The Rev Simon Archer, Vicar of All Saints Belvedere has found that his love of online gaming has taken him to a whole new level of online ministry.
Online Gaming is when people experience playing a computer game together through the internet - they might be a group of local friends or not know each other at all.
It is estimated that there are around 20 million people in the UK who play online video games, and that there are now more than 2.5 billion active gamers around the world.
"I've always loved computer games. I started with Pong, those two little white rectangles bouncing a small square at each other! It progressed to a Spectrum 48k in the early 80's, Sega, Nintendo, PC and then a string of Xboxes."
A couple of months into the lockdown and Simon was looking for something to do with the spare time he had in the evenings with fewer meetings to attend. A cancelled holiday due to the crisis also landed the family with a little money. While his wife updated her camera, Simon bought a gaming PC.
"There was still a lot to learn about cameras, software, microphones and many other skills needed but I thought it would make for a good hobby for my spare time and a real challenge. I am a geek and gadgets and computers are my thing so why not?"
Fast forward a few months and he is now the "Vicar of Facebook Gaming" aka "Vicarious BIG", with a few hundred followers and viewers each time he goes live:
"There was always something in the back of my mind that this could be a genuine ministry. About 80% of my followers are men between 25-45. I knew I could reach a disconnected group who were very much connected online.
"In the few months I have been doing this I have teamed up with pastors, ministers and Christians from all over the world. We've chatted whilst playing games and talked about our faith watched by people of many faiths and no faith. I have played with other friends, viewers and followers. I've made many new friends and the community is growing every single day."
Simon began to include a feature where people can type '!prayer' into the chat and his 'bot' replies to let them know that he will be praying for them. He then prays for them after the stream:
"I don't preach, but people ask deep questions and I reply honestly and reference scripture if it's appropriate. I don't have parishioners but I offer support and care when I can."
Simon says that his availabilty online has given people the opportunity to reach out.
"While in another community forum on Facebook, I received the news that one of the members had had a heart attack. I was asked whether I would pray for him, which I did.
"Not long after, the person who had been ill was in my chat, and he let me know he was on the road to recovery and thanked me. It's not the only example but it is a good one of how my availability has offered some a means to reach out."
So could this become a full-blown mininstry for Simon?
"This remains a hobby but it is also a ministry. I do it in my own time but I enjoy it and it enriches my life. It will never likely grow my church, but it is another chip out of the barriers people have put up between themselves and the Church.
"Am I called by God to a ministry of playing and streaming video games? Yes, I think I am."
You can find Simon's gaming stream online here: https://www.facebook.com/gaming/VicariousBIG or on twitter: https://twitter.com/VicariousBIG