As church congregations experience the impact of restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, one is turning to technology to bridge the gap between members of the church.
An Equippers Church event in Auckland in early February. Photo: Facebook / Equippers Church Auckland
Equippers Church in Auckland is encouraging smaller gatherings in homes and live-streaming the church services.
"These meetings will allow us to continue gathering as a church, while at the same time playing our part in helping create safe and healthy communities," national leader Sam Monk said.
Executive pastor Matt Gregory said given the congregation sizes they could still meet but they've chosen to be proactive.
"We're working with the recommendations of the government, we're not trying to find ways around it."
Despite launching the Equippers at Home programme , keeping people connected was still important, he said.
"We realise that social distancing can also create social isolation, and that has a lot of knock-on effects for mental health and the health and wellbeing of people.
"So we're trying to navigate this as delicately as the rest of the population is."
Gregory said Equippers was well positioned as it had always been a live-streaming and mobile church.
"While the virus itself is devastating, the day and age that we live in with technology, is quite amazing that we can do what we do."