Christ Church breakfast program connects residents with meals and services
Newton. Christ Episcopal Church’s New Beginnings Community Breakfast in Newton is providing weekly meals while connecting unhoused and underprivileged residents with social services and community support.
| 07 Aug 2026 | 12:40
The Reverend Chris Streeter and the Reverend Patricia Lyons converse with Emily Jerger, Project Self-Sufficiency, and attendees at the New Beginnings Community Breakfast at Christ Church Newton. (
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Christ Episcopal Church’s New Beginnings Community Breakfast is helping address the needs of unhoused and underprivileged residents by offering weekly hot meals and access to social services.
Launched in October 2025, the Thursday morning program combines breakfast with opportunities for guests to meet on-site representatives from local organizations that provide assistance with housing, addiction recovery, employment and other services.
Organizers said the program has welcomed about 40 local men and women each week, with attendance continuing to grow. Monthly haircuts have recently been added, and guests are invited to stay after breakfast for board games and Bible study.
The initiative is staffed entirely by volunteers from Christ Church. Nick Pachnos, who developed the program after recognizing a need in the community, leads the kitchen team and helped recruit local social service agencies to participate. Volunteers take meal orders, prepare and serve breakfast, and sit with guests to build relationships.
The Rev. Chris Streeter, rector of Christ Church, and the Rev. Patricia Lyons also attend each breakfast, greeting guests and connecting them with available resources. Representatives from participating agencies conduct service intakes during the gatherings.
Organizers said several participants have become regular attendees at the church’s Sunday worship services, and one participant was baptized earlier this year.
”From its inception, our hope for this program was to provide more than breakfast,” Streeter said. “We believe that community is the core component of our faith lives, and we designed our mornings as a way for relationships to develop with both individuals and local agencies.”