Bless Friday® is a movement to honor Christ by starting the Christmas season with service. MDPC is honored to be a part of the transformation of Black Friday, a national shopping phenomenon, into Bless Friday, a spirit-filled service day.

Below are a few opportunities for participation, but, if you don’t find an activity either here or on the Bless Friday website that fits, please allow the Spirit to lead you to a need in your community!

VOLUNTEER AT HOUSTON FOOD BANK

Join a team from MDPC at the Houston Food Bank on Friday, Nov 24 to pack food for our neighbors who are food insecure. Registration with MDPC and the Houston Food Bank is required. Once you register with MDPC, you’ll be emailed registration and volunteer details for the Houston Food Bank. For more information contact Chuck Fox, .

Register to Serve at HFB

DECORATE OPEN DOOR MISSION FOR CHRISTMAS

Learn More about Open Door Mission
On Fri, Nov 24, come help decorate Open Door Mission, a faith and evidence-based recovery program helping Houston’s homeless. Registration with MDPC is required. Once registered, details regarding this project will be emailed. For more information, contact Charlie Chaffin, .

Register to Serve at ODM

AT-HOME PROJECTS

No registration required! Please bring donations to church on Sun, Nov 26. For more information about any of these projects, contact Chuck Fox ( ).

Christmas Gift Boxes for Seafarers

This year, as in past years, your gifts and donations are critical to the Houston International Seafarers ministry! In many cases this is one of the few ways that brighten the lives of and provide a tangible expression of care to the seafarers calling on the Port of Houston in December. Last year, chaplains and volunteers delivered over 8,000 Christmas boxes to seafarers far from family and home over Christmas.
Three Christmas-Box Options:
1. Pack items from the list below in a plastic shoebox, wrap the entire bin in Christmas paper (no bows or ties, please), and return to MDPC before Dec 25.
2. Click here to shop our Amazon Wish List to have items delivered to MDPC by December 13. We have a serve day to assemble and pack the boxes on Thu, Dec 14, 1:30-3pm in Fellowship Hall. Please join us! Click here to sign up.
3. Click here to purchase a complete box for $65.00. Boxes will be assembled and wrapped at MDPC on December 14.

Instructions & Suggested Shoebox Items

Please be sure your gift box is packed full of items! As there are very few women and children onboard the ships these days, we would request that the gift boxes primarily be packed for male seafarers. Please avoid items that will melt or break, and pack batteries separately from the items they are powering.
These gifts of love should be packed shoebox size, WRAPPED SECURELY as one unit in Christmas paper. PLEASE DO NOT WRAP LID AND BOX SEPARATELY. Please do not place bows on the boxes.

Shop our Amazon Wish List to have items delivered and packed at MDPC, or use the list to shop local!

  • Full-size men’s body soap
  • Full-size men’s shampoo
  • Full-size men’s deodorant
  • Full-size toothbrush
  • Full-size toothpaste
  • Disposable razor
  • Shaving Cream
  • Lip Balm
  • Gold Bond Powder
  • New Testament Bible
  • Pocket-sized notebook and pens
  • Baseball &/or cold-weather caps
  • Men’s socks
  • Playing cards
  • Hard candy &/or gum
  • USB Flash Drive
  • Flashlight w/ batteries
Bagged Beans & Rice

The MDPC Fuente Food Pantry provides an important outreach opportunity to serve the surrounding community. It serves approximately 400 families every Saturday morning. Food resources come from the Houston Food Bank and individual donations. Help the pantry by packaging white rice and pinto beans!
Directions: Scoop 1 cup of pinto beans into a zip-top quart freezer bag. Into a second bag (to keep rice and beans separated), scoop 1 cup of rice. Please make sure bags are closed and sealed correctly. Bring your filled and carefully sealed bags to MDPC on Sun, Nov 26. (If you can’t attend church on that date, drop off at the MDPC front office anytime.)

Toiletry Kits for MAM

MAM provides emergency assistance to clients with significant need - you can help by creating a toiletry kit! Place the items on the list below in a zip-top bag and return to MDPC on Sun, Nov 26 (or toiletry kits may be dropped at the MDPC front office anytime or delivered directly to MAM, Tue-Sat 10am-4pm.)
Deodorant • Disposable razors • Shampoo • Individually packaged toothbrush • Toothpaste

Letters for MDPC Field Partner, Kristin Jones

Write a note of encouragement to Kristin Jones, one of our global missionaries. Drop off your letters to the front office on Sun, Nov 26. Outreach Ministries staff will mail the letters. 
Kristin is building relationships for the Kingdom and sharing the Gospel within the Bangladeshi community in New York City. After ten years living overseas in the Bengal region, she is fluent in Bengali and understands the culture. This allows her the opportunity to significantly impact Bangladeshis’ lives as they adjust to America and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.