In the Newsletter this Month
Picnic and Ball Game
Volunteers for Pirate Week Activities
HPC Back-Pack to School Collection
2026 Cape Cod Crop Hunger Walk
Don’t Forget
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival - 5:30pm on Aug 7th, 14th, and 21st
Pirate Week! August 16-23
Pastor’s Musings
In This Border Month
PICNIC AND BALL GAME
On Sunday August 2nd, First Congregational will be making a trip to Orleans to watch the final Firebirds game of the regular season. The game starts at 6:30, and we will be gathering at 5:30 to “tailgate” before the game. The church will provide the makings for subs, and folks are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket, a drink, and a side to share. If you are interested in attending, please sign up or contact the church office so we know how much food to purchase.
VOLUNTEERS FOR PIRATE WEEK ACTIVITIES
Beginning on August 16th, we will be celebrating Pirate Week: a weeklong series of activities focused on Wellfleet’s maritime history, and the story of Black Sam Bellamy and Goody Hallett. While many of our events require little support, some will require some more hands-on help. If you are available to assist at any events please speak to Pastor Jon.
HPC BACK-PACK TO SHOOL COLLECTION
Once again, the Deacons are spearheading a collection for Homeless Prevention Council’s “Backpack To School” program. This crucial effort provides back to school materials for kids across the Lower and Outer Cape. In 2025, this effort provided 485 backpack, filled with school supplies, to kids in need. Bins will be available in Fellowship Hall to drop off items. A full list of needed items can be found below. Thank you for your support!
24 Color Washable Paint Set
Colored Pencils
Crayola Crayons 24 count
Highlighters
Ticonderoga #2 Pencils
Pencil Top Erasers
Large Erasers
Elmers Glue Bottles
Elmers Glue Sticks
Pencil Cases (hard plastic and soft zipper)
Scissors
TI-84 Graphing Calculators
Backpacks
Expo Markers (black only)
Expo Marker Erasers
Composition Notebooks
Pocket Folders (blue, red, yellow, green)
1.5” Binders
1 Subject Notebooks (blue, red, yellow, green)
Ear Buds
Index Cards
Crayola Washable Markers (thick and thin)
2026 CAPE COD HUNGER WALK
On Tuesday the New York Times featured a front-page photo titled Ebola Virus Stalks Crowded Camps in Congo. Over a million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been displaced by the civil war violence in the country. Many are now residents in refugee camps which have little clean water and lack enough food. The combination of poor nutrition and unsanitary conditions makes the residents very vulnerable to the Ebola virus which continues to spread.
Church World Service has been addressing this problem with comprehensive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects. The Nakivale Refugee Settlement across the border in Uganda has approximately 190,000 refugees that face severe sanitation challenges. The CWS project includes the construction of 1,360 latrines and placing four 10,000-liter tanks in key distribution points. CWS also distributes reusable menstrual hygiene kits and trains women and girls to manage their health safely and confidently. Beyond infrastructure, CWS delivers WASH education sessions to reach 80% of newly settled refugees.
The work of CWS reflects a commitment to bridging emergency response with sustainable development. By improving infrastructure, promoting health and empowering communities, CWS is helping families move from crisis to recovery. This work combining clean water and hygiene with improved nutrition will help reduce the risk of spreading Ebola infections.
Your support of the Cape Cod CROP Hunger Walk helps sustain this important work.
You can help these programs by supporting Church World Service through our Cape Cod CROP Hunger Walk. Better yet, sign up to walk with us on October 11th!
You can support us by helping with our Restaurant Raffle and by making a donation. You can make a donation in three ways:
1. Online go to our website, crophungerwalk.org/capecod, and scroll down to our church team.
2. Use the QR code to get to the website.
3. Donate by making a check out to CWS/Crop Walk and place it in the offering or drop it off at the church office.
