For Christians, Black Friday Again Becomes Bless Friday: With More Churches Participating, the Movement is Growing

News Staff : Nov 27, 2015
BlessFriday.org

How will YOU bless someone this Friday?

Bless Friday® is a movement to honor Christ by starting the Christmas season with service. Our vision in to transform Black Friday, a national shopping phenomenon, into Bless Friday, a spirit-filled service day. We're here to help connect individuals, groups and churches to the service opportunities that can transform our communities and our hearts. If you don't find an activity on our website in which you can participate, please allow the Spirit to lead you and your family and friends to a need in your community. (Photo: via BlessFriday.org)

Since 2010, churches have provided an alternative to frenzied Christmas shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. Continuing this new tradition, churches in Houston are preparing service projects that honor Christ at Christmas.

As of November 8, several churches have reported that their preparations for Friday, November 27 are nearly complete. (Unless otherwise noted, these churches are in the Houston area).

West University Baptist Church, Crosspoint Church and Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church will unite in blessing a local medical clinic ministry, Casa el Buen Samaritano, by supporting its annual Christmas tradition of delivering cookies to patients and their families.

St. John the Devine and Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC) will also send volunteers to The Beacon, a homeless shelter established by Christ Church Cathedral.

In addition MDPC will send volunteers to Vita Living, which operates homes for the intellectually challenged, and they will prepare shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts to be distributed by the International Seafarer's Mission and package rice and beans for the Fuente Food Pantry.

St. Francis Episcopal Church plans to bless God's creation by holding a park cleanup at Memorial Park in Houston. Contact them at sfch.org.

The Beacon of Light Christian Center will continue its involvement with Bless Friday. Their plans are in progress. Contact them at beaconoflightcc.org.

The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church (The Woodlands, TX) will hold a church cleanup.

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (Seattle, WA) will send parishioners to help the homeless at the St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle food bank. (Photo: via BlessFriday.org)

These churches ask families and individuals to celebrate Bless Friday as an alternative to Black Friday. The great thing about Bless Friday is that you don't need to participate in these planned activities. Any individual, family or group can identify a need and begin their Christmas season with service.

Bless Friday was founded in 2010 in Houston to change the way Americans celebrate Christmas. Click here to learn more.