Church of the Good Shepherd: Looks Very Stunning, Day or Night
I knew that the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lake Tekapo was one of the most famous spots in South Island New Zealand (besides Mount Cook). The church had been photographed so many times that I wanted to visit it at day and at night and take some good photographs myself. It was a small Anglican church (just like the Christchurch Cathedral) made completely of stone and it had an interesting history. I was very impressed by my first sight of the church.
The first thing I decided to look at was the stone plaque. It said, “Church of the Good Shepherd. To the Glory of God and in Memory of the Pioneers of the Mackenzie Country. This Stone was laid by H.R.H. The Duke of Gloucester. K.C. P.C. K.T. G.C.V.O. 16th January 1935. Campbell, Bishop. W.E.D. Davies, Vicar.” This told me how old the church was. I had read that a local artist called Esther Hope had designed the building and an architect called R.S.D. Harman had built the church.
The Church of the Good Shepherd was a very simple building. It was made of stone and there was a big wooden door at the front. There was only a narrow window beside the door and it had a simple glass pane. Above the door was a cross and in one corner, there was a bell tower. The bell tower still had a large bell hanging at the top. The steps leading up to the front door were also made of stone.
I walked around the Church of the Good Shepherd to look at the back. There were more windows on the sides and at the back. They were all covered by glass panes to keep the church warm during the winter months. A stone cross stood on the roof at the back. The roof was sloping so that the snow could fall off. And it was made with slate tiles. The church looked like a country cottage from the outside.
I walked all around the church, looking at the walls. There was snow on the ground. The walls were made of many different colored stones. The stones were all shapes and sizes. There were a few other tourists also roaming around.
The inside of the church was a little dark. The ceiling and all the benches were made of wood. Sunlight came in through the window at the back. It was a very small space. It was just a local church used by the local people. There was no one inside as it was closed.
I walked down the little road that was leading away from the church (the Mackenzie Sheep Dog Statue is nearby). Snow was lying on the sides of the road and a few people were walking on the road. The church looked very tiny and cute from a distance. Big bushes and trees almost hid it from sight. Lake Tekapo, which was behind the Church of the Good Shepherd, was also barely visible at this angle.
Since the church had looked so beautiful in the day time, I decided to visit at night too. I was sure that I would get some more lovely pictures of the church and the lake at night. A lot more snow had fallen. The whole ground looked white. There were no lights at the church so the place looked very dark. The front door was closed. In the darkness, I could barely see the windows or the cross on the roof.
I walked to the front of the church to take a picture of the whole place. A lot of clouds had gathered in the sky but little bits of blue sky were still visible. I wondered if it would start snowing again soon. I didn’t want to get caught outside in the snow but I also wanted to take some fabulous night pictures.
I turned in the other direction to take pictures of Lake Tekapo Village. There were some lights shining in the village. The houses looked very warm and welcoming (by the way, I also highly recommend going to Mackenzies Café Bar & Grill and Astro Cafe if you’re here). The lake behind the village was completely dark. There was snow on the ground but it had not piled up too much.
The view of the sky and the clouds was so amazing that I had to take a photo. The clouds blocked out the light of the moon and my surroundings were very dark. I could hardly see anything. It almost looked like stormy.
Finally, after roaming around for some time, the sky began to clear. The clouds started to move away and a little bit of blue sky could be seen. I could see evergreen trees all around the village. The lights in the houses were still on. But it looked like morning was coming. I was happy because walking around at night had made me pretty cold.
As the sky began to get lighter, I went back towards the church. It had been built all by itself in one corner of the village, away from all the other houses. Since it wasn’t so dark anymore, I could clearly see the bell tower and the bell hanging at the top. The big bell was my favorite part of the Church of the Good Shepherd. I was sure that when it rang, it would sound very clear and very loud.
The water of the lake was so clear! It reflected the mountains and the snowcapped peaks around it. It was chilly as I walked closer to the water. But the view was so stunning that the cold was worth it. There was no one else around me.
I took my last picture of the Church of the Good Shepherd from the back. Morning was coming but the sun had not risen. In the dim light, only the silhouette of the church could be seen. Around it, there were trees and bushes. I was very happy that I had come. I had spent a very pleasant day and night at Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd. And I had taken some beautiful photographs.
