The petite Church of the Good Shepherd is idyllically located among the turquoise blue waters of Lake Tekapo overlooking the New Zealand Alps
The stone-built little Church of the Good Shepherd is popular for weddings. Note the NZ Falcon perched on the cross that has become its lookout.
Churches have a habit of being built on the most prime land in a town or city – on top of a hill or on the main square. The petite Church of Good Shepherd commands picture-postcard views across the glacial waters of Lake Tekapo to New Zealand’s highest mountains and represents the first church in the area. Its striking turquoise blue-green colour (from suspended glacial rock dust or rock flour reflecting sunlight) contrasts with colourful lupinsand snow-capped mountains attracting many couples for a special wedding ceremony.
Violet and mauve lupins grow as wildflowers on the lake edge.
A relatively rare New Zealand Falcon commands the high point on the church – ideal as a lookout.
A tribute to the fine sheep farming skills of the collie
An endangered New Zealand Falconseems to have made the church’s crucifix its home commanding the finest views in the area and ideal for hunting the surrounding area. Its piercing gaze controlled the area, its eyes peeled for any opportunity for a feed, seemingly undisturbed by the crowds of photographers snapping the elegant church.
A neighbouring bronze collie statue (like Lassie) also has a permanent home commemorating the role that these athletic intelligent dogs played in developing the area as prime sheep farming properties.
The tiny church commands a superb view of Lake Tekapo though its panorama window.
A spiritually uplifting view
The area has such clear skies that it has a major observatory on a neighbouring hill and specialised street lighting that doesn’t project its light skyward ensuring optimal viewing conditions for those of an astronomical persuasion (visitors can check out the Mount John Observatorytoo, but cloud cover prevented any chances during my visit).
Lake Tekapo is a quiet picturesque town popular with folks from Dunedin and Christchurch as a weekend escape with stunning views and a lakeside walk and makes for an ideal overnight stop travelling the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
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6 Responses to Church of the Good Shepherd (Lake Tekapo, New Zealand)
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The photo of the altar, backed by picture windows displaying the magnificent view over the lake rather than a lot of religious icons and trappings, made me smile. What better way to honor the Creator than to show off his/her magnificent work!
It is a stellar view. During a service it would be too distracting to watch the goodings-on in the church!!
Fantastic views and uplifting words about a place I’d never heard of. Sounds too good to pass up should I ever make it to N.Z. Very nice.
See the nearby lakes too (aquamarine blue Lake Pukaki from where you can see Mt Cook is stunning).
What a view, so glad they incorporated it to be seen from inside the church too.
I have never seen a church with a window purely there for its panoramic view.