27 November 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.

Action for Children

December has traditionally been the month for inviting Dundee Methodist support of the work of Methodism's child-care arm. This year's opportunities for donations are through

• Communion Offering on Sunday December 11th
• envelopes (Gift-Aided) distributed from next Sunday for return during or after Sunday 18th December
• donations via Margaret (AfC contact) or David (Church Treasurer)

NB as Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, no separate AfC offering will be uplifted on Christmas Day.

Flower Rota 2012

Elaine writes

“I would like to thank everyone on the flower rota for this past year. I do have some vacant Sundays on the rota for 2012; if you would like to have one, please contact Elaine at 01382 224186.”

Warm thanks are expressed to Tom and Elaine, for their commitment to the “ministry of flowers”, and also to those arranging for the pastoral distribution after Sunday worship.

Action of Churches Together in Scotland

ACTS draws our attention to

• the Advent resource written by the Quaker Representative on the Church Life Network, under the title “Oh, Why are we waiting?”; contact the Secretariat (01259 215964) or see www.acts-scotland.org.
• “A Quiet Day for Scotland” on or near the 30th November; we are invited to make time and find space for quiet reflection and / or join in a Quiet Day observance in our communities.

Same Sex Marriage and Ceremonies for Civil Partnerships

A formal reply is being prepared on behalf of the Methodist Church in Scotland in line with Connexional policy laid down by Conference. Individual comments are also welcome - see www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations. The closing date for submissions is Friday 9th December.

“The consultation asks if marriage in Scotland should be open to people of the same sex and through either a civil or religious ceremony, on the basis that a religious ceremony could only take place if the religious body and the religious celebrant were happy to carry it out.

Civil partnerships may not take place in religious premises and can only be registered by civil registrars. However there is nothing to stop a same sex couple receiving a religious blessing for their union. This has no legal effect but can provide a blessing to suit a couple's religious beliefs. It is up to religious organisations and their celebrants to decide whether they wish to offer such blessings.”

“The Fruitful Field”

The Methodist Connexional Ministries Committee has prepared this document which Conference commended for wide reading and consultation through the Church. Responses should be returned by Friday 23rd December.

“The Fruitful Field is a project about learning, formation, training, theological education, scholarship, research and development. It's about the future of the Methodist Church's connexional learning resources. It's about equipping the Church and its ministries, equipping the Methodist movement in all of its contexts and formational communities, and equipping God's people for discipleship and mission.”

Members of the District Policy Committee have printed copies and it is also accessible on the Methodist Church website at www.methodist.org.uk/fruitfulfield. It is important that consultation on this document is as wide as possible.

Methodist Prayer Handbook 2012-13

Contributions are invited by Tuesday 20th December for the new Prayer Handbook, entitled “Crossing the chasm”, in the form of prayers (max 120 words) or photographs. The theme seeks to explore ideas of reconciliation, living the peace of Christ in a broken world, and being drawn into God's programme of reconciliation within ourselves.

See www.methodist.org.uk for details.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in November for work in Egypt and in December for work in Rwanda. Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• political stability during elections in Nicaragua, also new Bible Society Board;
• 100 new Bible distribution centres in Panama, also warehouse premises and Bible training facility;
• annual engineering service in Hull of SBS Bibleworld Mobile trailer;
• development of good relations between expatriates and indigenous people worshipping in Libya especially during current regime change.

“Alive & Active”, the SBS magazine's autumn issue, is now here. Jenny is distributing copies to those on the “order list”, but there are also extra ones on the Vestibule table.

The Christmas SBS Appeal is for support of work in Bethlehem, “a town of danger, borders and checkpoints, where people live in an environment of instability, isolation, trauma, and poverty; a place where children have lost their childhood.” See library area noticeboard for details & how to support this Appeal.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President of Conference's MRDF visit to Ethiopia;
• Connexional Faith & Order Committee, next weekend;
• process for appointing the next Chair of the Scotland District;
• the future pattern of ministry within our Circuit and nation;
• projects in Wales (Methodist Homes);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Chad, Guinea, and Niger;
• World AIDS Day on Thursday 1st December (Christian Aid);
• Mission Aviation Fellowship work in Democratic Republic of Congo;
• Shams el Birr residential centre, Giza (BibleLands);
• Bible Society work in Sri Lanka and in Rwanda;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Dorking and Horsham Circuit (South-East District) and in Paisley (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire Circuit).

• 20 November 2011
• 4 December 2011

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