Tai Tokerau and Auckland Anglicans have responded through Facebook and Youtube this week as the greater Auckland area returned to Level 3 Covid alert. Meanwhile the Strandz children's ministry network has released a poster designed to help children get their heads back round Covid Alert Level 2.

With the Auckland area now under Alert level 3, churches can only host 10-person weddings, funerals or tangihanga, but not regular in-person worship.

Te Pīhopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau, which ministers in the Tamaki makaurau-Auckland Level 3 zone, as well as zones in Level 2, online services continue led by minita whānau from across the northern bishopric. You can find Tai Tokerau online services on the Pihopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau Facebook page.

The Pihopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau Facebook page today reassured whānau of their prayers, particularly for those who are Covid-19 positive, and reminded haahi members to hold the very young tamariki with Covid-19 in their prayers.

For now, Tai Tokerau are gathering ideas on how best to support whānau as they cope with the pressures of a new lockdown. 

Bishop of Auckland, Bishop Ross Bay released a video message reminding Anglicans how Level 3 restrictions shift church back online and has asked churches in the Diocese of Auckland to prepare online services in the event that Level 3 continues beynd the 5.30pm deadline tonight into the weekend. Bishop Ross said all pre-synod meetings will gather via Zoom, while plans for Auckland’s Diocesan synod will depend on how Covid-19 alert levels change.

The Diocese of Auckland offers online worship via their Facebook Daily Offices page and Holy Trinity Cathedral has virtual services this weekend on the Holy Trinity Cathedral Youtube channel.

Across the country outside Auckland where Alert Level 2 is in place, churches can meet in numbers under 100, with hand sanitising, social distancing, contact tracing, bread-only communion and non-contact ways to pass the peace.

The Strandz Tikanga Pākehā children's ministry network has designed and produced a colourful new poster to help tamariki understand this week’s “new normal” at worship services or community events outside Auckland under Covid-19 Alert Level 2.

When Strandz looked to adapt to the changing news about Covid-19 community transmission within New Zealand this week, they went looking for kid-friendly ideas for churches that helped explain Level 2 precautions. “We couldn't find anything that ticked the box, so we made our own.” said Diana Langdon from Strandz.

Strandz has also produced a black and white colouring version of the Level 2 poster, so children at church can colour in the poster as an activity to lock-in Level 2 changes. Both coloured and black and white posters can be downloaded from the Strandz website here.

Diana Langdon reported that before the Government announced the new alert levels this week, Wellington children's ministry leaders had gathered to process their learning from the April-May Level 4 lockdown.

“We were reminded of the strength, love, adaptability, creativity and grace that has defined the church over the last few months.” she said.

The Wellington team highlighted strengthening relationship, connection and kindness in all of the lockdown responses, and Strandz has encouraged churches and whānau to hold onto those values in the days ahead.