Sermons from a tech-savvy Tayside minister are an internet hit with followers tuning in from South America.
People from as far afield as Brazil and even Australia are catching the Sunday worship from St Andrew’s Church in Arbroath.
The church launched a digital service in the run-up to Christmas in a bid to increase its outreach.
Figures show around 300 people are now watching Sunday services live every month, with a further 320 tuning in on catch-up.
Through the analytical tools available, the congregation is able to look at the numbers using their media ministry and identify the geographical areas from which screening is taking place.
These include Arbroath, Angus, Scotland, the UK, Brazil, Australia and the USA, to name a few, as people watch services on their smart TVs, laptops, iPads and mobile devices.
The Rev Martin Fair said: “We’re delighted to be connecting with people who, for whatever reason, are not able to attend church.
“People like Earl Matthew, our senior elder and long-time Captain of the Boys Brigade Company, are no longer able to come out on a Sunday morning but are now joining us every week using their smart TVs and tablets.
“Then, there are those members who live or work away from home who are able to stay in touch and feel themselves to be still part of the congregation even from half-way around the world.
“And there are folks like May, in Glasgow, who has nothing to do with Arbroath but, because of serious ill-health, isn’t able to go to her own church and so now joins us online on Sundays.”
Mr Fair said it was “no simple matter getting to this point” and he remains grateful to the Kirk Session for its forward-thinking and willingness to invest in the required technology. He also praised the small team of tech-experts in the congregation who devoted countless hours to installing it.
He said he is pleased with the number of people making use of the online service but insists going to church is still the best option for those able to do so.
He added: “I’m delighted our new service is enabling people to join us who otherwise would never be able attend but, alongside that, our hope is that we might be able to make connections with people who have never been to church or haven’t been in years.
“All we’re doing is employing the technology of today to do what churches have always been in the business of doing: sharing what we believe to be good news.”