Care & Support

God walks with us throughout all of life, and Caring Ministries’ task is to be Christ’s hands and feet, sharing that love with the world.

Caring Ministries is where faith and compassion intersect. It’s the place where Christ’s command to love one another (John 13:34) comes alive. It’s where compassionate caring takes place through personal contact with members and friends of the church family who have a special need for spiritual support.

Caring Ministries consists of members and volunteers who have the gifts of caring and a rich prayer life and have embraced the opportunity to share their gifts of compassion with others.

Need Prayer? Visit our prayer wall and submit your prayer needs to our team. 

Support Ministries

Alzheimer's / Dementia Support

THE GATHERING

1st Wednesdays
10:00am-1:00pm
MDPC’s The Gathering is a ministry of compassion and support for those facing early-stage Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Volunteers provide two one-half days of care for the affected individuals, as well as a day of respite for their caregivers. The day is under the direction of a trained and supervised team of volunteer caregivers. Activities include fellowship, music, exercise, games, arts and crafts, and a light lunch served at no charge.
Contact us for further information about volunteering, or to register a loved one or friend.
Gigi Gomez, CarePartners, Inc.
or 713-682-5995 x203
Beth Case, MDPC Associate Pastor, Caring Ministries
 or 713-490-9545

Branches

Branches meets for the purpose of writing notes to members or family members who have been hospitalized or who have had a death in their family. Branches meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 11:00am in the Caring Ministries Conference Room.
Contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

Grief Support

TRANSFORMING GRIEF

Walking the Mourner’s Path is an eight-week Christ-centered grief program designed to help those dealing with the loss of a loved one. It is limited to 10 participants, creating a safe place to share feelings with each other and with God. Trained facilitators guide the group. For the schedule and more information, contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

 

THE WIDOWS' CONNECTION

For women who have lost their husbands and are interested in joining other widows for support, fellowship, and fun.  The group meets monthly.  For more information, contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

Healthcare Services

MDPC periodically hosts blood drives for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. Contact Annette Erickson at or 713-490-9544 for more information.

Home Communion

Home Communion is available to homebound members, following the schedule of Communion services offered at church, or upon request. MDPC Officers are called upon to serve communion to our church members who are unable to attend worship.

In serving Home Communion, Officers use a bulletin in which the communion service is entirely written out. It is a service which incorporates the reading of scriptures and various printed prayers. Servers need not speak extemporaneously.

For more information, contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

Register for Home Communion

Home Visitation

If you are looking for a new way to stay in touch with our MDPC family, consider being a part of the Home Visitation Ministry. Home visitation provides you the opportunity to spend time with members who appreciate a monthly visit. These visits allow you to connect and to share, developing and honoring the bond that we have in Christ.

Contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542 for more information.

My Gift for the Living

At the link below is a packet of materials prepared for you by the Caring Ministries Office at MDPC entitled My Gift for the Living. These documents have been compiled with much prayer, and careful research. However, we do encourage you to consult with your own attorney and/or financial advisor regarding these matters.

Download the PDF Packet

If we can be of assistance, contact Beth Case, Caring Ministries Associate Pastor, at or 713-490-9545.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers
WHO IS THE CLASS FOR?

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational program designed to help family caregivers (no professional caregivers, please). This program will help you take care of yourself while caring for an older relative or friend. You will benefit from this class whether you are helping a parent, spouse, or friend who lives at home, in a nursing home, with you, or across the country.

This program has been shown to reduce caregiver guilt, anger, and depression; improve caregiver self-care and communication skills; and increase use of community service. Your participation will make a difference!

WHAT THE CLASS COVERS

This class will give you, the family caregiver, tools to:
• Reduce stress
• Communicate effectively with family members, your doctor, and paid help
• Take care of your needs
• Manage guilt, anger, and depression
• Help you relax
• Make tough decisions
• Set goals and problem-solve

CLASS DOES NOT COVER

This class will not focus on specific diseases or hands-on caregiving for the care receiver.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Each class participant will receive a book to accompany the class content. That covers topics such as:
• Hiring in-home help
• Helping memory-impaired elders
• Making legal and financial decisions
• Making decisions about care facility placement
• Understanding depression
• Making decisions about driving

WHAT PAST PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING

“About the time the class began, I was at my wits end. The communication tools will work toward maintaining a better atmosphere and contribute to improved attitudes for both of us… it will never be easy, but it is easier than it was six weeks ago!”

“This class covered so many subjects that I find useful now and I have important reference material I can depend on.”

For more information, contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

Prayer Chain

Each prayer request is confidentially supported in daily prayer for two weeks. To submit a prayer request, you may email your request to  or call 713-953-2558.

The MDPC Prayer Wall also is a wonderful resource.

Second Family

Second Family is a Care Team® ministry offering friendship, help, encouragement, and hope to individuals with a special need due to aging or illness. Teams, or care circles, reach out to members of the congregation who benefit from a few extra hours of love and support from their MDPC family. These individuals, or care partners, may live alone or with family and may require varying degrees of support. For instance, Care Team members might make phone calls, home visits, provide transportation, or offer respite care for the caregiver. Second Family is a ministry designed for you to use your gifts to make a difference!

