04 September 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.

BibleWorld Visit

Arrangements have been made for a group of the older children, with accompanying adults, to visit the Scottish Bible Society BibleWorld in Edinburgh on October 8th. Donations to coffee-after-worship today & next Sunday will be allocated towards the costs of this trip.

“Safeguarding” : Important Notice!

In order to comply with Safeguarding procedures and to support Ian as our Church Safeguarding Officer, a “mass signing of forms” will take place today at the close of worship and whilst coffee is being served. If you are an office- / key-holder, please note that this is likely to apply to you and, if possible, stay and sign the relevant form(s). It is essential that these measures are in place as quickly and effectively as possible, so that statutory requirements are fulfilled.

Pray Without Ceasing

Methodist Conference in Torquay launched this Initiative, originating with Methodist young people, as an invitation for

• CELEBRATING PRAYER as a gift from God
• AFFIRMING PRAYER that is already taking place
• RESOURCING PRAYER by providing ideas and inspiration to help people pray in ways new to them

'tricia has been appointed as Dundee's contact person with the District PWC group - Lorna Murray is the Scotland District 'PWC person'.

Copies of the 2005-6 Prayer Handbook will be available soon from Moriamo.

News-sheet 'Prayer Points' each week will use the Connexional rota of Districts focusing on Pray Without Ceasing.

Rotas

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

Preaching Plans

Plans for September - November are now available on the Vestibule table. If more are needed please let Jenny know.

Possible Church Social Outing

Since there are insufficient numbers for the offered block booking for “Guys and Dolls” next March, Paddy does not propose to take this any further at present.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

NCH Scotland - 50th Anniversary

A concert version of “Follies” is to be held as a Gala Fund-raising Event on Sunday 18th September in the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall at 7 pm. Ticket prices start at £25 - contact Box Office (0141 353 8000), www.grch.com.

Scottish Bible Society

Our support is invited in September for work in Egypt - see library area noticeboard for details.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• the new SBS interactive website promoting resources in multimedia formats
• work on the 'Revised Chinese Union Bible' in Hong Kong and in developing Chinese Scriptures in alternative formats
• launch of the 'Friends of the Bible' scheme aiming to recruit 2000 supporters in Singapore
• the Malaysian Government's lifting of the ban on the Iban Bible; dedication of the Bible produced for the Tagal Murut people

The latest report from the Bible Society in Ghana is that

• “several translation projects are progressing, though not without delays caused by ill health, typesetting errors and other technical problems.”
• When the Dangme Bible was launched five years ago, speakers highlighted the crime rate (linked to imported TV and video content?) and the crucial role of God's Word in averting “spiritual and moral disaster”.
• The Esahie New Testament will soon be available for poor communities in western Ghana. The Bible Society is promoting literacy in the language, such that one young woman with no education could declare, “I never thought I would be able to read and write… At the end of my first class I was able to read my first sentence.”

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• Pray Without Ceasing focus : Birmingham District;
• the President & Vice-President of Conference at the Newcastle and Chester & Stoke Synods, respectively, next Saturday;
• Church of Scotland Youth Assembly this week;
• Perth Pastoral Committee meeting tomorrow;
• raising awareness in the UK of 'justice issues' (Christian Aid);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in South East India - Andhra Pradesh;
• we pray for Bible Society work in Egypt;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Leicester (North) Circuit (Oxford & Leicester District), and in Castlehill (Lanarkshire Circuit.

• 28 August 2005
• 11 September 2005

© 2002—2005 Dundee Methodist Church.