Rotorua churches are devoting services on Sunday to praying for the people of Christchurch.
"This is bringing Christians to their knees," Living Well Church's senior pastor Andrew Parrington said.
He said about 35 members of the congregation met on Tuesday night to pray and they would also be praying for Christchurch onSunday. Mr Parrington said his thoughts and prayers went out to his colleagues in Christchurch, many of whom would not only be dealing with their own losses but having to minister to those who had lost family members.
Many members of the congregation had family members in Christchurch including several students who moved there from Rotorua to study.
Mr Parrington said the church had donated $1000 to the Salvation Army appeal and was looking at working in with a fundraising effort by Christchurch's Arise Church for food and water.
He said his church, which was part of the New Life movement, was praying for a member of the Cashmere New Life Church who was pinned for five hours in the Pyne Gould Building before being rescued.
Rotorua Baptist Church Pastor Timothy Lee said most of his church's Sunday service would be devoted to praying for groups affected by Tuesday's earthquake.
Meanwhile, St John's Church's two services on Sunday will be "based around a response to the events of Christchurch", senior minister Lance Thomas said.
Rotorua's Catholic churches will be holding a combined prayer service at St Michael's Church at 5.30pm on Tuesday that would be open to anyone.
