6 January 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.

Giving

Envelopes or donations for Action for Children, and / or the Mission in Britain Fund, should be given direct to David Easson as soon as possible, so the appropriate cheques may be written and moneys sent off.

Rev Mary Patterson

The Senior Circuit Steward is pleased to intimate that the Rev Mary Patterson will begin a “6-week phased return” to her ministerial duties, from next Wednesday, 9th January. We assure Mary of our continuing prayerful support and understanding, especially during this phased return. We are asked to note and observe her own request that, “for the first week from Wednesday 9th January, contact with her be initially at her initiative.”

Methodist Prayer Handbook 2013-14

The editor, Primavera Quantrill, is inviting contributions for the next connexional Prayer Handbook and our Chair of Synod, Lily Twist, has expressed the hope that the District will again have a number of contributions included, ie of printed prayers and / or photographic illustrations.

The theme for 2013-14 is “Light and Hope”, based on lines from the hymn 'May the God of hope go with us everyday' (Singing the Faith 411).

Full details of requirements are available on the Vestibule table or from the Office or Synod members.

Contributions are to be sent by 16th January to the District Office, Scottish Churches House, Dunblane, FK15 0AJ; email: fiona@methodistchurch.plus.com.

Catch Up on Christmas Messages

• The President of the Methodist Conference, the Rev Dr Mark Wakelin, has issued a Message, inviting us “to discover a vulnerable God this Christmas”.
• The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Rev Olav Fykse Tveit, has written on the themes of light and justice:

“Isaiah taught that the coming Servant of the Lord would encourage even the dimmest light as it burnt in the midst of darkness. The hymn of incarnation that opens the Fourth Gospel proclaims that the light shines still, despite the darkness, for gloom and death shall never overcome the Word, the life, the light of God.

What the Word has brought into being is life, and the life is the light of all people. In the coming year, the World Council of Churches will focus its witness and work around a simple prayer, which serves as the theme of our 10th Assembly: God of life, lead us to justice and peace.

In the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, we are particularly aware of God's gift of light revealed in the eternal Word who became flesh, and who dwells among us even now. This is the light that gives us hope for this present world in spite of disunity, abuse, hatred, violence, poverty, greed and corruption.

Christ's light is the lamp for our feet that shows us the way toward justice and peace. Even when our own wicks burn dimly, the Word of God withstands the darkness, faithfully bringing forth justice on our common way toward peace.”

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in January for work in Ukraine.

• 'At the start of the New Year SBS invite us to join in prayer for the overall work towards giving access to the Scriptures in their own language to the 350 million people who do not have a single book of the Bible in their first language.'

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• United Bible Societies' Global Translation Team with the prospect of 125 full translations of the Bible due for completion by next year (2014);
• use of the Gospel of Mark in Serbian Romani (received at Easter 2011 in Leskovac, Serbia) and publication of 4 Gospels due early this year;
• expected completion of Beembe New Testament in Congo;
• provision of Braille Bibles by the China Partnership for the 75.5 million people in China with severe visual impairments;
• translation of the BasisBibel Old Testament in Germany;
• completion of Bible in Mongondow in Indonesia where the New Testament was produced in 2006.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• the President and Vice-President of Conference in the Newcastle upon Tyne District next weekend;
• work in Indonesia (Mission Aviation Fellowship);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in promotional work in Europe;
• Bethany Girls School on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, near the separation barrier (Embrace);
• projects in the Chester and Stoke District (Methodist Homes);
• continuing rebuilding in Haiti after the earthquake three years ago (Christian Aid);
• Bible Society work in Ukraine;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Egypt, Israel-Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in St Albans and Welwyn (Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire District) and in Peterhead (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).

• 30 December 2012
• 13 January 2013

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