Christ's Hands

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

-Micah 6:8

At Cotuit Federated Church, we strive to be Christ’s living hands in the Church, the community, and the world.  Sometimes these are projects that we create, like our Shopping Cart Brigade which gathers food during Cotuit’s 4th of July Parade and sometimes we partner with local service agencies like Habitat for Humanity.  We believe that being part of the family of God means we will serve the least, lost, and lonely in our community and world. In serving others, we encounter the living Jesus.

Serving People who are Homeless and/or Facing Food Insecurity

  • Miracle KitchenTwice a month, volunteers serve a hearty lunch for the homeless at the Hyannis Salvation Army Center.
  • Faith Family KitchenThe FFK team prepares and serves 200+ meals once a month as part of a consortium of Cape Cod churches.
  • Holiday MealsOur church, working with the Cotuit Fire and Rescue, provides full holiday meals for many local families in need at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
  • Shopping Cart Brigade – Our Shopping Cart Brigade performs and collects food for the local pantry at Cotuit’s annual 4th of July parade. 
  • Feeding of the 5000Our church has risen to the challenge of inviting friends and family to gather 5000 nonperishable food items to support local food pantries.

Affordable Housing

  • Habitat for HumanityOur church has assisted in many local builds through Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod supplying manpower, devotions, and snacks or lunch.
  • Elise HouseFollowing our participation in Overnight of Hospitality through Homeless Not Helpless, we created a connection with the residents of Elise House.

Recovery From Addiction

  • Alcoholics Anonymous AA hosts two meetings per week at the churchMonday night at 7:30 and Friday night at 8:00.
  • Narcotics Anonymous  – NA hosts one open meeting at the church for those in recovery from Substance Useon Friday at 6:30pm.
  • No Wrong Door PolicyWe have been active in education and advocacy about the No Wrong Door policy, where people cannot be turned away who actively need treatment from Substance Abuse Disorder.  
  • Christmas at Emerson House – We are involved in creating gifts for residents at the  Emerson House, a transitional house program for women in recovery and their children.
  • Magnolia New Beginnings – We sponsored a month stay at a sober living program.
  • Worship & LearningCFC recognizes the deep healing that happens for those in recovery from dependence on alcohol or drugs.  We have explored the traditions and principles of the 12 Step program through worship and the reading of “Breathing Underwater” by Richard Rohr.  

Cotuit Federated Church is happy and grateful to be of support to those in recovery.

Nurturing Children

  • Reading About DiversityPartnering with a local elementary school, we wondered how we could support their children and teachers.  The response? Read to our children from stories that reflect the diversity of experience in their culture and background.  So we have created a library for them, and monthly readers go into the school to share these stories with the children.
  • Safe HarborAdopting and rehabbing a unit at the shelter for families that have experienced domestic violence, we support a safe and secure shelter for children and women.
  • Diaper Drives – Annually, we collect diapers that are distributed through local social workers and A Baby Center.
  • Christmas Gifts – In Advent, we collect gifts for children and teens which have been distributed through a variety of avenues.
  • Camp Scholarships – Every spring we collect spare change to “Make Cents for Kids.”  These donations are used to offer camper-ships to young people wanting to attend one of our affiliated United Church of Christ or United Methodist Church Camps.
  • College Scholarships – We offer two college scholarship opportunities to young people who are seeking college education: the Cotuit Women’s Fellowship and the Jessie Phillips Scholarship.  We support our young people in following their vocational calls and using their God-given gifts.

Serving our Elders

  • Worship at the Royal of Cotuit Monthly, our pastor and volunteers offer worship, communion, and a blessing to people at a local nursing home.
  • Kay’s CupboardDuring a medical emergency, Kay’s Cupboard lends crutches, wheelchairs, walkers, etc. needed during recovery.

Caring for the Earth

  • Going GreenA regular featured article in our newsletter offers ideas for being environmentally conscious.
  • Beach Clean-upOur children and youth participate in cleaning up the beaches as we learn about caring for the earth.
  • Coffee & CompostingIn our on-going effort to care for God’s creation — our earth — we sip our java from biodegradable hot cups at Cotuit Federated Church! Additionally, we serve Fair Trade Coffee so that farmers can receive a fair price for their coffee beans by eliminating the middle man.  

Rummage Sale

  • The church rummage sale is a community effort. Treasures donated from all around the village are “recycled” into new, loving homes in the fall.  

Blood Drives

  • Knowing we can save lives through donating blood, Cotuit Federated Church hosts drives for both Cape Cod Health Care and Kraft Family Blood Donor Center (Dana Farber and Brigham Women’s Hospital).

Mission Trips and Immersion Experiences

  • Israel/PalestineTraveling with Educational Opportunities, our delegation explored the “fifth gospel,” the land where Jesus walked.   
  • BrooklynOur Team partnered with agencies and food pantries to serve local people in need and also assisted in Super Storm Sandy recovery work.
  • JoplinFollowing the EF5 tornado that hit Joplin, we sent a team that partnered with Habitat for Humanity to do recovery work.
  • New OrleansFollowing Hurricane Katrina, we sent teams to help do recovery work.

