5 July 2015

Sunday 12th July

11am : Worship led by

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.
Our best wishes are expressed to the Rev Mary Patterson in her preparations to move to the Ayrshire and Renfrewshire Circuit and to the Rev Nick Baker and family as they come to this Circuit.

Worship next week

Next Sunday's worship will include an act to bless a replacement wedding ring. The couple were married by Grahame Lockhart some time ago in Durham.

Property News

As some are aware, recent rains revealed that the short term repair to the roof/pipes still has some defects. These are being investigated and further remedial work will be undertaken as soon as possible. Apologies are offered to any affected by this work: please contact Lorna or Sandy for updates or advice.

Manse Open Day

Entry to the new Circuit Manse, in the Clearwater Park estate, has been arranged for Thursday 9th July and the Baker family's arrival for Wednesday 15th July. There is minimal work to be done to the premises and so an opportunity is being offered to look round the Manse on Saturday 11th July between 1pm and 4pm. (“For alternative viewing arrangements”, contact Sheila & Keith.).

Welcome to the Rev Nick Baker and family

The Circuit's Welcome Service, led by the Chair of the Synod, will be in Marketgait on Wednesday 2nd September at 6pm. This time has been arranged after consideration of work commitments (for some), travelling times (for some), and the Baker children's schooling: apologies are offered to any who find the timing tricky. Refreshments will be available before and after to try to assist with this. The Circuit and Church Stewards will be grateful, in due course, to have some idea of numbers planning to attend; in addition to Circuit folk, local ecumenical, community organisation and civic guests are being invited.

District Synod Spring 2016

This Circuit will host the District Synod next spring; it is likely that the presbyteral session will be held in Marketgait on Friday 22nd April and the representative session in the Central Baptist premises on Saturday 23rd April. Volunteer stewards will be needed for both and we are asked to note these dates now!

How can we be involved?

At the recent General Church Meeting, the following areas for Methodist involvement or contributions were suggested:

• Dundee Open Doors Weekend
  Our participation in the Weekend of September 19th and 20th has been agreed and Marketgait is included in the forthcoming brochure. The premises will be open to the public between 10am & 2pm on the Saturday and 12 noon (ie after worship) & 2pm on the Sunday, with displays by us about “who we are, what we do” and (hopefully) by our User Groups, with the serving of light refreshments.
  Work will be needed to make sure our premises are as attractive as possible, to assemble and mount displays, and to staff the premises during opening hours ('watch this space'!). Sue Marshall-Jennings is co-ordinating.
• Hot Chocolate is a project based in The Steeple Church, seeking to listen to and meet the wishes and needs of young people on the city centre streets. The project values support, often in small ways eg provision of 'Hot Chocolate Tubs' (ie donate via a receptacle, just as for Food Banks), donating ordinary cooking for the 'Exodus' summer school in July, financial donations. Sue has visited them with our District Development Officers and can provide further information.
• Bethany Christian Trust: a presentation and time for discussion will form part of the Café Service on Sunday August 30th.
• Listen Well Scotland project courses - contact Sue Marshall-Jennings for details.

Dundee Food Bank

Please continue to place items in the large bucket on the upstairs landing; clean plastic bags are also welcome. Liz Kay is our link person for this.

Visit of the President of Conference

The Rev Steve Wild will join in leading worship with our Chair of Synod in Scott Street, Perth on Sunday August 16th. In the afternoon there is to be a District Barbecue at Wallacestone, in the Central Scotland Circuit. All are warmly invited to attend.

Methodist Conference Appointments

Conference has elected the Rev Dr Roger Walton to be the President for the year 2016-17. Roger is currently the Chair of the West Yorkshire District; he is also former Director of the Open Learning Centre and Director of the Wesley Study Centre in Durham.

Conference elected Rachel Lampard to be the Vice-President for 2016-17. She is currently the leader of the ecumenical Joint Public Issues Team, based at Westminster; she is also a Commissioner with the Gambling Commission.

The Rev Gareth Powell has been appointed and installed as Secretary of the Conference in succession to the Rev Martyn Atkins. His successor as Assistant Secretary is the Rev Dr Helen Cameron.

Methodist Tartan lambswool scarves

A number of these have become available at a reduced cost of £7 (incl p&p). To order, contact Fiona Inglis in the District Office by Monday 20th July; email: fiona@methodistchurch.plus.com ; tel: 01786 820295.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

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

Our prayerful attention this week is drawn to

• SBS presence at the Keswick Convention;
• progress in creation of a Hebrew / Spanish Diglot Bible for Spanish-speaking immigrants in Israel;
• celebration of 200 years of the Icelandic Bible Society;
• the work of the Bible Society in Italy.

Prayer Points for this week

• The President-designate and the Vice-President-designate of Conference;
• The Scottish Episcopal Institute summer school in Coatbridge for a week from next Sunday;
• Methodist Ministers “changing stations”, & their families;
• residents, staff and projects in the Lincoln and Grimsby District (Methodist Homes);
• AHDAA - Agency for Humanitarian and Development Assistance for Afghanistan - working with vulnerable people in Afghanistan (Christian Aid);
• continuing relief work in Nepal ( MAF);
• Syrian refugee children in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon (Embrace);
• supporters in the UK (The Leprosy Mission);
• Bible Society work in Botswana;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela (WCC);
• we remember fellow Methodists in Melton Mowbray (Northampton District) and in Shettleston (Strathclyde Circuit).

• 28 June 2015
• 12 July 2015

© 2002—2021 Dundee Methodist Church Scottish Charity number: SC037954.