OUR PROGRAMS
At Chaplains on the Way we meet individuals—where they are—to listen, offer companionship, and offer love, the antidote to loneliness, to a community of people who have lost so much, and who now seek spiritual grounding and accompaniment in this crisis. In a spirit of openness, our community welcomes people of all faiths and those who do not identify with any religion.
2022 - 2023 WINTER PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Nov. 28, 2022 - April 2023
All are welcome to join any of our programs
Winter Breakfast Program - Hot Breakfast, Coffee, and Companionship
Monday through Friday
7:30 am - 10:30 am
First Parish in Waltham (FPW)
50 Church Street, Waltham, MA
Weekly Meetings and Services
Waltham Community Leadership Group
Tuesdays — 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Meditation Group (starting 1/3)
Tuesdays — 8:30 am - 9:00 am
Interfaith Service
Wednesdays — 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Grief Group (starting 1/6)
Fridays — 9:15 am - 10:15 am
All meetings take place at First Parish Waltham
SPIRITUAL COMPANIONSHIP
We bring a ministry of spiritual companionship and hope to the members of our community. Our practice is to walk side-by-side with people we meet to listen and build trusting relationships.
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
We gathering in the mornings for meditation, storytelling and spiritual arts groups, and occasional worship services.
We also facilitate meetings of the Waltham Community Leadership Group, a grassroots collective led by people experiencing homelessness. Founded in 2019, The WCLG is a grassroots organization of people experiencing homelessness in Waltham that meets weekly and brings together the strengths and wisdom of our community. Facilitated by Chaplains on the Way, the group works to address collective issues, raise public awareness and challenge stereotypes about homelessness, build community between unhoused and housed people, and provide care, mentorship, and leadership to our communities.
MEMORIAL SERVICES
Chaplains on the Way offers memorial services for folks in our community when someone dies. Because so many people who live in homelessness are isolated from their families, our memorial services are an important space for people in our community to come together, grieve our loss, and celebrate the life and goodness of the person who has passed.
BREAKFASTS
When Covid began in Massachusetts, we had no idea how long it would last or how significantly it would disrupt the lives of people experiencing homelessness in Waltham. Despite that uncertainty, we at Chaplains on the Way committed ourselves to increasing our presence, and we have been offering breakfast five days a week throughout the pandemic. In November, we started partnering with First Church, Waltham UU to provide hot coffee, home-cooked meals, and clean bathrooms Monday - Friday, 7:30 - 10:30am.
We have continued this program for the 2022-2023 winter. For many folks, this is the only hot meal available. If you would like to donate to our breakfast program, you can sponsor a day or week of meals here.