Eccumenical and Interfaith Opportunities

  • Confirmation Class Our confirmation class visits other houses of worship to learn and explore.  Past visits have included: a Jewish synagogue, a Islamic mosque and cultural center, a Buddhist service, and other Christian and Catholic churches.
  • Interfaith and Ecumenical Services Our congregation has participated in ecumenical services for Good Friday, Thanksgiving, and other holy days.  Interfaith worship, like the Sabbath for our Lives, have been meaningful ways to worship and act together.  We have also attended interfaith events hosted by the Sisterhood of the Cape Cod Synagogue, and the Community Seder hosted by the Falmouth Jewish Congregation.
  • Barnstable Interfaith Build Our congregation worked with other congregations to raise funds for an Interfaith Build with Habitat for Humanity on Sesame Street.

Local Partners in Mission and Ministry

We partner with local service agencies and NGOs to expand our reach.  Some of our partners include:

  • Cape Cod Council of Churches  –  For over 50 years, the Cape Cod Council of Churches has served low-income individuals and families throughout Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Our mission “To serve God by Serving Others” is central to the various programs and ministries that help touch the lives of thousands of Cape residents every year.
  • Duffy Center At Duffy Health Center, our mission is to provide comprehensive, integrated health care and support services to persons who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness on Cape Cod, and to improve the quality of life for vulnerable populations through community collaborations, leadership, and advocacy.
  • Homeless Not Helpless A non-profit corporation founded in 2007 to offer a helping hand to those in need of short and long term help. HnH offers affordable, supportive housing, educational training and other tools to help our homeless become productive members of society.

International Outreach and Disaster Relief

We are engaged in on-going international mission partnerships and disaster recovery work through our parent denominations and through Church World Service.  You can learn more about our global reach at the following sites:

Boy Scouts

Comprised of scout families from the seven villages of Barnstable and beyond, Troop #52 is sponsored by the Cotuit Federated Church.  Scouts meet most Monday nights during the school year at Freedom Hall in the village of Cotuit. The Troop fosters solid family values and leadership development while encouraging scouts to realize that the words in the Boy Scout Oath and Law gain new meaning when applied in everyday life.

Troop #52 helps local organizations with various events such as planting flags on the graves of veterans for the Office of Veterans Affairs,  helping The Friends of the Cotuit Library, assisting The Cahoon Museum with their annual Brush Off Auction, chili cook-off at Cotuit Federated Church, and the local highlight of the summer, CraftFest Cotuit!  Scouts also participate in CoastSweep and other beach cleanups at various times of year. Recently three scouts earned their Eagle badge, a real achievement earned by only 4 out of 100 scouts!

Among the many adventures off-Cape, Troop #52 was the first Boy Scout Troop from the Cape & Islands to complete the Baden Powell Hike in Washington, DC, earn the Gettysburg Heritage Trail badge, and attend the BSA High Adventure SeaBase in the Florida Keys.  

Troop #52 also explores the Cape & Islands, having camped on Sandy Neck, Nantucket and other state properties.

For more information about Troop #52, please contact one of our local leaders:

Scoutmaster, Tim Lanman, tlanman3@yahoo.com

Chairman, Bruce Cole, wineman@capecod.net

Committee Member, Tim Wakefield, t.wake@comcast.net

Chair Yoga For Seniors

This class provides a full yoga experience from the safety of a chair for seniors who wish to add a gentle mind-body practice to their self-care regimen.

Each class begins with a brief centering and meditation, continuing into breathing practices and loosening up the shoulders, hips and spine.  After that, seated yoga postures are followed by standing poses, using the chair for support and concluding with a brief cool-down and final meditation.

Each student practices at her own pace.  

Classes are held most Mondays and Thursdays in Bruce Hall, 9-10am.  Monday class is a free gift to the community and the Thursday class suggests a donation of $10 for the instructor.  Newcomers are welcome!

Our Caring Ministries

Called to Care

Called to Care is our congregational care team, offering support for one another when in need like a meal following a hospital stay, ride to a doctor’s appointment, a word of encouragement or sympathy in a card,  a bit of conversation or visit when lonely, or help with a small household project.

Heart & Hands

This ministry organizes three-person teams which provide support to a person needing assistance around their home. Each team goes to an assigned person’s home once a month for a few hours to help with chores. Chores may be inside or outdoors, and do not require special skills. Team members also engage in fellowship and prayer with the person being helped and with each other. Teams are assigned to support one person for a period of time, which may be short or long depending on circumstances. Men and women of all ages and abilities may participate. We encourage you to consider the joys of serving on a team, being Christ’s hands and spreading God’s love to someone in need.

Stephen Ministry

Specially-trained lay people provide confidential, one-on-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.  This program equips our congregation members to provide one-to-one Christian care to people who are hurting.

Learn more about Stephen Ministry here:  https://www.stephenministries.org/default.cfm

Prayer Shawls

Our prayer shawl ministry creates handmade shawls or baby blankets.  These are given to people at significant times as a symbol of our prayers and love.  They are given to those who are facing a health challenge or loss; they are given to children and babies at their baptism; they are given as a act of blessing or celebration.  As the shawls surround the person, we hope they are a reminder that God is enfolding the person with abundant blessings.