27 July 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.

Ministerial Pastoral Cover

The Rev Mary Patterson will not be available until Monday 4th August. If necessary, please contact the Rev John Butterfield (01786 474070) or a Circuit Steward.

Gift Aid

In the tax year finishing earlier this year, with Mary Foster's hard work, particularly with the new additional Small Donations Scheme, the Church has been sent £5869.41. Of this £5066.81 is “traditional” Gift Aid, £676.41 the new Small Donations money (based only on _ of the year ie since we started our new recording scheme) and then three sums which the Treasurer must pass on to Mission Treasurers viz World Mission Fund (£70.83), Mission in Britain (£47.61) and Easter Offering (£7.75).

Many thanks to all, but especially Mary Foster!

Chairs

We are asked to note that, as the regular “chair people” will be away, chairs should be stacked at the close of worship today, set out for worship next Sunday, but then left until Sunday 10th and thereafter. The Church Stewards will be grateful for assistance in seeing to chair removals at these times.

Methodist Prayer Handbook 2014-15

The new Handbook, “Partners in Sacrifice” is now available and an order has been placed, through the Circuit, with a few extra included in the Dundee total; if you wish a copy and have not yet signed the sheet on the glass vestibule table, please do so or let Jenny Easson know.

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.

District Youth Event

Information is available about this gathering at Dalguise Perthshire from September 5th - 7th; two places were reserved until June 6th for young people (P7 to S4) for each Circuit but some are still available.

If you are interested please advise the Rev Mary Patterson and also contact Hayley Dunn Hayley@ymcaedinburgh.com or Terry Wright wesleyhorse@googlemail.com .

Montrose Service of Thanksgiving

A service to commemorate the work and witness of Montrose Methodists through their New Wynd premises will be held on Sunday 24th August 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 time of thanksgiving and fellowship.

Their building is in the final stages of being sold, but they are to continue as a “church” in some form, somewhere! To be continued …..

Rotas

Fiona is preparing the rotas for the period from September to November. She - and all the Church Stewards - are grateful to all who assist on Sundays and will welcome into the various teams others who are able to offer help, even if on a less than frequent basis. 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 or another Church Steward know.

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

A Generous Life is the overall theme adopted to encourage Methodist people to reflect on their giving and contributing in all aspects of life, as follows:

“As a discipleship movement shaped for mission, we are engaging with our generous God to: give more time give more money know more of what we are doing and can do to change the world,”

In his introduction to the 'Mission Matters' report on the work of four Methodist funds, Doug Swanney (Connexional Secretary) has written:

“Over the last year ….. there have been two particular initiatives which have supported us, what it is to live a 'generous life' and how we are passionate about the 'one mission' that God calls us into … The words 'thank you' do not do justice to conveying what has been given and what has been achieved. They are however the most appropriate as together we rejoice in all that God has gifted to us and the ongoing giving of people to the one mission of God's Church.”

The four main Methodist Funds are

• The World Mission Fund, supporting programmes administered through the World Church Relationship;
• The Mission in Britain Fund, supporting a wide spectrum of mission;
• The Methodist Church Fund for Property, working in aid of or on behalf of the Trustees of Methodist Properties;
• The Methodist Church Fund, at the core of Methodism facilitating all areas of being a Church.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in July for work here in Scotland.

Our prayerful attention this week is drawn to

• distribution of Scriptures in Iran and Iraq amidst political tensions and disturbance;
• distribution and use of The Penny Gospel produced to coincide with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow;
• SBS presence at and contributions to the Keswick Convention this week;
• literacy classes in Bangladesh run in partnership with rural churches.

Prayer Points for this week

• The President and Vice-President of Conference;
• Methodist Minsters becoming “supernumerary” and “preparing to sit down” - ie retire from stationing; also their families at this time;
• Bible Society work in Scotland;
• Partners SEND in Sierra Leone, working through small-scale lending (Christian Aid);
• residents, staff and supporters in the Plymouth and Exeter District (Methodist Homes);
• ministering in Mongolia (MAF);
• work in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda (The Leprosy Mission);
• Gaza YMCA and young people (Embrace);
• we pray with and for the peoples of The Caribbean (WCC);
• we remember fellow Methodists in Kennett and Test Valley Circuit (Southampton District) and in Clydebank (Glasgow Circuit).

• 20 July 2014
• 3 August 2014

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