Sunday Cabaret

[Currently paused due to the COVID-19 Pandemic]

The Sunday Cabaret is a monthly event where two local church congregations work as partners to provide dinner in the Community Soup Kitchen and present an entertaining program after dinner. The event provides a time of fun and fellowship for guests of the Community Soup Kitchen, individuals and families staying in the Missions' Crisis Housing, and participants in CMI's many other programs.

The programs have included things like performances by bands, magicians, artists, mimes and clowns. There has also been evenings of free Bingo, trivia nights, movies nights, game nights and even improvisational theater where the audience provided the actors.  The project is designed to offer a unique time of food, fellowship, entertainment and cultural experiences that may not typically be available to those the populations that Community Missions typically serves.

The Sunday Cabaret was developed in partnership with the Niagara Deanery of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York as part of the Mustard Seed Project, an initiative of Bishop R. William Franklin that provided a small “seed” of funding and challenged churches to work together as they engaged with the community. Early in 2012, the Dean of the Niagara Deanery at that time, The Very Rev. Judith Lee approached Community Missions about the project. CMI Agency Minister Rev. Mark Breese, who focuses on building projects with churches in Niagara County that strengthen shared ministries,  worked together with Rev. Lee to lead the Deanery Churches through several months of discernment and planning to create and launch the Sunday Cabaret. The first Cabaret was held in September of 2012.

Over the following years, the Cabaret has expanded to include partner churches that are not part of the Episcopal Church, making it a truly Ecumenical effort. More than 15 different churches and community ministry groups make up a broad based partnership that works to share joy and a chance for meaningful and fun fellowship to the populations Community Missions serves.
 
For more information on the Sunday Cabaret project, or if you are interested in participating, please contact either Pastor Mark Breese at 716-285-3403 x.2259 or mbreese@communitymissions.org.