He left the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship with his family several years ago and said the church met most nights for Bible study, did most activities together, and did not associate much with outsiders.

The ex-member said after he left the church some members refused to acknowledge him when they passed on the street.

Meanwhile, an expert on religion in New Zealand said the insular and wealthy church was on the fundamentalist end of the spectrum of evangelical protestant Christianity.

Health Minister Chris Hipkins told RNZ on Wednesday morning it had become apparent some close contacts of the church sub-cluster were not previously disclosed, including a student that recently tested positive.

The student was last at St Dominic's Catholic College in Auckland on Friday but left early after starting to feel unwell.

Hipkins said in this case it appeared it was the student close contact of the sub-cluster who had not been previously disclosed.

Health authorities are investigating whether the non-disclosure was deliberate.

"That's one of the things that the investigation is looking at now and it will include looking at whether there was a deliberate decision not to disclose, or whether it was simply an oversight," Hipkins said.

The former member told Stuff that when he was in the church its members would meet most nights of the week for Bible study or sermons, tending not to associate with outsiders.

"They stick to themselves.

"It's pretty full on."

Late in August, Hipkins said an investigation into claims the church held meetings during Auckland's alert level 3 restrictions was underway.

At Wednesday's 1pm press conference, where six new community cases all linked to the Auckland cluster were announced, Director-General of Heath Dr Ashley Bloomfield said all members of the evangelical fellowship were being asked to be re-tested.

The church is run as a charity, registered as the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship Trust.

Its pastor is understood to be Errol Montgomery "Monty" Ngatai, who according to electoral and property records lives in the same Hillsborough block of units as other senior and long-standing members of the church.

A document dated from 1995, when the church's charity was incorporated, said it was established to "foster Christian growth and spirituality according to the scriptures" and to "enhance and strengthen family and community relationships by sharing worship and fellowship through teaching missions".

Its charitable purpose is to "preach expositional sermons that explain what the Bible says and what the Bible means in ways that practically connect with life so that each one may reach another with the gospel of Jesus Christ". Continue reading

Anna Swann, the principal of St Dominic's Catholic College, is strongly urging people not to lay blame on those who are sick after a student at the school tested positive for Covid-19.

"We're a school that's a special character school, and we believe in being kind and being respectful, caring," she said.

"It's nobody's fault this; we're talking about health issues here."

Swann said all students at the school had been asked to be tested.

A few students have been identified as close contacts and asked to self-isolate.

She said she had spoken to the affected student and her whanau.

"I think they feel supported at the moment."

Swann has urged people not to disclose the identity of the infected student or their family.

"If you know the identity of the student or family with COVID-19, please do not disclose their names or details to anyone else.

And discourage your children from speculating or identifying them on social media.

This can lead to online bullying and abuse," Swann said in a letter to parents.

"I know there is a process they have to go through to try and make sure that everybody can be accounted for and all of that factual stuff that needs to come out."

Health Minister Chris Hipkins said the St Dominic's student was linked to a close contact of the church sub-cluster that had not previously been disclosed, and authorities were investigating whether the non-disclosure was on purpose.

Asked about Hipkins's remarks, Swann said, "We take this very seriously because this is a health issue and this is our school, and we care very deeply for it, and that's why we are following the Ministry of Health so closely."

Click here to listen to the interview on RNZ

Click here to watch the interview on Maori TV

Source

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