Gaylene Burgess delivered religious pamphlets around the Chedworth neighbourhood on Good Friday even though door knocking for religious reasons is prohibited under the rules of the Covid-19 lockdown.

A Baptist going door to door offering "hope for all" has fallen foul of the coronavirus lockdown that was imposed to keep people safe.

Health leaders have urged religious people to refrain from attempting to extol the benefits of their faith to others in their neighbourhoods during the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.

The warning comes after residents in a Hamilton suburb were concerned when a woman from a local church knocked on their door and presented them with pamphlets espousing the virtues of the Baptist denomination.

Dr Caroline McElnay, Director of Public Health, said people should not be going door to door during the lockdown.

A resident in Chedworth, who asked not to be named, said the woman arrived at their home on Good Friday morning and, to her surprise, handed her some pamphlets.

"I was surprised but my husband was quite cross when he found out what had happened.

STUFF PHOTOGRAPHER Some advice on display at Gaylene Burgess's church.

"I appreciate she was trying to be nice, but it is definitely not appropriate at this time. It would definitely have breached the two-metre rule."

After taking necessary precautions and being careful to maintain distance, Stuff went to visit the woman at her own home to ask if she was aware she had been breaking the lockdown.

She identified herself as Gaylene Burgess, a member of the Fairfield Baptist Church, and said she had gone to all the houses in her street putting the pamphlets in the letterboxes - unless that letterbox had a message not to deliver junk mail.

KATHRYN GEORGE, AARON WOOD/STUFF Here's what you can and can't do while New Zealand is on lockdown, under Level 4 alert for Covid-19 (video published in March).

At those properties she went and knocked on the door and hand-delivered the documents to the residents.

While she was aware of the lockdown rules and the threat of Covid-19, "I just did not think anything of it".

None of the people she met had appeared displeased to see her, she said.

STUFF PHOTOGRAPHER The Fairfield Baptist Church on Heaphy Terrace, The sign outside the church advises people to "Overcome anxiety and fear by trusting in Jesus".

"They were all wonderful, actually.

"Some said no thanks [to the pamphlets]. They still opened the door and were very happy to listen to what I said."

While the pamphlets titled "Hope for All" were from the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, they did not originate from the Fairfield church and Burgess said that church's pastor was not aware of what she had been doing.

In past years the booklets had been delivered by New Zealand Post, she said. This year she and a network of volunteers around the country had taken on the task instead.

Burgess said she realised the gravity of what she had done and wanted to apologise to anyone in her neighbourhood who may have been alarmed by her presence.

Speaking at the Good Friday 1pm press conference in the Beehive, Dr Caroline McElnay, the Director of Public Health indicated she had some sympathy for people wanting to mark the religious holiday with other people.

"We recognise it's a challenge for many people. This is an Easter unlike other Easters.

"I really want to re-emphasise the Prime Minister's message that it's time for us to get behind the country and stay at home.

"I'm aware that many churches now have online coverage of their services so people can worship in the way they wish to worship but still be able to stay at home and follow our guidance."