If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer, contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

Stephen Ministry
TO BE ASSIGNED A STEPHEN MINISTER

Stephen Ministry offers a confidential one-on-one relationship between anyone who is hurting and a trained Stephen Minister. God works through Stephen Ministers to plant a seed of hope and healing in a person whose life seems empty or lost due to a crisis or life transition. Stephen Ministers extend care to those experiencing difficult times by listening, encouraging, and sharing the love of Christ.

To be assigned a Stephen Minister, contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

TO BECOME A STEPHEN MINISTER

Stephen Ministry is a program within our congregation that equips people with the skills to provide distinctively Christian one-to-one care to those who are experiencing stressful life circumstances. Stephen Ministers care for people who are: discouraged, anxious, dealing with serious illness, grieving over the loss of a loved one, and/or dealing with life transitional issues. Whatever the need is, large or small, a Stephen Minister is ready to offer support and encouragement.

To learn more about serving as a Stephen Minister, contact Beverly Fluke at or 713-490-9542.

Columbarium

A columbarium affords members and their families the opportunity to select their final resting place in the shadow of the church which has been central to their lives – a site of beauty and dignity where their loved ones can visit, pray, and meditate. It eliminates the pressures of choosing a burial site, casket, vault, and monument. By providing a place for interment immediately adjacent to the Sanctuary, the need to travel from the church to a cemetery or other locale is eliminated. In addition, it offers substantial financial savings. The combined cost of a columbarium niche and cremation is typically less than one-fourth the cost of a casket, burial site, and gravestone.

For more information, contact Christine Gentil at  or 713-490-9541. 

FAQ
What is a Columbarium?

The word columbarium is derived from the Latin columbary (dwelling place of a dove). Christians believe the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

A columbarium is a collection of niches designed to house urns containing cremated remains. The MDPC Columbarium, located on the south side of the Sanctuary adjacent to the existing Prayer Garden, consists of 306 double niches (each capable of holding two urns).

Also available within the garden is a Memorial Wall that can be engraved in memory of a deceased family member.

What do Christians Believe about Cremation?

Christians believe that at the point of death, the soul ascends immediately to be with God. The body is just the house in which the soul lived. The Biblical precept of ashes to ashes, dust to dust is realized whether the body is buried or cremated. The New Testament concept of the resurrection of the body refers to the new body, not the old one. Or, as the Apostle Paul puts it: “So it is with the resurrection of the dead, what is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 15:42)

Who can be Interred or Memorialized in the Columbarium?

The MDPC Columbarium is a place of eternal rest for the cremated remains of:

  •  past or present MDPC members and their immediate families, as defined in the Policies and Procedures.
  •  past and present ordained staff members and their immediate families.

Other individuals may be eligible with the approval of the Columbarium Committee.

The Memorial Wall may be engraved with the names of:

  • deceased church members or their immediate family members who are not interred in the columbarium; or
  • past or present ordained staff and their immediate families who are not interred in the columbarium.
Why did MDPC Create a Columbarium?

As church members and their families began choosing cremation more frequently, many approached MDPC about building a space where cremated remains could be placed. The abundance of member interest precipitated the development of this facility.

Church interment provides a permanent link between the deceased and their surviving family members, and it allows for frequent and respectful visits. A practical consideration is that cremation and interment in a columbarium is considerably less expensive than other alternatives.

Can Arrangements be made in Advance?

Planning and making arrangements for your physical death is a gift to your family. MDPC is here to assist you in the process. You may select a niche of your choice from those that remain available.

What is Included in the Interment Package?
  • A Service of Committal in the Columbarium
  • An urn to contain the ashes
  • A single or double niche to permanently house the urn(s) in a location of your choice (subject to availability)
  • A granite faceplate incised with the individual’s name and life dates
  • A comfortable outdoor seating area in a garden setting
  • For those whose remains rest elsewhere, the Memorial Wall offers an additional option for remembrance
What are the Costs?

Single Niche $2,200
Double Niche $4,000
Memorial Wall $1,000

A 5% discount is offered for payments made in full (by check or cash) upon application. Included in the cost is the right to be interred in the niche, the niche marker, the niche incising, and the urn(s).

For more information, contact Annette Erickson at or 713-490-9544. 

Policies and Procedures
Legal Documents

Memorial Services

Memorial Services that are livestreamed can be viewed on our Online Platform. Prior services are archived at the link below.

Livestream Memorial Services

Archived Memorial Services

Make a Gift in Honor of a Loved One

  • Sue Baker, mother of Cathy Brown, passed away on Dec 7, 2024.
    Memorial Service: TBD
  • Agnes Adair passed away on Dec 3, 2024.
    Memorial Service: Jan 3, 2025 at 1pm in the Sanctuary.
  • Jo Howard passed away on Nov 27, 2024
    Memorial Service: Jan 8, 2025 at 10am in the Chapel. Beth Case will be officiating. 
  • Maryanne Bass's son, Jonathan Burke, passed away on Nov 22, 2024.
    Memorial Service: Feb 1, 2025 at 12:30pm in the Chapel. Alf Halvorson will be officiating. 
  • Ron Presswood passed away on Nov 8, 2024.
    Memorial Service: Dec 21 at 11am in the Chapel. Beth Case will be officiating.

Memorial Service Planning Guide (PDF)



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