12 February 2006

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.

Children's Group Request

In order to meet child protection regulations, two adults are needed when the Children's Group goes downstairs. Until now, the “second adult”, has been found by personal approaches, week by week, by Lorna and Margaret. Recently, it has sometimes proved more difficult to find someone to accompany the Group; it has therefore been decided to try producing a rota of helpers. If you would consider joining this rota, please take a sheet from the Vestibule table, complete, and return it to either Lorna Dewar or Margaret Goudie.

Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.”

Circuit Forum - “open consultation”

This Consultation about the life of our Circuit will take place in Marketgait, Dundee on Saturday 25th February from 10 am (coffee) to 2.30 pm, lunch provided at 1 pm. An outline programme was distributed last week- see Vestibule table for more copies.

Keith & Jenny (as Circuit Leadership Team members) wish to know

• likely Dundee numbers attending
• offers of help in catering (coffee, lunch)
• particular requirements (crèche, diet, other needs)

Please sign the sheet on the front Vestibule table as soon as possible or contact them direct.

It is important that a wide representation of the Circuit's congregations comes together to share in thinking about present ways of working and to guide the Circuit Meeting (March 29th) in looking to the future.

Dundee is represented on the Circuit Meeting by

• Keith - Circuit Steward;
• Paddy - Church Steward;
• David E - Church Treasurer;
• 'tricia & Heather - elected representatives.

Help! - Coffee People Needed : see Paddy TODAY if possible, please, to help her compile the rota.

District Day - “Fresh Expressions of Church”

ALL INTERESTED - especially Preachers, Stewards, Church Council members, are invited to Rosyth Methodist Church on Saturday 25th March from 10.30 am to 4 pm for an exploration of the above theme. Among the resource people will be Peter Pillinger and Jonathan Kerry who will give a wider view from their particular Connexional and ecumenical perspectives.

This is a Day in which we are invited to

• gather news
• renew vision
• support growth
• develop experience and resourcing.

All are welcome but it will help arrangements - including provision of lunch - if the invitation slips (on Vestibule table) are completed and returned to the District Office, Scottish Churches House, Dunblane FK15 0AJ (tel: 01786 820295) by Monday 6th March.

If you wish or can provide help with transport, please contact a Church Steward.

Ecumenical Observance of Lent

Please note and support the following:

• Broughty Ferry Churches Group
  • Acts of worship on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 pm in different Member Churches, beginning with “Service of Ashes” on Wednesday 1st March in Our Lady of Good Counsel.
  • Material for other Services based on CTBI Lent Book, “Easter People in a Good Friday World”
  • On Wednesday 15th March Methodists are partnered with St Luke's & Queen Street Church of Scotland in leading worship there - Ferry Methodists are asked to contact Jenny to help in preparing this with St Luke's.
• Dundee City Centre Churches
  • Meetings on Tuesdays at 7.30 pm in Meadowside St Paul's, from 7th March to 4th April inclusive.
  • Suggested material - “Life Balance” - contact David Firth to order copies.

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

• Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in February for work in Chile (see library noticeboard).
• Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to
  • Bible Society General Secretaries from Europe -Middle East meeting in Cyprus from Monday;
  • increased local support for work in East Timor, also strengthening of the country's services and infrastructure;
  • outreach in Italy during the Winter Olympic Games in Turin;
  • effective distribution in Laos of the Revised Lao New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, also development of new Scripture portions for different audiences;
  • completion of translations in Myanmar, where there have been increases in production, distribution, and local financial support, despite restrictions on printing Bibles locally.
  • publication in India of 'In your Loneliness - the Hope' in Tamil Braille interleaved with large print - also this article in other languages.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• Pray Without Ceasing focus: Lincoln & Grimsby District;
• World Council of Churches Assembly, Brazil, this week;
• Connexional Stationing Committee, Tuesday;
• Methodist Council Thursday - Friday;
• District and Circuit Treasurers' meeting next Saturday;
• Perth Church Council, Wednesday;
• partners and projects in Honduras (Christian Aid);
• Theological Education by Extension in Nepal (Feed The Minds);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Nepal and Uzbekistan;
• Bible Society work in Chile;
• we pray with and for the peoples of the Philippines;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Ashby and Coalville Circuit (Nottingham & Derby District), and all in the Rosyth Ecumenical Partnership (Edinburgh & Forth Circuit).

• 05 February 2006
• 19 February 2006

© 2002—2006 Dundee Methodist Church.