02 October 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.

Church Council résumé

At the meeting on Wednesday the Council

• received the Treasurer’s report and accepted the audited accounts for 2004-5 and the budget for 2005-6
• received the Property report and considered “Risk Assessment” requirements for the premises
• agreed a policy whereby at least two persons should be involved where work requires the use of ladders or equivalent equipment – for the safety of the individuals concerned and also to protect the Council’s responsibility
• noted that the General Church Meeting will be asked to appoint two Church Stewards and encouraged advance thinking about this on the part of everyone
• received Senior Steward’s, Pastoral, and Service & Mission reports
• discussed items from the Circuit Meeting and Synod:
  • our Circuit hosting Synod in Perth, 5th-6th May
  • Circuit Forum on Saturday 25th February and Circuit Prayer Workshop on Saturday 29th April, both in Dundee
  • District HIV / AIDS Project - a Vigil will be held in Marketgait on World AIDS Day (Thursday 1st December) from 2 pm to 4 pm
• Next Council Meeting - Wednesday 1st February at 7.30 pm.

Methodist Relief and Development Fund

Envelopes for donations in support of the work of MRDF were distributed last week. They can be returned through the offering plate.

BibleWorld Visit

Thanks are expressed for donations in support of next Saturday’s trip by members of the Children’s Group (plus adults!) to Bible House in Edinburgh.

Ministerial Holidays

• The Rev Mary Patterson will be on holiday from 3rd to 10th October.
• The Rev David Firth will be on holiday from 10th to 16th October.

News-sheet

Please note that next Sunday’s edition will be a “double issue”; any information for the week October 16th - 23rd should be with Jenny & David by Friday please.

Link Club - Volunteer Minibus Escort

The Link Club urgently needs to recruit a minibus escort for the Wednesday morning session of the Club. We cannot run the bus without an escort who accompanies the driver around the city, collecting Club members, bringing them to Marketgait, and then taking them home at lunchtime. This is an important and enjoyable role within the Club - can you help us or do you know someone who might be interested? More information from Lorna, or speak to any Club helper.

Crèche Rota Vacancy

There is a vacancy on the crèche rota - if you can help to fill this, please contact Elaine.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Traidcraft

Copies of the autumn catalogue, including Christmas cards as well as goods, are now available on the Vestibule table. Please place orders through Margaret.

Scottish Bible Society

• Our support is invited in October for work in China where flooding of the Yellow River in Henan Province resulted in loss of possessions, including Bibles; the Christian Council’s offer of free Bibles attracted some 8,000 responses in one location. See library area noticeboard for more details.
• “Unfinished Business in Malawi” is the theme for the SBS appeal, relating also to the Scottish Executive’s current focus on that country. See library noticeboard for leaflet.
• Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to
  • provision of Bibles in areas affected by war or natural disaster - Iraq, Africa, Romania, USA
  • provision of New Testaments in schools in Bangladesh
  • translation and development of Bible studies in 15 languages in India, also audio-format materials for minority groups.
• “Please pray for BibleWorld Manager, Sandra Blatt, as she welcomes Dundee and Broxburn church groups. Give thanks for our volunteers who encourage children to enjoy the BibleWorld activities” (‘Read and Pray’, Saturday 8th October 2005)

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• Pray Without Ceasing focus: Bristol District;
• The Vice-President of Conference at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool to Tuesday;
• Connexional Leadership Team meeting, Tuesday - Wednesday;
• Arbroath Pastoral Committee, Thursday;
• project and partners in Bangladesh (Christian Aid);
• The Leprosy Mission’s international staff;
• Bible Society work in China;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Cameroon and the Central African Republic;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Chipping Norton and Stow Circuit (Oxford & Leicester District), and all in Grahamston United Church, Falkirk (Central Scotland Circuit).

• 25 September 2005
• 09 October 2005

© 2002—2003 Dundee Methodist Church.