Cyclone Support
If you want to offer practical or financial support to an affected church directly, but don’t know who’s been affected, please email us.
To offer financial support to churches in the movement, donate online to GC3 and CCCNZ’s disaster relief fund.
To offer support to a campsite, please email us or contact Richard Davis, CCCNZ Camping Enabler.
If your church family has needs you’d like to make known across the wider CCCNZ movement, please contact the CCCNZ enabler in your region or the CCCNZ office directly.
For regular updates on how churches are serving each other and their communities as a result of the cyclone, sign up here to receive the Ambassador’s Weekly Wrap email.
If you're talking to anyone who needs up-to-date info on what's happening in Hawke's Bay, direct them to https://www.facebook.com/hbemergency
If anyone already in Hawke's Bay wants to help with the response effort, Civil Defence are directing people to https://volunteeringhb.org.nz/volunteers/emergency-volunteering
Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups ask that people do not donate goods and instead donate directly to relief funds. Please do not show up with blankets, food, clothing, etc. Monetary donations are the most useful way to support affected communities, as organisations can then provide what is most needed.
Please check in with your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group to find out how you can help: https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/find-your-civil-defence-group/
Cyclone Updates
Matamata Bible Church (MBC) family have been making use of their “MBC Connect” Facebook group, which was setup during Covid-related lockdowns, to keep connected, share prayer needs, and to let people know of what help might be needed.
Several families from Massey Community Church in West Auckland are still without power.
Power is still out at Riverbend Bible Church, and flooding is still an issue at the campsite, where 9 people live. Pumping the water out isn’t an option until power is restored.
Kauaeranga Valley Camp has been without power since Tuesday. They’ve had to cancel all groups for a total of 4 weeks due to previous floods and this week’s cyclone. They’re currently concentrating on cleaning up the grounds.
Victor Moore reported that power was being restored yesterday at Heretaunga Community Church, but bridge access out of Hastings hasn’t been reliable. He’s been volunteering at the Civil Defence shelter.
Riverbend Bible Church took more than 100 mattresses from the camp to the local evacuation centre. All the churches in their area are working together to support the centre. Maria Henderson, a member of Riverbend, is organising a group of girls to get food and towels to the people who’ve been evacuated.
There’s no power or water at Good News Bible Chapel in Havelock North, and it narrowly escaped flooding.
Families from Heretaunga Community Church and Onekawa Bible Church are among those who have had to evacuate their homes.
Paengaroa Bible Chapel is in a rural area that has been in a challenging season, but the church is keen to assist others churches that have suffered from the cyclone. They reported no serious damage, and their power was restored on Wednesday.
Coopers Beach Christian Camp has escaped damage, and had power restored Wednesday night. They are still without phone or cell service.
Families from Kaukapakapa Bible Chapel north-west of Auckland are okay, but the local hall, fire station, and primary school flooded. Residents still don't have power.
A truck carrying bedding from churches in Kawarau and Omokoroa arrived at Kelston Community Hub on Wednesday afternoon, where it will be distributed around West Auckland.
Birkdale Bible Chapel experienced some leaks in its flat, but the main building and families are okay. One of the elders is heading up the recovery efforts for a government ministry, so his life is very busy at present.
CHURCHES
Raleigh Street Christian Centre in Cambridge has opened its doors so people can shower, cook, use wifi and have a coffee. Many still have no power. Aaron, the youth pastor, organised a community clean-up for the youth to help people whose homes suffered in the storm.
Ellerslie Bible Chapel has developed some roof leaks and issues with lights that are beginning to be addressed.
Jim and Brenda at Arohanui Christian Fellowship in East Auckland are “run off their feet delivering food parcels,” but doing well. They would like prayer for stamina, wisdom and discerning needs.
Kelston and Roskill community hubs are expecting a truckload of mattresses and bedding today, donated from The Orchard Church in Te Puke.
Clark Road Chapel is struggling most with getting power and other services restored. This has particularly impacted people with businesses. One of their elders grows flowers commercially; along with weather and power outages, disruption to Valentine’s Day sales has affected sales.
Matamata Bible Church has been assisting two farms that needed generators while the power is out.
Paeroa Bible Chapel has had power off more than it’s been on. Bill Tissingh reported that there’s still lots of water around and they continue assess the situation.
The rural region around Feilding Bible Chapel has experienced flooding, and some roads are closed.
CAMPS
Highland Home Christian Camp lost fresh water on Tuesday, but it’s now back along with power. The community has lost two bridges, but Emma Foster has reported that access to a third was restored and they have everything they need.
Lakes Ranch Christian Camp has been in touch to say that they have just had superficial damage.
The status of Coopers Beach was unknown as of Wednesday afternoon. Please pray that all is well there and that the team will be able to communicate soon.
