June-July 2022
Greetings,
I recently had the awe-inspiring pleasure of traveling with my husband through the National Parks of Colorado and Utah. This picture of the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National  Park, Utah not only conveys some of the beauty of God’s creation but the variety of these tall rock spires as they were (and continue to be) formed through erosional processes. It is a breathtakingly wide spectrum of color and stone seen from Inspiration Point.
It reminds me of the rich diversity of gifts given by the STAFF, Board, Program & Advisory Committees, volunteers at our programs/ministries, churches we represent and our generous donors. Praise God!
I have been given this opportunity to serve as the Acting Executive Director while our beloved Edye Nesmith is on a much-deserved sabbatical. I pray she has safe travels and much time for relaxation, and to return refreshed for the continued work of the Council.
Blessings to each of you, your uniqueness, and the breathtakingly wide ways that you each support the work of the Cape Cod Council of Churches, for you are an inspiration,
Nancy Lawrence
Acting Executive Director
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Council News
We extend a warm welcome to Nancy Lawrence, recent past President of the Board of Directors, who will be serving as Acting Executive Director while Edye Nesmith is on sabbatical over the summer months. We are blessed to be in Nancy's calm and capable hands, and are thankful for her willingness to take on this role. We are also beyond grateful for Edye's steadfast leadership, and wish her well as she uses this time away to rest and restore. Heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to you both!
A BABY CENTER is holding a very special event on Thursday, June 16th at Camp Lyndon in Sandwich. With local families facing first inflation and now baby formula shortages, they need our support more than ever. Amazing food, Raffle, Silent Auction and fabulous prizes including two nights at the White Elephant in Nantucket and a Kayak package! Many, many thanks to our generous sponsors, Cape Air and Cape Cod Five. Please come enjoy a special evening under the stars - tickets available at eventbrite.com.
Thank you to YMCA Cape Cod for recognizing A Baby Center's Robin Hayward for her amazing work keeping Cape and Islands babies diapered and nourished, and their families cared for and supported, by awarding her the YMCA Cape Cod 2021 Community Partner Award in Youth Development. Congratulations Robin, and all the staff at A Baby Center for working your miracles daily! Watch the video here.
Council Program News
Homeless Ministries: Youth StreetReach, Here Now Ministries
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Youth StreetReach Annual Cookout!
Sunday, July 31, 2022
Sea Street Beach Hyannis
Noon - 1:30 pm
All are invited to join us!
Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Desserts
Free Raffle for two Bicycles
If you want to help, contact Marilyn Lariviere mlariv@comcast.net
508-776-6059
Marilyn Lariviere
Director, Homeless Ministries
Here Now Outdoor Worship
A Ministry of the Council of Churches
Here Now Ministries’ mission is to build bridges between the housed and unhoused communities in Hyannis. In building these bridges, and reducing the stigma of what it means to be housed or homeless, we hope to help each person gathered to feel God’s unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness and to help all know that we are all God’s beloved children. Our monthly worship gathers on the lawn of the Baptist Church, rain or shine, because it is important to show up for folks who are so often “kicked to the curb”. We want to meet people where they are and offer a service without a threshold to cross in a space that flows freely from the building to the lawn to the sidewalk, allowing people to enter into our gathering as they feel most comfortable. Each service has music, community prayer, a reading and an opportunity for all to reflect on the reading, and communion. There is room for everyone at our communion table and all are welcome to participate in the sacrament and then our communion table transforms from the bread and cup into an afternoon snack and sharing time, where all are welcome to choose foods and toiletries and socks and other items. We want to provide an experience that is not so much a charitable event but instead is in the realm of mutual care, fellowship, belongingness, and community where we recognize that we all struggle, we all have unmet needs, we are all God’s beloved and we all can make a difference in the lives of those around us.
If you would like to know more, or would like to participate in any way or would like to make donations to our worship services, don’t hesitate to reach out to Rev. Pam Wannie (pamwannie@comcast.net) and I would love to talk with you more about Here Now Ministries. I am also available to come to your place of worship and speak about my work in homeless ministry through the Council of Churches and as the Spiritual Care Provider at Duffy Health.
Our next services will be on June 26, July 24 and August 28. I hope to see you there.
Rev. Pam Wannie
Pastor to Homeless Ministries
Hands of Hope Food Pantry and Outreach Center
Please call Cathy at 508-432-1312 if you can volunteer a few hours to help sell the nice items donated to the Thrift Shop. No other duties such as cleaning, unpacking, pricing etc. are required. Your help will greatly assist the funds we can bring in to purchase food for our Food Pantry.
