29 January 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.

Homelessness Sunday

• This year's theme is 'Build happiness …. Stop Homelessness', focussing on prevention as the key to ending the unnecessary exclusion of so many from a full life.
• See weekly copies of The Big Issue (library area) to which we give an annual subscription.
• See upstairs table for January 2006 issue of “Our Homeless Neighbour” - newsletter for Friends of Scottish Churches Housing Action, especially
  • article (p2) about Nicolson Square Methodist Church links with the neighbouring Mosque and with “Habitat for Humanity”.
  • Rev Erik Cramb's challenge - “Is the instinct to pass on an advantageous inheritance a sin?”

Pray without Ceasing News

The Newcastle (Staffs) Circuit (Chester & Stoke District) used a central location as a prayer room with people from all the Circuit's churches signing up for periods of prayer through 14 hours: different zones set up - labyrinth, Circuit map, world church magazines, prayer wall; prayer services - singing, meditation & open prayer; breakfast with prayer cards at each place; telephone hand-over between circuits, …..

Church Council

Please note that papers for the meeting on Wednesday should be with Moriamo as soon as possible.

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 finish no later than 2.30 pm, with lunch provided at 1 pm.

The main aim of the Forum is to look at the present way of “Team Ministry” working; the programme will include particular opportunities to talk together about “worship” and “pastoral care”, followed by conversation about the way ahead for the Circuit and its five congregations. It is important that as many people as possible from each church meet together, to share thinking and provide guidance for the March Circuit Meeting.

If this date is not in your diary / year planner / mind … please make sure it is NOW!

Dundee folk are asked to note that, as our premises are being used and we are therefore to some extent “hosts” (and mostly not travelling far), we have been asked to provide “a simple lunch” (at Circuit expense). Keith & Jenny, as members of the Circuit Leadership Team that is planning the Forum, will be coordinating this. Please also advise them of any particular requirements (diet, child care, ..).

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

• Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in January for work in India and in February for work in Chile.
• Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to
  • production of special Sport Gospels and New Testament by the Australian Bible Society for the Commonwealth Games in March;
  • collaboration between Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches in France, including a programme to produce a Bible for teenagers;
  • materials distributed by the Salvation Army in Chile to abandoned children in day-care centres, schools, and homes;
  • translation work in Maori and Tokelauan in New Zealand;
  • spiritual and physical healing, restoration of peace, law and order in Papua New Guinea - also fundraising, literacy programmes, and prison ministry;
  • part-launch of the revised Thai Old Testament, contact with non-Christians, and distribution of the audio Scripture Megavoice in Thailand.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• Pray Without Ceasing focus: Leeds District;
• President & Vice-President of Conference in the Chester and Stoke District next weekend;
• The District's Circuit Tutors and Local Preachers;
• Perth Family Committee meeting on Tuesday;
• partners and projects with the Batwa people in Burundi (Christian Aid);
• permission to use Pakistan Bible Correspondence Institute courses in prisons in Pakistan (Feed The Minds);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Central India - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa;
• Bible Society work in India and in Chile;
• we pray with and for the peoples of the Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Belper Circuit (Nottingham & Derby District), and in Tollcross Central Hall, Edinburgh (Edinburgh & Forth Circuit).

• 22 January 2006
• 05 February 2006

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