GC3 has extended the support raised for flood relief to this week’s cyclone relief. Anyone can apply online, and anyone can donate here: https://www.gc3.org.nz/auckland-flood-relief/.
Money will be distributed ASAP to those who need it.
If your church wants to offer practical or financial support to an affected church directly, please email office@cccnz.nz.
If your church wants to offer support to an affected campsite, please message us or contact Richard Davis, CCCNZ Camping Enabler, at richarddavis@cccnz.nz.
And if your church family has needs to share with the wider movement, please email us at office@cccnz.nz. See less
CHURCHES
People from The Orchard Church in Te Puke collected donations of mattresses and blankets, and just needed to get them to Auckland. Senior Pastor Nelson Schonfeldt had a call on Tuesday from someone he’d never met, who told him they had a truck and just needed to find someone who could drive it up to Auckland.
“Our youth pastor, who’s on vacation, shot into the office and said, ‘I can do it!’” Nelson said.
Papatoetoe Bible Chapel has made itself available to store and distribute the donations.
On Monday night The Orchard opened as a Civil Defence Centre, but only one person needed it—“it’s pretty indicative of this region,” Nelson said. “It wasn’t too severe here. Some other regions closer to the coast were being evacuated.”
Tamaki Community Church has given funds to community hubs in Kelston and Mangere where people in their church whanau have been working. The community hubs are partnering with the Red Cross and Civil Defence to run evacuation centres and supply food and bedding.
Kelston Community Church sheltered people from various places in West Auckland on Monday night. They would welcome supplies.
Lifechurch Manurewa has offered its facilities for storage, and is awaiting a truckload of mattresses donated by churches in Kaitaia.
CAMPS
Power is back on at Moirs Point Camp, Mangawhai, much earlier than expected. They’re thankful for everyone’s prayers. All the freezer food was saved and there’s been no major damage. So far there have just been some trees down and debris to clean up.
Marsden Bay Camp wasn’t needed as an evacuation centre, thankfully. The area has experienced some minor flooding and had a few trees down.
Totara Springs Christian Camp lost power and has trees down, but is all good aside from that.
GC3 has extended the support raised for flood relief to this week’s cyclone relief. Anyone can apply online, and anyone can donate here: https://www.gc3.org.nz/auckland-flood-relief/.
Money will be distributed ASAP to those who need it.
If your church wants to offer support to an affected church, please email office@cccnz.nz.
If your church wants to offer support to an affected campsite, please message us or contact Richard Davis, CCCNZ Camping Enabler.
And if your church family has needs to share with the wider movement, please do let us know.
FROM CHURCHES:
Matt Scott, youth leader at Clark Road, has asked for prayer for rural youth in the region who are without power and isolated due to flooding and trees being down.
We are grateful that Lifechurch Manurewa in South Auckland has set up an evacuation centre and stood up their response team.
Isaac Claasen, youth pastor at Northcross, reported that the church facilities are without power but everyone was fine as of Monday afternoon. He requests prayer for continued safety for young people and their families.
On Sunday, the Lighthouse Church on the Tutukaka Coast in Northland cancelled its service.
FROM CAMPSITES:
At Moirs Point Camp, Mangawhai, power has been off since Sunday evening. They expect it to take a few days to be restored. Guttering and roofing on the main camp has been damaged, and at low tide Monday morning the estuary was as full as at high tide. Everyone was safe as of Monday.
Marsden Bay Camp is now a Civil Defence facility for anyone who needs shelter. They have some property damage from branches and flooding, but the site is elevated and they had power Monday afternoon. They also have use of a Ritchies bus in order to reach anyone who needs to evacuate. Pray that if anyone does need to use their campsite, they would experience Christ's love there.
At Kauaeranga Valley Camp in Thames, the river was near its maximum height late Monday afternoon and expected to spill towards the campsite with more rain. Pray that it doesn't reach the buildings.
Please pray for the safety of all who are in affected areas, and for strength and wisdom for those who are helping others and protecting property.
If your church wants to offer support to an affected church, please message us or contact Richard Fountain, CCCNZ Auckland Regional Enabler.
If your church wants to offer support to an affected campsite, please message us or contact Richard Davis, CCCNZ Camping Enabler.
And if your church family has needs to share with the wider movement, please do let us know.
Email Enquiries:
office@cccnz.nz
Media Enquiries:
media@cccnz.nz
Phone:
06 353 1077
027 268 5636
Physical Address:
Level 3, 357 Main Street
Capital Fund House
Palmerston North
Postal Address:
PO Box 744
Palmerston North 4440
DONATIONS
Account details:
Christian Community
Churches of New Zealand Trust:
02-0719-0220311-000