We are in need of items to sell in our Thrift Shop such as:
- Sheets
- Towels
- Bedspreads
- Pots & Pans
- Dishes & Bowls
- Bric-a-brac
- Small appliances in good working condition
- Lightweight spring and summer clothing
Thank you so much for your food donations. Currently, the Pantry is requesting:
- kid’s school snacks
- baked beans
- spaghetti
- pasta sauce
- pasta
- cereal
- macaroni and cheese
- tuna
- coffee and tea
Thank you!
Cathy Driscoll
Director, Hands of Hope Food Pantry and Outreach Center
A Baby Center
We are delighted to welcome Cape Cod Church in East Falmouth as A Baby Center Satellite location! They are open the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month from 10 am to 12 pm. Please go to ababycenter.org to make appointments for this location. No donations will be accepted at Cape Cod Church; please continue to bring your donations to ABC Hyannis after having called us at 508-771-8157 first to arrange a drop off time.
 We are grateful to have been awarded a grant of $25,000 from the Cape & Islands United Way! Thank you!! We celebrate our partnership with them as a 2022-2023 Community Impact Partner.
Robin Hayward
Director, A Baby Center
Covenant to Care for Foster Families
Covenant to Care for Foster Families matches a Cape Cod and Islands congregation or civic group with a foster family to support that family and children in their care. This program works along with the  Cape’s District Office of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF). Liaisons, who are volunteers from congregations or civic groups, help the families with emotional support and other needs for the foster children in their homes. Foster families have been very grateful and have enjoyed participating in this program. Seeing the smiles on the faces of all the family members as a result of having been helped through this program is very rewarding for everyone! The liaisons have shared that they have a rewarding and grateful feeling while working with foster families.
In addition to this support, the “Fostering a Dream” Fund offers small grants to cover special needs, such as sports fees, enrichment lessons, equipment, summer camp fees, etc. Foster families can apply to receive funding for each child in their foster care, up to a limit of $400 per calendar year. Please share with the foster families in your congregation this great opportunity to apply for financial assistant for summer-campership.
If you know a foster family, please tell them about this great program that is available for them. Also, if you are a member of a congregation or civic group that would like to volunteer, please contact Natalia Albino Frois at 508-775-5077 or at ctocaredirector@gmail.com.
For more information we can come to a service in your congregation to explain about the Covenant to Care Program.
Natalia Albino Frois
Director, Covenant to Care for Foster Families
Donate to help your neighbors
Cape Cod Council of Churches is a charitable 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
During this COVID-19 crisis, you may be depending on Amazon for some essentials. Consider adding the Council as your preferred charity on AmazonSmile. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. Click on the button below to get started, and thank you!
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Community News
Pentecost Choral Evensong with Gloriæ Dei Cantores
Church of the Transfiguration, Rock Harbor, Orleans.
Saturday, June 4, 5:15 p.m.
The service will be both in-person and livestreamed. The choir will be singing Jubliate Deo, Palestrina; Preces & Responses—Westminster Abbey, Buonemani; Collegium Magdalenæ Oxoniense Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis, Leighton; The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune, by R. V. Williams. No tickets required.
Learn more: 508-240-2400 | https://gdcchoir.org/pentecost-choral-evensong/
Thrive, Not Just Survive
Thursday, June 9, 2022
8:30 am – 2:45 pm ET
Virtual Live Webinar
Contact Hours: 5.75 Fee: $99
Faculty:
Joan Vitello, PHD, RN, NEA-BC, FAHA, FAAN
Dean of the UMASS Medical School’s Graduate School of Nursing
Worcester, Massachusetts
Parish nursing is a dynamic, growing specialty practice and a vocational and spiritual calling upon those who practice this profession as faith community nurses.
The goals of this conference are to: 1) explore current trends for today’s parish nurses and 2) provide enrichment, encouragement, and opportunities to share program ideas to enhance your health ministry. Join us for this day of reflection, conversation, celebration and renewal.
Click here to register.
St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church of Chatham presents organist Katelyn Emerson on Friday, June 10, at 7 pm. Ms. Emerson is internationally renowned for performances throughout North America, Europe, and Asia (www.katelynemerson.com). She will play the church's new Dobson pipe organ.
The concert is free and open to the public, and will be held in the church’s sanctuary at 625 Main St., Chatham. For details, contact the church office, (508) 945-2832, or visit www.stchristopherschatham.org.
