23 September 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.

“Share the Feast”

5 copies of this much-commended, very-readable book have been purchased to help our knowledge and understanding of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. They are available on the table at the back of the worship area for anyone to borrow, read, and return.

IBRA Bible Reading material

Orders for study material and daily notes may be placed through Jean, who can supply further details of available publications.

Property

• Please note that the new signed certificate in respect of Waste Management (September 07 to August 08) is on the Office noticeboard in case it needs to be produced.
• With winter approaching, please make sure all lights and any blow heaters are off before leaving the premises - thanks!

Items to peruse - from Vestibule table

• Traidcraft Catalogues for Winter 2007 are now on the Vestibule table - orders through Margaret
• Christian Aid News : a take-away to digest
• “Broadcast” : Dundee For Christ's new magazine - copies available - please uplift - read - use - hand on!

United Nations Millennium Development Goal no 6

combat AIDS/HIV, malaria and other diseases

“Disease is an international problem; with different areas having different challenges”:

• Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya runs a first-class AIDS programme of medical care, counselling and compassion, particularly to young mothers.
• The 21st century has been described as “The Age of Depression” in the UK: how can our churches respond to this enormous area of need?

UK Action Ideas:

• wear an AIDS ribbon (in bowl on glass-table, £1)
• buy mosquito nets as gifts
• raise funds for medical research charities

There is supply of cards on Vestibule table to take & distribute.

Hymn Tune Writing Competition

Through personal connections with Settle Methodist Circuit, Heather has information about their Eighth Annual Hymn Writing Festival : 9th-11th November

This year's competition is to compose a hymn tune with the title “Charles Wesley” - there is an open class (as well as a closed Settle Circuit class!).

Rules can be summarised as

1. tune entirely of own composition, unpublished
2. scored for any keyboard - harmony indication helpful
3. any recognised metre
4. © remains with composer
5. all entries submitted to judges whose decision is final, with no correspondence
6. no written words - indication of possible hymn(s) is fine
7. prize of £200 for winner, £150 second prize.
8. winning tunes to be played at Settle Hymn Festival - winners notified by phone.

Closing date - 9th October. Entry forms with further details on Vestibule table.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in September for work in Nepal. See library area noticeboard for more details.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to:

• provision of Bibles to children living in violent communities in Jamaica;
• work of newly-opened Bible Shop in Belize;
• appointment process of new General Secretary in the Dominican Republic;
• planned increase in Scripture distribution to more than 50,000 Bibles per year by the Bible Society in the East Caribbean;
• 'Pedalling for the Hope of our People' event involving 250 cyclists in Puerto Rico, to raise funds for programmes in hospitals and prisons;
• excellent distribution of the new Louis Segond Bible in the scattered French Antilles.

Samaritans Scotland

The Dundee Branch would be grateful to hear from anyone interested in being a volunteer for this voluntary organisation who “offer non-judgmental listening and support in complete confidence”, 24 hours a day 365 days a year”. The Dundee Branch office is at 6 Old Glamis Road, DD3 8HP, tel (01382) 832555.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President of Conference at the Labour Party Conference, Bournemouth, Monday - Tuesday;
• Methodist Publishing House Board meeting, Thursday;
• Synod Secretary, the District's Unit Resource Co-ordinators, and the District Treasurer;
• Arbroath Church Council, Monday;
• Perth Church Council, Wednesday;
• projects in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, Group Directors and Senior Managers (Methodist Homes Prayer Diary);
• Sudan Evangelical Mission's literacy programme in Mundri, southern Sudan (Feed The Minds);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Indonesia, Timor Leste, and Papua New Guinea;
• Bible Society work in Nepal;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Liverpool (North Central) Circuit (Liverpool District), and in Aberdeen (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).

• 16 September 2007
• 30 September 2007

© 2002—2007 Dundee Methodist Church.