22 December 2013

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.

Christmas Worship

There will be no public worship in Marketgait on 24th or 25th December, when we are encouraged to join Services in local communities. Our own Christmas Celebration, as last year, will take place during the Café Service on Sunday 29th December, when we will be joined by Meadowside St Paul's Church of Scotland and Dundee United Reformed Church in worship led by Mrs Marcia Mackenzie.

(NB help in setting out tables on Saturday 28th will be appreciated)

Envelopes for weekly offerings

Envelopes for 2014 are now available. Contact Mary Foster for details of this scheme and information about Gift Aid.

AfC / Action for Children

The Worship Group recommended that donations, which are traditionally given to AfC (as to its predecessors) at this season of the year, be specifically identified for use locally in Dundee. We are invited to donate our “gifts of money” during worship today or give through the Church Treasurer. Last week's Communion Offering is also allocated to AfC.

The request will be made, as last year, that these are used to support the work of the Dundee Families Services.

Celebrating Christmas

Methodist Prayer Handbook 2014-15

The request has been made for prayers and images for inclusion in the next Handbook, on the theme “Partners in Sacrifice” (a phrase from Fred Pratt Green's hymn: H&P 804 / StF 415). Prayers should be no more than 120 words in length and submitted by 12th January. More detailed information.

Philippines Typhoon Relief

The sum so far raised through the retiring offering for donations via MRDF amounts to £95. The plate for offerings is out for a further week today.

MRDF have already sent an initial donation of £90,000, channelled through its ACT Alliance partner, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UNMCOR).

Details of relief work on site.

Dundee Methodists and Food Banks

We support the Dundee Foodbank by bringing in any of the suggested items from the Shopping List (on the table on the upstairs landing) and placing them in the large blue Bucket provided nearby. An explanatory slip is also available. There is also need for plastic carrier bags of suitable size; please place any spares by the Bucket. Monetary donations are also welcome. Contact Liz Kay for further information.

Thanks are expressed for all contributions, from church folk or others using our premises and facilities.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in December for work in Lesotho.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• translation projects in Guinea, also completion of Bible House;
• efforts to maintain justice and peace in Ghana;
• Bible Society of Cameroon reaching out to theological students, orphans, people who cannot read, and those living with HIV/AIDS;
• translation projects in Gabon, also outreach to Sunday Schools.

“Penny Gospel” and The Commonwealth Games

The Scottish Bible Society is preparing to launch a major Scripture project in connection with the Games in Glasgow next year. This will involve production and distribution of a special edition of Luke's Gospel, with inspiring stories of sporting men and women who believe their faith is worth More Than Gold. The aim is for thousands of copies to be given away in local communities, with a basic price of a penny per copy. Whilst the retail cost per copy will be set at 1p, the actual cost is nearer 20p, so this SBS initiative requires support. This can include signing up to a dedicated Penny Gospel prayer email at www.pennygospel.org.uk. See also the SBS letter on the library noticeboard.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• Palestinian farmers who have lost their land (Embrace);
• projects in the York and Hull District (Methodist Homes);
• flying in Timor-Leste (East Timor) ( MAF);
• ASUDA, sheltering women in northern Iraq (Christian Aid);
• Bible Society work in Lesotho;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Bénin, CÔte d'Ivoire, and Togo (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember Methodists in Airedale (West Yorkshire District) and in Buckie (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).

• 15 December 2013
• 29 December 2013

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