Churches across Tayside and Fife will turn to technology to allow Easter worship this weekend.
Ministers and priests unable to address congregations in their pews during lockdown have already taken to social media including YouTube and Facebook to broadcast services.
Many will continue to do so to allow Good Friday and Easter Sunday sermons to go ahead as close to normal as possible.
In some cases livestreaming and recording of sermons from pulpits and around communities, has allowed them to reach wider audiences.
In St Andrews the town’s churches have united to lead Easter worship via YouTube.
A virtual pilgrimage through the town will broadcast on Good Friday, replacing the usual Easter Sunday gathering at St Mary’s on the Rock.
Images, readings, reflections and prayers will beamed to congregations from eight locations, starting at St Mary’s Quad at 5pm.
An Easter Sunday sunrise service will be broadcast also on YouTube from Dunfermline Abbey churchyard at 6.30am.
The online service is one of a series from the Abbey Church of Dunfermline during Holy Week.
Kinghorn Parish Church usually holds its Easter Sunday service on the nearby beach and minister the Rev. Jim Reid intends to vlog from the sand instead while out on his daily exercise.
The church will also livestream with Burntisland Parish Church and Erskine Church on Zoom, Facebook and YouTube later in the morning.
Mr Reid, who has been regularly vlogging during lockdown, said online services and posts had been attracting hundreds of viewers.
He said: “They have been reaching out beyond church folk into the community and that’s been really encouraging.”
A Church of Scotland spokesperson said: “We are living in challenging times and while church buildings are currently closed, the Church is most definitely open.
“Ministers and elders across the country are enhancing their congregation’s online presence to share the love of God in a variety of new ways – using social media platforms to provide daily spiritual nourishment with virtual services, reflections, vestry hour discussion time and Bible study groups.
“They are increasingly using video conferencing to connect with their congregations and just last week a Glasgow minister was inducted into his parish from the comfort of his own home on Zoom as 100 people watched.
“Ministers are also offering online memorial services for bereaved families in the absence of public funerals.
“The Moderator of the General Assembly, Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, and his wife Ruth have been using Facebook Live each week day morning for the last three weeks to connect with people across Scotland and the wider world.
“He has also recorded Sunday sermons and messages of hope and comfort to mark Good Friday and Easter Sunday that will be available to watch on the Church’s website, Facebook and Instagram.
“Ministers have taken part in weekly TV services on BBC Scotland and the Moderator is appearing this Sunday.
“The Church has found itself thrust into a new normal and the response to connecting with people in a different way has been very encouraging and presents exciting opportunities moving forward.”
