Dundee Methodist Church

15 November 2015

Next Sunday
22 November 2015

11 am
Worship led by Mrs Judy Jarvis

We give the assurance of our thoughts and prayers to all who are unwell, awaiting or undergoing treatment, anxious, or grieving for the loss of loved ones.

We express the assurance of our support and care to those living with impairment to their senses, especially hearing and sight, or find themselves with more limited mobility.

Singing the Faith

The Dundee order for Singing the Faith has now been placed. It is hoped to introduce the new Hymnbook at the start of Advent (Sunday 29th November). It has been agreed that moneys left in memory of Nancy Easson and Jean McNab (close friends who sang together in our choir for many years) will be allocated to this.

Christmas celebrations

As in recent years, an invitation was sent to the congregations of Meadowside St Paul's Parish and Salem UR churches to worship in Marketgait on Sunday 27th December; we have now heard from both that they are delighted to join us for café-style worship that day.

They in they turn have sent warm invitations to us to the

  • Christmas Fayre in Meadowside St Paul's this Saturday, 11am to 1pm: “usual stalls, plenty of refreshments and home baking, and a chance for fellowship”
  • Christmas Evening Service with Nativity Play in Salem Chapel on Sunday 20th December at 6pm.

Junior Mission for All

Ian is resuming his post as local JMA Secretary, since we now have two children wishing to collect donations for the work of the church world-wide. They ask us to make contributions via their boxes, so please keep an eye open for them and give generously. Ian can supply more details about JMA.

Coffee at the Manse

Nick and Petra extend a warm invitation to all the Circuit churches and their people for coffee at the manse, between 10am and 12 noon on Saturday 5th December.

Circuit Meeting résumé

On Wednesday evening, members heard that the Rev John Butterfield will cease his appointment in the Circuit between Easter and 31st August 2016.

It was agreed that

  • no application be made through the (already started) Stationing process for Sept 2016 and that further consideration and work be done for staffing from 1st September 2017;
  • the Rev Nick Baker will assume pastoral charge of all 5 Societies for the year 2016-17, and planning be undertaken to ensure support for him;
  • the Circuit Invitation Committee work on a profile for a half-time Presbyter to be stationed in the Circuit from 2017, in the context of the discussion and decision at (next Saturday's) Synod anent application for connexional funds for a half-time Presbyter to work throughout the District to liaise with, develop, and support “small groups”.

Flowers

Elaine writes: “I would like to mention that, as of January 2016, Mr T Roberts has decided he is no longer able to commit to doing the arranging of the flowers every week at Marketgait and as I cannot take on this task, due to my work commitments, people on the flower rota will need to make their own arrangements, whether they would like to arrange their own flowers or have a florist to do this for them. I will still do the rota, so please contact me about dates.”

Note from Stewards: we suggest a further possibility, namely that others in the congregation might wish to offer to do arrangements from time to time on behalf of those on the rota who may feel unable or reluctant to adopt either of the above suggestions. If you would like to make such an offer or have someone else arrange your flowers, please get in touch with a Church Steward.

International Bible Reading Association

IBRA devotional and study material can be ordered through Heather. Please sign the paper on the vestibule table or contact Heather direct.

Meetings this week

Date & timeVenueDetails
Thursday 19th November 2015, 6.30pm to 8pm St George's Tron Church, 25 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 1HW “Forming Missional Communities”: an ecumenical presentation and discussion led by Professor Elaine Heath. She is an ordained Elder of the United Methodist Church, McCreless Professor of Evangelism at SMU Perkins School of Theology, and “a visionary leader and theologian, a mystic, an instigator, and passionate believer in the power of the Holy Spirit”.
Organised by the Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network. All are welcome - details from Helen Wareing: wareingh@methodistchurch.org.uk.
Saturday 21st November 2015 Clydebank District Representative Synod
Saturday 21st November 2015, 11am - 1pm Meadowside St Paul's Christmas Fayre; usual stalls, plenty of refreshments and home baking, and a chance for fellowship.

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in November for work in Burkina Faso. Our prayerful attention this week is drawn to

  • translation projects in Vietnam where there are nearly 100 minority languages and dialects;
  • access to Braille Bibles in Uganda;
  • launch of the revised Bemba Bible in Kasama, Northern Province of Zambia.

Prayer Points for this week

  • The President's visit to Royal Navy Chaplains;
  • 3Generate, children & youth assembly, next weekend;
  • Regional Probationers' Day, Thursday;
  • work in Bolton and Rochdale (Methodist Homes);
  • the people of Lebanon (Embrace);
  • work in Mozambique, southern Africa and Zimbabwe (The Leprosy Mission);
  • work with children in Beirut (Christian Aid);
  • Bible Society work in Burkina Faso;
  • maintenance work in Mareeba, Australia (MAF);
  • we pray with and for the peoples of Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea (WCC);
  • we remember fellow Methodists in the Borders Mission Circuit (Nottingham and Derby District) and in Cullen (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).