29 July 2007

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.

Pastoral cover

The Rev David Firth will be responsible for Ministerial pastoral care throughout the Circuit from July 30th to August 12th inclusive.

Rota Time again!

• Door Stewards and Coffee makers - please let Paddy know of any dates you do not wish to be on duty during the period September 07 to February 08. Thanks to everyone who helps in this way and a special 'Thank You' to those people who are retiring after having been faithful Door Stewards for many years. If anyone would like to join the team of Door Stewards or help with providing coffee after Sunday worship, please speak to Paddy or Mary F. Church Stewards and Counters will receive individual forms.
• Chairs Rota - additional names are also invited - there are 4 teams at present - contact Paddy or Mary.
• Very warm thanks are expressed to Paddy for all her work in compiling the various rotas - this is the last time she will be doing it as she retires as Senior Church Steward on 1st September.

Baptism

Please note that on Sunday 12th August there will be a change to the published Plan. It has been agreed that the Rev Graham Matthews will conduct the Service in place of the Rev David Firth as it will include the Sacrament of Infant Baptism for Emily Mary Jean McLaren, the granddaughter of an Officer in HM Prison Perth whom Graham knows through his chaplaincy.

The Service will also include the Sacrament of Holy Communion, as indicated on the Plan.

Welcome Service for Chair of Synod

• A warm invitation is extended to ALL Methodists & friends to 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. 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).

Events this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in July for work in Bolivia and in August for work in Malawi where SBS has established partnerships with organisations offering food, seeds, planting programmes, school materials, and other aid to help desperately poor people restore their livelihoods after drought and famine. See library area noticeboard.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to :

• successful launch of the new Children's Bible in Bulgaria, also distribution of Bible stories in orphanages;
• work among soldiers, drug addicts and other groups in Romania, also plans to produce an audio New Testament;
• 4-day 'Imagine' gathering of young people in Inverurie from Thursday;
• development of materials for young people and the armed forces in Moldova;
• SBS presence at 'Keswick in Buckie Convention' from Saturday.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• Ruby Beech, Vice-President of Conference, at the European Methodist Festival in Bratislava, Wednesday - Sunday;
• Scotland Habitat for Humanity Team in Hungary & Bratislava;
• all involved in connexional 'Team Focus' implementation;
• Fiona Inglis, new District Administrator based in Dunblane;
• projects in London District, managers & senior staff in residential & nursing homes (Methodist Homes Prayer diary);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda;
• continuing recovery in Guatemala from effects of Hurricane Stan in 2005 (Christian Aid);
• Bible Society work in Bolivia and in Malawi;
• work of Kalabari Language Revival Centre in Niger Delta, Nigeria (FTM);
• we pray with and for the peoples of the Caribbean - Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Vincent & Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago.;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the West Wirral Circuit (Liverpool District), and in Barrhead (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire Circuit).

• 22 July 2007
• 05 August 2007

© 2002—2007 Dundee Methodist Church.