28 June 2015

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 Cover

During Conference this week, please contact Jenny Easson (Senior Church Steward & Pastoral Secretary) in the first instance should a Methodist Minister be needed.

Methodist Conference 2015

Conference is meeting this week in Southport to Thursday lunchtime. Conference can be followed on-line (except for closed sessions) through links on the Conference website and there are also links to twitter, general Conference news and the Agenda.

New Manse in Dundee

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.

General Church Meeting résumé

At last week's GCM the following business was included:

• the Minister's overview of the past year;
• election of Church Stewards wef 1.9.15 - Jenny Easson, Graham Pickthall, Sue Marshall-Jennings, Larry Jennings, and Paddy McFarlane, with thanks to Chi Tak Chan and Fiona Thomas who retire;
• election of reps to Church Council - Lorna Dewar, Kate Green, Chris Pickthall (no change);
• the Treasurer's financial report - OSCR approval awaited for accounts to 31.8.14; statement of current year's finances; update on recent water ingress damage (short-term work undertaken, longer term still to happen);
• a Conversation on the Church's future, introduced by Sue Marshall-Jennings: re-appraisal of premises; suggestions for outreach by us and in support of others - Open Doors Weekend, support to Hot Chocolate in The Steeple Church, Bethany Christian Trust (presentation at August Café Service), courses run by the Listen Well Scotland project.

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 acting as our main link person for this.

Hot Chocolate

This project is 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.

Harvest celebration

It is proposed that this be held on on Sunday 27th September.

Food Bank thanks

Dundee Foodbank has sent a certificate acknowledging donations made by and through Dundee Methodists during 2014: our gifts of 213.5 kg (over 30 stones) provided food for 27 individuals.

Recent donations of 75 kg will have provided 3 days of meals for 9 persons (calculated by the weight of a standard food parcel). See certificate and letter on noticeboard.

• Thanks go to Liz Kay for acting as our link person.
• Please place items in the large bucket on the upstairs landing - clean plastic bags are also welcome.

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in June for work in Nepal - remembering especially the effects of the recent devastating earthquake.

Our prayerful attention this week is drawn to

• Pass it on campaign in New Zealand to transmit Bible knowledge to forthcoming generations;
• New Testament translation into Shekgalagari for the Bakgalagari people of Botswana;
• meeting of SBS, Salvation Army, and American Bible Society personnel in New York to explore Bible literacy programme for children;
• summer camps, church holiday clubs, and youth events during the school holidays;
• Bible Society work in the Republic of Ireland.

Prayer Points for this week

• Methodist Conference in Southport until Thursday;
• our Circuit colleagues in Montrose and Blairgowrie adjusting to their new surroundings and circumstances;
• residents, staff and projects in the Leeds District (Methodist Homes);
• supporters of the 'Fast for the Climate' on the first Wednesday of each month (Christian Aid);
• 'the UK team' (MAF);
• Habitat for Humanity's work to improve housing and health conditions in isolated Egyptian villages (Embrace);
• promotional work in western Europe (The Leprosy Mission);
• Bible Society work in Nepal;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru (WCC);
• we remember fellow Methodists in Northampton (Northampton District) and in East Kilbride (Strathclyde Circuit).

• 21 June 2015
• 5 July 2015

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