This picture was taken on Craigville Beach, one of the many beautiful places on Cape Cod where I live, and where I work with people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
Cape Cod is often equated with vacations, beautiful beaches, fun in the sun and of course the Kennedy Family. It can be hard to imagine that there is such an enormous issue of homelessness here in this place. And yet, lack of affordable housing, lack of a living wage, and domestic violence all contribute to homelessness here in Barnstable County.
In my ministry, I work to increase understanding and cultivate compassion for people who are experiencing homelessness while providing spiritual care for the homeless community: the most beautiful, strong, courageous and resilient people I’ve ever been blessed to meet.
In addition to serving as Spiritual Care Provider at Duffy Health Center, a Primary Care Medical Home for persons experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, I also have founded an outdoor worship service, Here Now Ministry, which builds bridges between the housed and unhoused communities in the Hyannis area. This ministry is a part of the Cape Cod Council of Churches homeless ministries. Along with Youth Street Reach, we work to provide education about homelessness and then on the 4th Sunday of each month I work with local clergy and lay persons to provide an outdoor worship service that brings the housed and unhoused community together for a communion, prayer, song and fellowship on the lawn of the Baptist Church in Hyannis.
You can join me as a ministry partner in working to end the stigma of homelessness, mental illness and substance misuse while ministering with those experiencing homelessness in the Hyannis area by contacting me,. and by following my work here and through the Council of Churches newsletter.
Rev. Pam Wannie
Rev Pam Wannie 