1.                  God’s Table

God’s Table is Chapel’s one of many outreach ministries of our church, and it may be the most visible.  It is an ecumenical program founded in 2001 that serves the needy of the Fort Myers Beach area.  About 40% of our participants are homeless.  Others are waiters, maids, fishermen, and others whose work is seasonal and who sometimes need short term help. Occasionally we serve vacationers and spring-break students who find themselves in an unexpected crisis.  The program provides breakfast, a bag lunch, cans and packages of food for an evening meal, clothing, blankets and personal items.  Showers and haircuts are available, as well as human services from medical volunteers, social workers, Salvation Army and the Veterans’ Association.  Crisis intervention is provided by St. Vincent de Paul, which is also housed at Chapel.  Fellowship, encouragement, and community prayer are all important elements of God’s Table.  From time to time, God’s Table is able to assist in securing jobs.  Participants help set up and clean up before and after breakfast.  Photo IDs are required (although not on the first visit), and if one does not have a photo ID, God’s Table will help a person secure one (as a proper ID will be needed in securing a job).  Occasionally, the pastor of Chapel by the Sea offers funerals, weddings and baptisms for participants of God’s Table.  Special dinners are offered for a Thanksgiving and a Christmas event.

Proper conduct is expected both at the Chapel and in the community, and those who fail to maintain civil conduct are subject to being barred from the breakfasts for specific times.

2.                  Health Ministries

Chapel by the Sea cares about the spiritual and the physical health of our members and friends.  Chapel by the Sea has a Parish Nurse on staff to assist members and friends of Chapel by the Sea.

For our church members and for the community, we offer classes on general health topics.  CPR, First Aid, and other classes are offered throughout the year.  Blood drives are frequently held at Chapel on Sundays.  With an emphasis on our health ministries, it is natural for Chapel to have a close partnership with Relay for Life on Fort Myers Beach.  Team Chapel is very involved in these programs for raising health awareness and funding for cancer research.

Related to our God’s Table program, the Veterans Administration, Salvation Army and other organizations have medical professionals meet with those in need to help them secure medical assistance or benefits. 

Addiction is one of the major problems in our island community.  Chapel offers more AA meetings than there are days in the week – which means that on some days we have more than one meeting during the day.

3.                  Habitat for Humanity

Chapel by the Sea introduced Habitat for Humanity to Lee County. In the 1950s Chapel was part of the Lee County Mission Board, which built 40 homes in the Harlem Heights area to serve the needs of the migrant farmers working in the gladiolus fields that were once in that area.  When this funding ended, Ed Campbell, who was both a member of Chapel and the Lee County Mission Board, and his wife Dorothy, introduced the Board to a three-year old organization known as Habitat for Humanity.  Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat, preached at Chapel by the Sea in February, 1980, and within a year the team from Chapel completed the first Habitat Home in Lee County.  In 2009, Habitat completed its 1000^th home.  Chapel’s team continues to work on Habitat projects during the season.

4.                  Immigrant Ministries

Chapel by the Sea helps feed those who put food on our tables.  The farms in Immokalee are operated with the help of migrant workers, many of whom are living in impoverished conditions.  Anyone on Fort Myers Beach is welcome to join Chapel by the Sea in one of its frequent (sometimes weekly) trips to Immokalee to work in the soup kitchen there.  Chapel works with the Beth-El Farm, Guadeloupe Center, Guadeloupe Social Services, Immokalee Friendship House, and many other ministries in Immokalee.

5.                  Brightest Horizons

Brightest Horizons is located in the Harlem Heights community of Lee County.  This center is committed to a partnership with local families striving to maintain their family's education, self sufficiency and independence.  Their children’s center tries to meet the social, emotional, economic, and developmental needs of the children and families they serve.  The Chapel contributes through the Mission Committee, with food items, and with volunteers who work directly with the children.

6.                  Youth Programs

Chapel by the Sea introduced both Boy Scouts and Girl Scout programs to Fort Myers Beach in the early 1940s.  Chapel remains active as a sponsoring organization of Boy Scout Troop 999.  The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts meet at Chapel by the Sea.  Various youth programs (Girls Friday, Kidz Night, and Youth Group) are offered on a monthly basis during season and are designed to be ecumenical so that members of other island churches feel free to attend.  Kidz Days is the Chapel’s After School program for school students who live on the island.  All youth programs welcome children and youth of all faiths.

7.                  Christmas Gifts for Children

Chapel offers two opportunities to provide gifts for children during Christmas.  In November we collect shoe boxes filled with appropriate gifts.  These are then distributed through Samaritan’s Purse and sent throughout the world.  In December we collect Toys for Immokalee, which are sent to the children of migrant workers who are in Florida during the holidays.

8.                  Other partnerships

Ø      Living Gift Market  -- Have someone in your family or within your circle of friends who are difficult to shop for at Christmas time?  The Living Gift Market provides a solution.  A person may give donations in honor or on behalf of a friend or relative, who will receive a notice of your gift which goes to Heifer Project, ECHO, Medical Benevolence Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and other special needs. 

Ø      EHCO – The Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization is headquartered in Fort Myers.  ECHO is dedicated to fighting world hunger through innovative options, agricultural training and networking.  Chapel supports ECHO by preparing their staff and volunteers with an annual Christmas Dinner, and in other ways as the opportunities arise.

Ø      Heifer Project – gives gifts of animals, equipment and training to people throughout the world with the goal of making the recipients of these gifts self-sustaining.

Ø      Medical Benevolence Foundation – provides medical care for people throughout the world by providing medicines, medical programs, training and funding.

Ø      Harry Chapin Food Bank – While much of the food we collect serve the needs of our immediate community through God’s Table and St. Vincent dePaul, we also provide occasional support to Harry Chapin Food Bank when the need or opportunity arises.

Ø      Guatemala  -- Chapel has a sister church in Guatemala.  Our relationship with the Nueva Jerusalem Church near Guatemala City is one between equals.  We have sent several teams to visit and work with this church since 1998.

Ø      Disaster Relief  -- Chapel stands ready to support and assist the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance teams in Southwest Florida when the needs arise. 

9.              Special Offerings

Ø      One Great Hour of Sharing  -- at Easter we receive the One Great Hour of Sharing, which supports the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance programs, the Self-Development of People ministries, and the Presbyterian hunger programs.

Ø      Christmas Joy Offering  -- at Christmas we receive the Christmas Joy, of which 65% goes to assist retired church workers and their spouses in need for income assistance, nursing care or other needs, and 35% going toward funding racial and ethnic colleges.

Ø      Peacemaking Offering  -- each October we receive a Peacemaking Offering.  Half goes to the national level, and 25% to the regional level of the Presbyterian Church.  Chapel keeps 25% for local programs that promote peacemaking in the community or in families.

Ø      Three Cents A Meal  -- we encourage all people to set a mere three pennies aside at every meal.  This provides awareness of others who suffer, and it serves as a way of building funding for community hunger programs.