Cambridge’s homeless community has been especially hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the City went into lockdown, seasonal shelters closed early, several meal programs shut down, and businesses where our parishioners purchase water and use the restroom closed.

Through all of this, the Outdoor Church’s ministry has continued, albeit with some changes both to meet the increasing need we’re seeing on the ground and also to keep our community and staff safe.

  • We suspended our midweek bible study and pastoral care rounds at one of the local shelters.
  • We suspended all volunteer participation in our outreach efforts
  • At our Sunday morning worship services, we practice social distancing, are using an abbreviated liturgy, and are using individual, prepackaged communion elements.
  • We’ve partnered with several of our supporting congregations to provide meals for our parishioners after our Sunday morning services.
  • We’ve partnered with the City of Cambridge to distribute 175 meals purchased from local restaurants every Sunday afternoon.
  • We have partnered with the Harvard Square Business Association to add an additional day of water and food distribution each week.
  • We’ve collaborated with the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization and the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition to advocate for the installation of additional toilets and handwashing stations throughout the city.

You can help support these efforts by making a donation. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at this time, please contact us. As always, it is your generosity, your love, and your prayers that make the Outdoor Church’s ministry possible.