Dundee Methodist Church

19 August 2007

Next Sunday: 26 August 2007

11 am
Worship led by Mrs Marcia MacKenzie

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.

Collection for the Benevolence Fund

Since last Sunday's Communion collection was a retiring one, some people may have missed the opportunity to give to the Benevolence Fund. A plate will be at the door again this week.

“Songs of Praise Service”

Our friends in Arbroath invite us to join them in St John's Methodist Church, 15 Ponderlaw (map) this afternoon at 3 pm to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of Charles Wesley (1707-1788). There will be refreshments afterwards. See copy of the Order of Service on the porch noticeboard.

Welcome Service for Chair of Synod

If you hope to be at the Service at 2.30 pm in Dunblane Cathedral on Saturday 1st September to welcome the Rev Lily Twist and her husband Colin to Scotland, please let a Church Steward know today or as soon as possible. This may help to coordinate transport, thereby easing parking in Dunblane, as well as providing travelling companionship.

Children's Group

Please note that this resumes today after the summer break.

Lorna & Margaret seek to 'cast our net wider':

“In order to meet child protection regulations, two adults are needed when the Children's Group goes downstairs. We are grateful to all those who helped last session and hope they are able to continue. More helpers would be welcome and if anyone is interested in sometimes being the “second adult”, please ask us what is involved. The more people who are able to help, the better, as we are able to ask a lot of people occasionally, rather than a few people a lot!”

United Nations Millennium Development Goals

The World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Women: British Unit, with the Women's Network of the Methodist Church, have issued action cards to highlight the Goal to

2. achieve universal primary education :

  • the Methodist Church and USPG jointly run an Experience Exchange Programme
  • even in countries which have universal primary education, costs of providing uniforms, books and equipment may make schooling difficult for families
  • the Methodist Church is a key provider of education in may parts of the world
  • UK Action Idea - Breakfast Clubs (including some run by churches) improve the educational achievements of children who attend.

Meetings this week

Date & timeVenueDetails
Tuesday 21st August, 7.30 pm Dundee Methodist Church Worship Group - everyone is welcome. Discussion will include 'Harvest' (15th - 16th September) and 'early singing'. 'tricia (Convener) welcomes feedback and comments at any time.
Wednesday 22nd August, 1 pm St Paul's Cathedral, 1 High Street, Dundee Lutheran Choir from Germany. Tickets £3/2 (available at the door)
Wednesday 22nd August, 7 pm to 11 pm Dundee West Church Hall, 132 Perth Road Dundee-Nablus Twinning Association presents “Music and Mezze” 'Palestinian & Scottish music, dancing and a meal'. Tickets for this “alcohol-free event in aid of the Red Cross Children's Hospital, Nablus” - £12 (£8 concession) - from tel: 01382 550210; email: tayporturtle@yahoo.com or see website www.Dundee-nablus.org.uk.
Thursday 23rd to Saturday 25th August Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow 'Nexus Scotland 2007' event when the Christian Resources Exhibition and the Big Saturday join to host “their largest ever Scottish show”. The Scottish Churches Housing Action stall is in the 'Reach Out' section and on Thursday 23rd will host a seminar, 'Homelessness and poverty action 2008'.
Friday 24th August, 6 pm / 8 pm Scottish Churches House, Dunblane Music for a Summer Evening : Dinner and Concert in aid of the ongoing House Appeal. Tickets £25 (£45 for two); £10 for concert only. For booking / further details contact Scottish Churches House, Kirk Street, Dunblane FK15 0AJ; tel : 01786 823588; email reservations@scottishchurcheshouse.org or via website www.scottishchurcheshouse.org.

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in August for work in Malawi. See library area noticeboard.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to:

  • positive impact of the Good Samaritan HIV/AIDS prevention programme and the Faith Comes by Hearing audio scheme in Swaziland;
  • opening of NEXUS at SECC, Glasgow, as a partnership between the Scottish Christian Resources Exhibition and Clyde Presbyteries;
  • launch of sign-language Afrikaans Bible for the Deaf in South Africa, also new translations into Afrikaans and Zulu;
  • use of literacy books produced last year for shepherds in Lesotho, current plans for camouflage Bibles for soldiers;
  • new Bible Society offices in Madrid, distribution of new Interconfessional Bible Translation in Spain.

Forthcoming events

Date & timeVenueDetails
Wednesday 29th August, 7.30 pm Dundee Methodist Church Pastoral Committee - papers available Sunday 26th August
Saturday 1st September, 2.30 pm Dunblane Cathedral (map) District's Service of Welcome for the Rev Lily Twist, the new Chair of Scotland District. >A warm invitation is extended to ALL Methodists & friends to the Service; after formal worship there will be opportunity to meet old and new friends over refreshments in the adjacent Cathedral Halls.
As the out-going Chair, Jim Jones, has said, it is the first time the District has planned a Service in this scale; it is very much hoped that it will be well supported by the whole District. Guests have been invited from wider Methodism: the General Secretary, Rev David Deeks, is to represent the Connexion, others are coming from the North Region Districts who co-hosted Conference with us, and the Preacher will be the Rev Jeremy Dare, Chair of the Shetland Synod. Ecumenical and civic guests have also been invited to share in this important occasion in the life of Methodism in Scotland. We also understand that a number of Lily and Colin's friends will be travelling north to share this important day with her.
The Act of Worship is intended to present an inter-weaving of the threads of our life together, with representatives of all the 8 Circuits in the District taking part.
It is hoped that there will be good support from ALL of the District's churches - decide NOW to come and make a day of it! David Firth is offering seats in his car - please contact him. If you can also help / wish with transport, please let Paddy or a Church Steward know.
For further details about the day, contact Jenny (member of planning group). The Planning Group would like an idea of numbers - please tell a Church Steward if you hope to go.

Prayer Points for this week

  • the Vice-President of Conference at Greenbelt Festival next weekend;
  • projects in the Birmingham District, new managers and carers (Methodist Homes Prayer Diary);
  • The Leprosy Mission's promotional work in the British Isles, Southern Africa, & Canada;
  • Bible Society work in Malawi;
  • rural welfare organisation, SHARE, working with school children in villages in Tamil Nadu, India (Feed The Minds);
  • we pray with and for the peoples of The Pacific Islands - Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa and the French Overseas Territories of New Caledonia (Kanaky) and French Polynesia (Tahiti);
  • we remember fellow Methodists in the Birkenhead Circuit (Liverpool District), and in Wishaw (Lanarkshire Circuit).