is the fourth year the combined churches have held the lunch and the second year it has been held at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre (formerly the Convention Centre).

-Doors will open at 11.30am with lunch served from noon.