17 August 2014

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.

Gift Appeal

The total now has reached £4190.88. We continue to be grateful for all the generosity from near and far.

Montrose Service of Thanksgiving

A service to commemorate the work and witness of Montrose Methodists through their New Wynd premises will be held next Sunday at 6pm, followed by refreshments served in the hall. The invited Preacher will be the Rev Tony Wells, former Minister in the (then) Arbroath and Montrose Circuit. Our friends in Montrose issue a most warm welcome to all to this special Service. If help with transport would be welcome, please contact Sue Marshall-Jennings or Jenny or David Easson.

Circuit Preaching Plan

The Plan for September - November has been distributed electronically and printed copies allocated to those who had so indicated. Please contact David Easson if you wish your name added to either list or if more printed copies are required for the vestibule table.

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.

Rotas

The Church Stewards are grateful to all who assist on Sundays and will welcome additions to the various teams. If you can assist with counting the collection after worship, offering welcome to those arriving for worship, or serving refreshments after worship, please let Fiona Thomas or another Church Steward know.

Prayer Handbooks

The ordered supply has now arrived. If you wish a copy and did not manage to place an order, please ask Jenny Easson as there are still some available.

Broughty Ferry Churches Group - Christian Aid

At a meeting of those involved with Christian Aid in the Ferry churches, including representatives of “soup-making teams”, it was decided, with regret but clarity, that the time had come to cease the regular weekly Friday lunches in the YMCA. There was acknowledgement of all that had been achieved over many decades, in providing awareness and financial support for those in need, in a setting for regular social gathering and friendship. However, it had become increasingly obvious that the regular commitment to facilitating the lunches was imposing a greater burden on a decreasing number of ageing people.

Commitment to Christian Aid has not declined and planning is continuing for future events, which will aim to bring together a range of people from and beyond the Ferry churches as well as supporting the work of Christian Aid. Among the proposals are

• focus on Lent as a season of focussed support for Christian Aid, in addition to “the usual study groups”
• a Flower Festival during Christian Aid Week in May.

For more information or to pass on suggestions or comments, contact Kate Green, David or Jenny Easson (Methodist representatives on the BFCG).

“Mission Matters” - the work of the main Methodist funds

The last of the four main Methodist Funds is

The Methodist Church Fund

This core Fund facilitates all aspects of being a Church, through

• Discipleship and Ministries which aims to develop responsiveness to our Christian calling through initiatives that
• equip and enable God-centred worship and prayer
• equip world-changing discipleship
• encourage ministries in patterns of witness and evangelism
• Mission and Advocacy, which develops
• publications and resources
• Communication
• World Church relations and partnerships
• Church Governance, holding together the work of
• Methodist Conference
• Church leadership
• Connexional committees
• professional areas - legal, constitutional
• Essential Support Services, including
• Finance (tax, payroll)
• property
• grant-support systems
• IT matters.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in August for work in Bangladesh.

Our prayerful attention this week is drawn to

• completion of the Kisi and Kpelle translations in Liberia and new translation projects for people who speak Gola, Mano and Dan;
• schoolchildren visiting the SBS interactive Bibleworld Mobile classroom;
• 'Mustard Seed' event in Madagascar reaching 27,000 children, also production of the Gospel of Luke for Antandroy, Bara and Sakalava speakers;
• expansion of the distribution network in Malawi, also production of Scriptures in a format suitable for non-readers and those with special needs;
• work and staff in Mali during political crisis.

Prayer Points for this week

• the Vice-President of Conference at Greenbelt Festival, Northamptonshire, next weekend;
• process for appointment of next Secretary of Conference;
• Bible Society work in Bangladesh;
• residents, projects, staff, and supporters in the West Yorkshire District (Methodist Homes);
• serving in Bangladesh using amphibious aircraft (MAF);
• provision of food, water and essential items to over 1 million displaced civilians in South Sudan ( Christian Aid);
• promotional work (The Leprosy Mission);
• 'Think and Do' assisting young widows in Egypt (Embrace);
• we pray with and for the peoples of The Pacific Islands (WCC);
• we remember fellow Methodists in Worksop and Kiveton (Sheffield District) and in Barrhead (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire Circuit).

• 10 August 2014
• 24 August 2014

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