As we move from the annual celebration of Pentecost and enter the summer season of 2024, we are heartened by the sense of renewed life that the warmer weather brings. Our street community is reuniting on the street, at bus stops and benches. Through our ministry, we are witnessing the Spirit coming alive as we continue to build relationships and affirm the dignity of every person, regardless of their living circumstances. This is the impact of your support and our collective efforts

While our lives become renewed, the unhoused and homeless community remains in desperate circumstances, struggling to survive and make sense of their lives. Recently, various park repairs and rebuilding have created a dislocation of the unhoused and homeless community. For example, the reconstruction of Carl Baron Park in Central Square, a historical gathering location, witnesses the lack of space to gather. The community is further spread to the margins of society, creating obstacles to sharing their labors in daily life. It is a challenge to provide the necessary care to help address the overwhelming difficulties confronted in the daily struggle on the street. While it is seemingly more difficult to reach the hundreds in our community who seek care, we are meeting more and more people during each outreach. And, we are handing out more food and other items than ever, a surprising circumstance. The unhoused, homeless, and street community is in more need than ever.

Without the park, we often find community members sitting alone in their despair. We are enthusiastically welcomed when we approach, offering a sandwich, snack, or a drink of water. However, this welcome is not just for the food but also for communal interaction relating to each other: “How are you today?” “It is nice to see you again!” A moment of one-on-one discussion and personal interaction elicits the dynamic of personhood and love. Sometimes, these discussions and personal interactions become so involved that they are difficult to end. Our concluding remarks are often, “When will I see you again?” It is hard to imagine a more beautiful moment when people relate and care for each other. The unhoused, homeless, and street-involved community seeks care, recognition, and love evermore. While the street community relies on others for help, it is not always for material items but for spiritual interactions and love for and by one another. God gives us all the strength of spiritual witness to recognize the dignity and humanity of life; however, it is lived. The Spirit is shared in love with all of God’s children

We continue to gather for worship at Porter Square on Sunday mornings, providing donuts, coffee, and an extensive ‘bagged’ meal. We maintain our Sunday afternoon outreach. In addition, we walk the streets on Saturdays with volunteer churches in Harvard and Central Squares, passing out sandwiches, water, and snacks. We hand out water and snacks on Thursdays before gathering in the Cambridge Cit shelter for an evening worship service. We cannot support these ministry events without the help of the many volunteers who make sandwiches, cookies, and muffins and provide water, juice, and snacks. These gifts and support are truly appreciated by the unhoused, homeless, and de-privileged communities as we help to bring goodwill to their lives. We, at The Outdoor Church, are deeply grateful for your support. Your encouragement, prayers, and assistance are the backbone of our ministry, enabling us to reach out to the women and men on the streets of Cambridge.