"I see poverty as a major barrier to happiness," Reverend Czerwonka said. "They say money doesn't make you happy but poverty certainly makes people unhappy.
"When people who are poor and have very little of their own see other people round them with more than they need and wasting it, it does create a lot of unhappiness and a sense of injustice."
As a Christian, he said he believed God had a purpose for each person, whatever their life situation.
"So I believe in leading a purposeful life and discovering our own unique purpose.
"I encourage people to celebrate the small things in life - time spent with a friend over a cup of tea, a nice coffee in town in the sun, find something to celebrate each day - to live the day and the moment as fully as you possibly can."
St Luke's is holding a 'blessing of the animals' service in conjunction with the SPCA on September 29, with a parade through Kuirau Park.
"People love and enjoy animals - animals help to make them happy," Rev Czerwonka said.
The UN report found Denmark was the happiest country, while west African nation Togo was the unhappiest place.
The rankings were based on a survey of citizens who were asked to evaluate their own happiness.
Analysts also looked at a range of other factors including wealth, health, freedom to make life choices, generosity and freedom from corruption.
The latest data was collected between 2010 and 2012.
The report concluded that the world had become a slightly happier and more generous place over the past five years, despite the obvious detrimental impacts of the 2007-08 financial crisis.
It determined that mental illness was the single most important cause of unhappiness, but this was largely ignored by policymakers.
Additional reporting APNZ
