31 July 2005

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.

Pastoral arrangements this week

Please note that for the period August 1st - 8th, the Rev Gerald Bostock and the Rev Tony Pepper should be contacted if urgent Ministerial care is needed. Please also intimate these emergencies and any other pastoral concerns to Jenny and / or a Pastoral Visitor or Church Steward.

Roadworks

Usual vehicular access to our premises is being disrupted because of “essential gas maintenance work”, which was scheduled to start on Monday 18th July and be completed within 13 weeks. The effect of this on traffic is as follows:

• closure of Nethergate between South Tay Street & West Marketgait

• closure of northbound lanes in West Marketgait (ie those nearest our premises) from Nethergate to Westport Roundabout, with a contraflow on southbound lane.

Dundee City Council has asked Scottish Water to programme water mains renewal work at the same time and the works related to realignment of South Marketgait (now “Western Road”) also continue.

See letter & map on the downstairs noticeboard.

Rotas

It is time to make up the rotas for the next 6 months. Letters are available on the Vestibule table for all those who help in this valuable way. Please take and reply as promptly as possible.

Thanks are expressed to Arthur and Brenda who are retiring as Door Stewards. If YOU would like to contribute to Sunday Worship by joining the Door Stewards or Coffee Rotas, please let Paddy know as soon as possible.

A Possible Church Social Outing?

Information comes to us, from time to time, of shows in Dundee for which advance group booking is possible, with reduced prices.

• Dundee Operatic Society wrote some time ago with a “Special Offer to Church Groups and other local Clubs and Societies” anent their production of “Guys and Dolls” in the Whitehall Theatre from Tuesday 7th - Saturday 11th March 2006. The offer was for a block booking at 2005 prices if made by 30th September 2005. Paddy has offered to look into bookings if there is sufficient interest - please indicate this by signing the form on the Vestibule table or contacting Paddy direct as soon as possible.
• We have also heard from Downfield Musical Society of possible reduction for block booking (20+) at “Summer Holiday” in the Whitehall Theatre on Tuesday 20th September. Tickets are now also available for their pantomime “Cinderella” in the Whitehall Theatre from Tuesday 13th - Friday 23rd December (no show Monday 19th). Paddy also has the letter about this - or see copy on library noticeboard.

Support other Organisations

Christian Aid - Zimbabwe Emergency Appeal

Margaret has received a letter giving some details of the critical and worsening situation in Zimbabwe and of the Churches' response through Christian Aid and its partners. Individual donations will be gratefully received by Christian Aid. See letter on noticeboard or www.christianaid.org.uk for more details.

Scottish Churches House Appeal - Urgent!

Friends of ACTS and other “House regulars” have recently received a letter drawing attention to the grave financial situation of the House. The Appeal Letter from Jeanette Allen (House Committee Convener) and Alison Elliot (ACTS Convener) seeks financial pledges by early August (ie this coming week) to ensure the financial viability of the House for the next two years, to allow seeking of ways to ensure the House's longer-term sustainable financial security. Please contact Scottish Churches House direct (01786 823588) if you wish details or to offer support.

Scottish Bible Society

In August the Bible-a-Month Club invites support for work here in Scotland, where HomeWORD Bound aims to make the Good News accessible in many formats. The Priority Area Fund is used to provide young folk in disadvantaged areas with resources such as nt:sport (a magazine-style New Testament), a visit to Bibleworld Experience, or Ultimate Adventure (CD-ROM for school or youth club use). See library area noticeboard for more details.

Our prayerful attention is drawn in particular this week to

• Keswick at Buckie Convention's evening youth programme 'Late Night Extra'
• Uptake of 120,000 New Testaments distributed free during 2004 in Portugal
• Continuing import and distribution of material in Tunisia and Algeria.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• staff based at Methodist Church House, London;
• ecumenical work and relationships in Scotland;
• Methodist Ministers and families leaving and coming to Scotland;
• Church Stewards in the Circuit's 5 congregations;
• contacts at UK Festivals over the summer months (Christian Aid);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Bhutan and Nepal;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Canada;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Northampton Circuit (Oxford & Leicester District), and in Paisley (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire Circuit).

• 24 July 2005
• 07 August 2005

© 2002—2003 Dundee Methodist Church.