Dundee Methodist Church

27 September 2009

Next Sunday: 4 October 2009 - Week of Prayer for World Peace

10.45 am
“early singing” - Alan Suttie
11 am
Worship led by Mrs Fiona Ross

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.

Methodist Relief & Development Fund

Envelopes in support of the work of MRDF are available for return in the offering plate as soon as possible. Please note the opportunity for enhancing any donations through Gift Aid.

Methodist Church in Fiji: continuing concern

Last Thursday (24th September) Methodist Church leaders in Fiji returned to court to negotiate their bail conditions and seek greater religious freedom for their church, having pled not guilty last month to charges of breaching public emergency regulations. They are currently banned from attending Church meetings, preaching or leading worship.

Methodist Church in Great Britain's communications with the Church in Fiji are being monitored and all activities scrutinised. The Church continues to seek dialogue rather than outright confrontation, having been forced to cancel its Annual Conference. (See www.methodist.org.uk links to “news”).

Date & timeVenueDetails
Monday 28th September, 7.15 pm Meadowside St Paul’s, Nethergate - Lower Hall Meadowside St Paul's Guild. 'Craft Night' with Miss E Dickson. A warm invitation to Methodist friends to all meetings over the 2009-10 session, which has as its theme, “What does the Lord Require of You?” Further details from Miss M Keillar, Secretary (01382 737652) and there is also offer of a “taxi service” - contact Mrs Ann Black, (07788 6987815).
Tuesday 29th September, 4 pm to 6 pm Martin Hall, New College, The Mound, Edinburgh “Worship in Context: Studies and Case Studies in Theology and Practice” : launch of book by Professor Duncan Forrester, and Dr Douglas Gay. All interested welcome.
Wednesday 30th September, 7.30 pm Dundee Methodist Church, “L” Fellowship Group; all are welcome to join in sharing insights, thoughts and conversation. The material used will be from “Stem the Tide”, a series of 5 Bible Studies on the theme of 'climate change', available at http://www.methodist.org.uk. Subsequent meetings have been arranged for Thursday evenings: if you cannot manage all of them, please come to those you can, as each week's topic will 'stand on its own' within the overall theme. You can also follow the material for each week on-line.
Thursday 1st October, 7 pm Room 3, Dalhousie Building, Dundee University (Hawkhill) (15 on compus map) Film and Fair Trade Fashion Event organised by Dundee Fair Trade Forum. There well be a chance to see “People Tree”, the Fair Trade Clothing Collection, also 'wine and nibbles', stalls of Fair Trade clothing and jewellery. For further information, contact ftfdundee@yahoo.co.uk or phone (01382) 454603. See also noticeboards and Vestibule table.
Thursday 1st October, 7.30 pm Dundee Methodist Church, “L” Church Council
Friday 2nd October, 12 noon - 1.30 pm YMCA 151 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry (opposite “M&S Food”) (map) Broughty Ferry Churches Group Christian Aid lunch. The weekly lunch (£2) comprises a choice of home-made soups, bread & coffee, plus conversation with friends 'old and new'.

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in September for work in Gabon and in October for work in Belarus. See noticeboard for more information. Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

  • increased Scripture distribution in Spanish through Protestant and Catholic churches, and audio outreach in 22 minority languages in Guatemala;
  • protection for staff in face of violence and robbery in Honduras, also for the Bishop distributing Scripture to violent gangs;
  • material provided for drug-takers, those in prison, and AIDS-sufferers in Belarus, also the work of rehabilitation centres.

Scottish Churches House Prayer Network

To join this Network and receive regular items for prayer, please contact Bruce Cameron on bruce2541@gmail.com or ring SCH (01786 823588). Daily prayers are led at 9.00 - 9.15 am, with Network members particularly asked to join, if possible, on Wednesday mornings.

SCH users this week include Universal Order (Mon-Wed), Citizens Advice (Wed-Fri), Episcopal College of Bishops (Thur-Fri), Yoga Network Weekend (Fri-Sun), and Scottish Esperanto (Sat-Sun).

There is also a Programme Planning Day on Tuesday to look ahead to events in the House next year.

Forthcoming events

Date & timeVenueDetails
Wednesday 7th October, 10.30 am to 4 pm Edinburgh Christian Aid Malawi Partnership Seminar, with Jack McConnell. For more information, email dgreen@christian-aid.org. See also website www.christianaidscotland.org; phone 0141 221 7475 or write to Christian Aid Scotland, Pentagon Centre, Glasgow, G3 8AZ.
Friday 9th October, 7 pm Rothes Halls Glenrothes “Songs for Louis Braille” - a musical celebration : “a mix of music and song” by ZASS in aid of Fife Society for the Blind. The concert celebrates the bi-centenary of the birth of Louis Braille: further information from Cindy on 07800 795761 (or ask Alan Suttie!). Online booking.
Saturday 10th October, 1 pm St Paul's Cathedral, 1 High Street, Dundee St Paul's Lunchtime Concerts : see poster on noticeboard for details of forthcoming lunchtime concerts. This season's programme. This Saturday's soloist is Joseph Fleetwood, piano. Tickets at door £3, children £2.
Monday 12th October, 3 pm to 5 pm Arthurstone Neighbourhood Library, 5 Arthurstone Terrace, Dundee DD4 6RT Community and Voluntary Sector Consultation with Johann Lamont MSP (Labour Party Equal Opportunities spokes-person). To register or have more information please contact Marlyn Glen's Parliamentary Office (01382 509509); email marlyn.glen.msp@scottish.parliament.uk.

Prayer Points for this week

  • the Vice-President of Conference at the Labour Party Conference, Brighton, Mon-Tues;
  • the President of Conference visiting India (with MRDF) from Tuesday to 7th October;
  • Connexional Leaders Forum, Mon-Tues;
  • Revs Lily Twist and Jeremy Dare (Shetland) at Chairs' Meeting, Tues-Wed;
  • Blairgowrie and Montrose Church Councils on Monday & Tuesday respectively; Dundee's Council on Thursday;
  • projects and Homes in Sheffield District (Methodist Homes);
  • working for justice with young adults (Christian Aid);
  • Centres for Armenian Handicapped, Lebanon (BibleLands);
  • The Leprosy Mission's promotional work;
  • Bible Society work in Gabon and in Belarus;
  • we pray with and for the peoples of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia (WCC Prayer Calendar);
  • we remember fellow Methodists in Ulverston, Ambleside and Windermere (Cumbria District) and our Circuit colleagues in St John's, Arbroath, (Angus, Dundee & Perthshire Circuit)