05 October 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.

Giving

When the Church Council met recently it was pleased to see that the accounts for 2002/3 showed that the combined income from weekly offerings and Gift Aid had proved sufficient to meet the assessment which we contribute to the Circuit each quarter. This should be a cause for celebration and encouragement. There are many Methodist churches which would be delighted to be in that situation. That does not mean that we can be complacent. There are many other financial demands placed upon us in addition to the assessment, and, as we know, the Circuit itself has to tighten its belt. We need to maintain the level of our giving but I think that we can allow ourselves a quiet pat on the back. Thank you.

Ecumenical Worship

Denise & Andy will be joining our friends at the Salvation Army for worship next Sunday at 10.45 am. If you wish to go with them, please meet in our porch at 10.30 am for the short walk across the road.

Flowers

The Minister or Church Stewards would like to hear, as soon as possible, from anyone willing to coordinate and / or be part of a team responsible for arranging the flowers in our premises. If, in the meantime, you are due to provide flowers and are uncertain as how to proceed, please contact David Firth.

Circuit News

Last week’s Circuit Meeting made decisions about the stationing of Ministers in the Circuit from September 2004. There is to be a consultation process, to be as inclusive as possible, concerning the implications of these decisions, so please “watch this space” in coming weeks for details. Any comments or suggestions may also be passed on via Keith (Church Steward), Clare & ’tricia (Church representatives) or other Dundee members of the Meeting.

Traidcraft

Orders from the catalogue for Christmas cards or other items may still be placed with Margaret G; those received by tomorrow (Monday 6th October) should be delivered before the end of the month.

News-sheet publication

Next week’s news sheet will be prepared on Thursday for the next 2 weeks. Items should be with Jenny & David by Thursday.

Scottish Church Census

The results of the survey undertaken in May 2002 have been collated and an analysis of (some of) the results published. Last week’s Roadshow in Perth was attended by Jenny E, Jean Murrie & Mary Patterson from this Circuit (joined by Grahame Lockhart in the afternoon). If you wish to borrow the book “Turning the Tide”, please contact Jenny.

Support other Organisations

NCH

October is designated as “crockery” month in our request for surplus items for use by the Cowan Grove and Families projects. See Margaret G for more details.

Scottish Bible Society

* In October our support is invited for work in Haiti, which has long suffered from political instability and corruption, from illiteracy and extreme poverty. Furthermore, international aid is restricted, violence & crime are widespread and unemployment & poor conditions foster diseases. Bible Society distribution of Scriptures is through health centres, prisons and schools. (See notice-board in library area)

* The SBS autumn appeal is “Breakfast Hope for Peruvian Children”, focusing on shanty towns in cities, where most youngsters live in extreme poverty, lacking basic nutrition and with little prospect of improvement. (See library for details)

* Our prayerful attention is also drawn to

• resumption of Bible work in Algeria & translation of Scriptures into Algerian Arabic;
• efforts to make contact and distribute Scriptures among international churches in Morocco;
• small expatriate congregations and distribution through bookshops in Tunisia
• introduction of new formats of material in Egypt, including an Arabic New Testament on CD-Rom and videos about Abraham.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• the President of Conference in the Bristol District this weekend;
• the Vice-President at the Conservative Party Conference, Blackpool, Tuesday;
• Connexional Stationing Committee, Thursday;
• music-makers in our Circuit congregations;
• staff and supporters in Wales - National Committee Meeting, Tuesday (Christian Aid);
• Scripture Union Aid for AIDS, in Africa (FTM Grant List);
• Bible Society work in Haiti;
• The Leprosy Mission’s international staff, and recruitment;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Cameroon and the Central African Republic;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Bradford (Woodhouse Grove Circuit (West Yorkshire District), and in New Stevenston (Lanarkshire Circuit).

• 28 September 2003
• 12 October 2003

© 2002—2003 Dundee Methodist Church.