“The Saint John’s Bible” is coming to Harwich church
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Harwich will host a display of framed reproduction prints of the art from “The Saint John’s Bible.” From Pentecost Sunday, June 5 to July 6 a display of 17 pieces of art and text from “The Saint John’s Bible” will be hanging on the church walls. A replica of the book of Gospels and Acts will also be at the church, which will be used in worship.
Pastors Tiffany and Christian visited Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN during their sabbatical in Fall 2022 and were able to visit “The Saint John’s Bible” display. The combination of a 21st century hand lettered Bible with beautiful illuminations really captured their attention. Now a portion of that display will be here, for us to experience together.
The director of “The Saint John’s Bible” project, Tim Ternes, will visit Cape Cod to offer three presentations about this project. We cordially invite you to join us - please click here for further details.
Bay to Sound Neighbors is an organization serving the towns of Dennis and Yarmouth, enabling people to age in place in their homes with the help of volunteers. If you could use some assistance please contact Bay to Sound Neighbors to become a member.
In May, B2SN volunteers helped to make our members feel special by doing a surprise special delivery that included a gift bag and colorful potted plant to celebrate spring.
We continue to accept applications for volunteers and have been holding monthly orientation and training. If you or someone you know is interested, please call or visit the website at baytosoundneighbors.org
With the recent passing of Jim Lathrop, former B2SN board member and top volunteer since our origin in 2018, B2SN is establishing a volunteer award in memory of Jim’s considerable contribution to our organization.
The Alzheimer’s Family Support Center is pleased to announce the opening of a new satellite location in the Cape Cod Mall!
Our goal is to help families navigate the complexities and challenges they face across the span of Alzheimer’s and dementia related diseases (ADRD).
The AFSC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization providing psychosocial educational supports to families, professionals and individuals living with Alzheimer's and other dementia-related diseases. Services include support groups, consultations, care planning, phone support, education, insurance support, and social and cultural programming-at no cost. The AFSC is committed to providing support through every stage of dementia-related illness, not only for family caregivers and professionals but for people living with cognitive disease, from pre-diagnosis to bereavement and all of life that happens in between.
The Enough Abuse Campaign: For the Safety of Our Children recently held a panel discussion.
The panel included representatives from Children's Cove, the Department of Mental Health, Cape Cod Children's Place, and Independence House and was sponsored by the Cape and Islands Enough Abuse Campaign. It includes information on prevention of child sexual abuse, on what our local agencies do, how to contact them, and on prevention legislation pending in our state legislature that we can weigh in on. Click on the image below to view the recording of the discussion.
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Donate to help your neighbors
Cape Cod Council of Churches is a charitable 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
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About the Council
The Cape Cod Council of Churches serves people of all ages from Cape Cod and the Islands who are facing some of life's most difficult challenges. We have been privileged to serve our neighbors for 60 years, meeting people at their points of critical need and helping them move forward to greater stability. We are able to impact the lives of over 7,500 residents each year through the Council's six different programs and the work of over 400 volunteers. With the help of churches and our community our mission comes to life, "Serving God by Serving Others," as we offer practical assistance, spiritual support and hope - all without regard for religious affiliation.
A BABY CENTER, Hyannis
A BABY CENTER, Nantucket
Provides critical basic baby needs to income eligible families (WIC) for infants up to age four on Cape Cod and the Islands. The Hyannis Center serves over 500 babies each month. Families receive diapers, wipes, formula, gently-used clothing and other baby necessities.
COVENANT TO CARE
Matches a Cape & Islands congregation with Foster Care Families, supporting those families and the foster children in their care. This program works in partnership with the MA Dept. of Children & Families.
FAITH FAMILY KITCHEN
Provides hot, nutritious meals to our food insecure neighbors three evenings a week in Hyannis. Volunteer congregations and community groups help to prepare and serve free meals each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
HANDS OF HOPE FOOD PANTRY AND OUTREACH CENTER
Offers emergency assistance to low-income families in the mid-Cape area (Mashpee to Harwich). Assistance includes: food, clothing, small household goods and financial relief to prevent evictions.
HOMELESS MINISTRIES
Homeless Ministries Services
Offers short term emergency shelter for families and individuals facing homelessness.
Youth StreetReach
Enables teens to interact with our homeless neighbors by serving a meal and hearing firsthand how a life's path can lead to unexpected circumstances.
HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY
Sponsors a Chaplain at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital who offers prayers, hope and comfort to patients and families in their time of illness and recovery.
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