23 January 2011

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.

Café-style worship next Sunday

For next week's worship, seated round tables, we are asked to note and act on the following:

• to mark Homelessness Sunday, there will again be an extra offering plate on each table for donations in support of Scottish Churches Housing Action;
• if a favourite Bible passage comes to mind, please bring this with you, in the version you prefer, for sharing during “table conversation”;
• if possible, please bring a Bible which may have special meaning for you, for showing to others.

Jenni Whittle who will lead the service has made the latter two requests to fit the agreed theme of “The Bible”.

Holy Land Pilgrimage Tour

The Scotland Methodist District Office draws our attention to the fact that there may still be places on a Tour of the Holy Land led by the Rev Ken Morgan (North of Scotland Mission Circuit Superintendent), from Monday 23rd May to Thursday 2nd June. Details from Ken (01224 313940) or the Methodist Office DistAdmin@scottishchurcheshouse.org; 01786 820295.

Scottish Churches House, Dunblane

Following recent meetings of the ACTS Members and of the ACTS Trustees, a statement has been issued by the Trustees, to the following effect:

• regretfully, it has been decided that the present business operations of the House will cease wef 15th July this year;
• enquiries and tenders are invited by Friday 8th April from organisations who might wish to lease the SCH property on a care and maintenance basis.
• ur prayerful support is invited for all working to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the current circumstances.

Methodist Prayer Handbook: 2011-12

Contributions for next year's Prayer Handbook are invited from all interested. Please send prayers and / or photographs to fit the theme “Run the Race” :

“The title of the 2011/12 Prayer Handbook is "Run the Race", inspired by sporting metaphors in scripture and hymns (H&P 710, 729;2 Tim 4, 7; Hebrews 12,1). In preparation for the Olympic Year in 2012, the Handbook will draw on themes of spiritual training, perseverance, endurance and self-discipline. We will also focus on our solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world.”

For more information on specifications required for material submitted, please contact the District Office (01786 820295) or see the papers in the plastic folder on the upstairs office noticeboard. The closing date for contributions to be with the District Office in Dunblane is Thursday 24th February.

Worship Group points

In addition to the requests for next week's Café Service, we are asked to note that

• planning for Lent will take place at the next Group meeting;
• the Church Council will be asked to consider the viability of a public act of worship in Marketgait on Christmas Day 2011;
• the next Worship Group meeting will be at 6 pm on Thursday 17th February, ie preceding the Church Council. It will take the form of a “working tea”.

“Broadcast”

Copies of dundeeforchrist's magazine (Issue 10) are now available on the Vestibule table. One article describes the life and work of the Broughty Baptist Church, our ecumenical partner through the Broughty Ferry Churches Group. As already intimated, their Pastor, Brian Talbot, will lead worship in Marketgait on 20th February.

Methodist Relief & Development Fund

The Annual Review for 2009-10, entitled “Going Forward” is now available, providing stories to illustrate the support given to over 15,000 people in 8 countries during the year. The booklet states that

• “on average farmers who received support from MRDF reported that their household income had increased by 96%.”;
• MRDF income generation and micro-credit projects helped over 10,000 people to increase their incomes this year;
• MRDF helped to ensure that over 80,000 people were protected from preventable illnesses;
• MRDF projects have empowered people who are marginalised because of their gender, age, HIV status or social background to challenge the systems that keep them locked in poverty;
• 91p in every £1 received went directly towards helping the world's most vulnerable people.

Year of the Bible 2011 - next question!

Why are the following 2 people important in the history of the Bible in this country?

• Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte (1813 - 1891)
• William Laughton Lorimer (1885 - 1967)

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited for work in January in India. See noticeboard for more information.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• opportunities for Scripture distribution in the Maldives;
• outreach last year to 3,500 children and youth, literacy classes in 45 churches, and provision of audio Bibles to another 400, in Bangladesh;
• completion of Bible translations into Quetzaltenango and Poqomchi in Guatemala;
• major decisions facing the Bible Society in Honduras.

Prayer Points for this week

• The Vice-President of Conference in the Bristol District next weekend;
• Methodist Council, Monday-Tuesday;
• The ACTS Secretariat and Network members;
• The Circuit Leadership Team and all Circuit office-holders;
• residents and staff in the Plymouth and Exeter District (Methodist Homes);
• Cedar Home in Beirut caring for 21 girls (BibleLands);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in central India;
• impact of 2011 as The European Year of Volunteering (Christian Aid);
• Bible Society work in India;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway & Sweden (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Birmingham (Sutton Park Circuit (Birmingham District) and the work of MHA Auchlochan, Lesmahagow (Lanarkshire Circuit).

• 16 January 2011
• 30 January 2011

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