14 December 2003

We give the assurance of our thoughts and prayers to all who are unwell, awaiting or undergoing treatment, or anxious or grieving for the loss of loved ones.

Christmas Mail

• The Christmas Box for ‘posting’ cards to Marketgait friends is now available in the Vestibule, with distribution during ‘coffee after worship’ next Sunday & at the Christmas Day Service.
• Christmas Gift Tags – in box on table – proceeds to church funds.

Stair-chair: (non)-progress report!

The mechanics are coming back yet again tomorrow to try to ensure that the “rail-extension” can be lowered & raised smoothly - ALL USE of the chair is still halted. This delay is unfortunate but it is right to ensure that all is in proper working order before “full use” is authorised; please check with Norah.

“Peter Pan” trip to the Rep

Many Thanks to all who helped make the & the meal afterwards such an enjoyable experience. All contributions were much appreciated (transport, catering, preparing premises, …) but it is clear that a ‘special mention’ should be made of Elizabeth for arranging, coordinating, and actively doing so much towards and during the whole venture. (Will there be chance to do something similar again ???)

News sheet

There will be a news-sheet next Sunday which may cover the holiday period, although production of later “insert-leaflets” may still take place (the editors are as yet undecided about this, as about much else to do with Christmas arrangements!). It would be helpful if any items for the next few weeks could be given / sent to us this week or notified in advance so we can try to pass on information as helpfully as possible to everyone. Please still contact us over the holiday period – we may decide to publish something each week!! (Jenny & David)

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

NCH

• December is designated as “leisure” month in our request for surplus items for use by the Cowan Grove and Families projects. See Margaret for more details.
• Advent / Christmas-tide has traditionally been a season for our support of NCH, through offerings at Communion and on Christmas Day. This year Appeal Envelopes are being distributed for return during worship next Sunday or thereafter.

Link Club Competition ends Tuesday!

“A Link Club member, has knitted an outfit for Sarah, the doll which is on the table in the Vestibule. (Thanks to Paddy for helping Angela.) The Club is hoping to raise some money for Club funds by asking people to guess Sarah’s birthday. Each guess costs 20p and can be written in the diary beside the doll. Whoever guesses correctly will win Sarah. The Link Club would be grateful for your support – there is a box on the table for contributions.”

Link Club Funding

We are pleased to report that two local Trusts have given us grants for the next 3 years. This is an encouragement to the Club after the winding-up of the Farquhar-MacInally Fund, which has supported our work most generously in recent years. We are always pleased to hear of other Funds and possible supporters / helpers; please contact Lorna.

Traidcraft

There will be a stall today. Thanks are expressed to Margaret (and her “staff”) from customers and ‘Fair-trade folk’ for their efforts which enable support of workers world-wide and also alert our consciences to the issues involved.

Scottish Bible Society

The Christmas Appeal this year is for work in Angola where 27 years of civil war have left a legacy of starvation, disease and spiritual hunger: “Other agencies provide food and medical supplies, or assist reconstruction, but we are asked by the Bible Society in Angola to provide HOPE – through the Scriptures – as without HOPE there is very little to look forward to for thousands of Angolans.”

• After many years of war, a programme to reach out to Angola’s ‘lost generation’ is being launched under the title “Scripture for Youth”. This will provide ‘easy-to-read’ booklets, Scripture portions for secondary school pupils, and Bibles to university students.
• Next year it is also planned to distribute a booklet “Living in Hope” to those coping with HIV/AIDS; an audio-cassette format is also to be produced.
• Distribution of New Testaments in prisons (still full to capacity) is also planned.

See noticeboard in library area for details – Jean is our SBS link-person.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President of Conference in Eastern Europe to Wednesday, & in Westminster Abbey next Sunday; the Vice-President in Scotland tomorrow & Tuesday;
• NCH work and supporters in Scotland; Ted Wallace, our NCH District Contact;
• World-wide Book Service, resourcing libraries in theological colleges and study centres (Feed The Minds);
• partners and projects in Southern Africa, especially in drought-stricken Malawi (Christian Aid);
• The Leprosy Mission’s work in South India - Kerala & Tamil Nadu;
• Bible Society work in Palestine;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Botswana & Zimbabwe, particularly Hope & Nono’s family and friends;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Huddersfield (Pennine) Circuit (West Yorkshire District), and in Portessie (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).

• 07 December 2003
• 21 December 2003

© 2002—2003 Dundee Methodist Church.