10 September 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.

Harvest Celebration

Worship today is on the theme “Small Miracles”, using Methodist Relief and Development Fund material.

MRDF envelopes are available for return today or as soon as possible.

Crèche Rota

Elaine or the Church Stewards will be grateful to hear from / of people willing to join the (currently small) team willing to take care of “wee ones” downstairs during part of Sunday morning worship. Thanks are expressed to those who already serve in this way and encouragement given to others to consider volunteering!

Flower distribution

Jean has requested assistance with the distribution of flowers on a Sunday for the period of her recuperation from eye surgery (2 operations). Please contact her in advance or have a word with her on a Sunday to see if this week's recipients “live in your direction”.

Today is “Racial Justice Sunday”

• Working for Racial Justice:
  Racism is …… destructive, isolating, excluding, violent, intimidatory, hidden, overt, spoken, unspoken, personal, institutional, denied.
• Racial Justice Vision
  “Our vision is of a society committed to racial justice. For us Christians, this commitment is an outcome of our belief that we are all made in the image of God. Therefore we are determined to recognise, combat and eradicate racism.”
• The Methodist Church believes that
  • racism is a sin
  • racism must be resisted wherever it is found: day in day out, week in week out, year in year out - with passion, urgency and tenacity.
• The Methodist Church is committed to a vision of a truly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society. www.methodist.org.uk

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

• Translation work into the languages of the Solomon Islands, especially “various teams working in difficult conditions”;
• Design of innovative and attractive products in Japan where Christians are less than 1% of the population;
• Korean Bible Society's preparation for possible future mission in North Korea; wide distribution of the New Korean Revised Bible;
• Progress on the new Bible distribution centre in Siem Riep province of Cambodia.

SBS has issued an Emergency Appeal to help thousands of displaced people in Lebanon: “With some 700,000 displaced people living in schools, compounds and convents in the relatively calm northern part of Lebanon, the Bible Society is ... preparing relief packages for distribution to those suffering people.” See library area noticeboard for more details.

NCH

The Annual UK National Service of Thanksgiving will be held in Central Hall, Tollcross, Edinburgh, on Tuesday 10th October at 7.15 pm. The President and Vice-President of Conference will take part, and also young people from NCH projects & the Tollcross Primary School Gaelic Choir. Worship will be followed by refreshments and presentations, hosted by Gordon Eglinton, Chair of NCH. It is hoped that there will be good support from Methodists in Scotland - would travelling together as a party from Dundee be an idea ??

Tickets (free) / more information from Melanie Dawson - tel 020 7704 7066; email Melanie.dawson@nch.org.uk . See poster on noticeboard.

Trade Justice

Lobbying is invited ahead of the “March to the Treasury” on Thursday 14th September with “message to take to the IMF and World Bank: reform or face cuts”. This is part of the continuing campaign to call on the UK Government (and others) “to face up to the promises made last year” at the G8 Summit in Gleneagles. More details from http://www.pressureworks.org/tradejustice.

One World Week 2006: 22nd - 29th October

the failure of world trade talks

the gap between “winners” and “losers”:

“By allowing the colossal inequities in world trade to persist, rich countries are taking away the livelihoods of millions of poor women and men seeking a better future for themselves and their children.”
Kumi Naidoo, S Africa

the increasing hole in the ozone layer

the gap between “words” and “actions”:

“We need policies of eco-justice and we need to realise the spiritual dimensions of our life, of our interconnected planet Earth, of each other!”
Petra Kelly (1947-92), Germany)

increasing violence in a divided world

the gap between “friends” and “enemies”:

“We need to reach the happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration.”
Ratu Josefa Iliolo, President of Fiji

Look out for news of local events, which you can support.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President & Vice-President of Conference at the Trades Union Congress in Brighton, tomorrow & Tuesday;
• Methodist Ministers Pension Scheme AGM, Thursday;
• ëInduction Dayí for Methodist Ministers newly arrived in Scotland, in Dunblane, Wednesday;
• Blairgowrie Church Council, tomorrow; Perth Finance & Property Committee, Wednesday; Circuit Meeting, Thursday;
• Jamma Project (using football) in Burundi (Christian Aid);
• Impact Counselling Centre (India) planning a Library of Hope (Feed The Minds);
• The Leprosy Missionís work in Botswana, DR Congo, Zambia;
• Bible Society work in Namibia;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Consett Circuit (Newcastle upon Tyne District), and all in Grahamston United Church, Falkirk (Central Scotland Circuit).

• 03 September 2006
• 17 September 2006

© 2002—2006 Dundee Methodist Church.