Covid 19 coronavirus: Whanganui Anglican churches holding virtual Easter services

Some local churches are turning to technology to hold Easter services while the country is in lockdown.

Christ Church Whanganui and several churches under the Rangitīkei Anglican Parish have joined the wider Anglican movement to livestream Easter services.

Reverend Tim Duxfield, from the Rangitīkei Anglican Parish, said the stillness and isolation that had come from quarantine was actually quite fitting for the Easter season as it helped people to reflect on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

They began their holy week with an Easter week liturgy on Wednesday evening livestreamed from St Peter's on Willis St, Wellington.

Reverend Billy Rowe and Reverend Caleb Rowe, from Christ Church, have been holding the services from Thursday and will continue them until Sunday morning.

On Saturday there will be a Chrism service at 7.30pm, and on Sunday there will be an Easter Sunday service at 10am.

"Putting out free-to-air services over Holy Week is just such an important way for people to have hope in this season and particularly as we reach the middle part of quarantine that's a hump, and it's a hard hump to get past, and anything we can do to give people hope and light this season is really important," Duxfield said.

All Anglican services can be viewed for free on Freeview Channel 200 or those with a computer can view it on www.movementonline.org.nz.

Whanganui Baptist Church is also holding virtual services for anyone in the community to view.

Senior pastor Nigel Irwin said on Good Friday the church held its stations of the cross service that involves working through the narrative of the journey of Jesus from the garden Gethsemane to the Cross.

He said it was a reflective service, with 15 volunteers from the church taking part.

On Sunday morning, a church service will be held to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and Irwin said it would be a family-friendly event and anyone could watch the livestream via Zoom.

The link can be found on their website, http://www.wcb.org.nz/

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website