Following your faith – from a distance
Your spiritual life doesn’t need to go on hold due to social distancing.
Some clever congregations around the world and in New Zealand are taking their services online.
Looking on the bright side, now could also be a wonderful time to experience a different congregation or even a different denomination’s service.
Here are some church services of different denominations we have discovered (in alphabetical order) – please let us know if you have a favourite and we’ll add to the list. Note as many of these only start this week, we cannot guarantee their quality.
For the livestreams you will need internet connection, and your speakers turned on. Most will automatically take you through to a YouTube channel or a similar streaming service.
In many cases the website or YouTube channel also has pre-recorded religious services, so you can check out prior recordings to see if they are to your liking.
ANGLICAN
https://stmichaels.net.nz/online-church-services/
8am Sunday: Holy Communion Service – with order of service
10am Sunday: Family Eucharist
Previous online services also available for download
http://www.holy-trinity.org.nz/spiritual-life
From the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Auckland.
10am Sunday: Full service
5pm Mon – Thurs: Prayers
5pm Friday: “Staying Connected” chat with a pastor
Note – services are also detailed for Easter Maundy Thursday through to Easter Sunday
BAPTIST
https://www.cambridgebaptist.co.nz/
10am Sunday: Full service
With previous services available here:
https://www.cambridgebaptist.co.nz/page/Sermons/
CATHOLIC
https://www.churchservices.tv/timetable/
Churches from around the world (mainly catholic) – times are shown in NZ time – so have some fun and try a few.
CONTEMPORARY MIXED DENOMINATIONAL
https://churchonline.lifenz.org/
7pm Wednesday: Heart and Soul singing service
9am, 11am, 6pm Sunday: Full services
https://elimchristiancentre.online.church/
8.30, 10am, 11.30, 5pm: Full services
JEWISH
This site features lots of virtual activity! Learning sessions as well as Friday and Saturday Shabbat
NOTE: Sydney Time zone is used so add two hours to their published schedule (6pm is actually 8pm)
The livestream clicks through to their YouTube channel where you can also watch previous services.
METHODIST
http://takapuna.methodist.org.nz/live-stream
10am Sunday: Full service.
This site kindly includes the words for the hymns to help you sing along.
Also on Facebook – including previous services:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/takapunamethodist/videos/?ref=page_internal
PRESBYTERIAN
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmKXalAm3fldtRCBPQ7PMIw or https://gpc.org.nz/
9.30am Sunday: Full service.
The YouTube channel also features some older services.
We’d love to make this an evolving list of options for people to keep up their religious practices while staying indoors. If you know of any other options which you’d like included, please email more@metlifecare.co.nz and help us add to this list.