28 August 2016

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 extend a warm welcome to anyone moving to live in this area or coming here for a shorter time for work or study; please introduce yourself to us and, if you wish, sign the Visitors' Book by the stairs, giving any contact details you may wish to provide.

Children in worship

On Sundays in July and August children may use the table at the rear of the worship area; material will be supplied for quiet activities. There will be no rota of adults to oversee children at the table or provide activities downstairs. Adults who bring children will be responsible for them throughout worship; if they wish, they may use the chairs at the head of the stairs for “quiet story telling”.

Preaching Plan September - November

The Plan for the next Quarter has been distributed electronically and some printed copies are available on the glass-topped table.

If you wish your name to be added to the list for either an electronic or printed Plan each Quarter, please let David Easson know. Please also tell him if more printed copies are required on the table.

Worship on Sunday 9th October

Please note that the Plan indicates Sunday 9th October as a Local Arrangement. This means that responsibility for the act of worship does not lie with an Appointed Preacher but with the local congregation. The Circuit Preachers' Meeting identified Stewards and the Worship Consultation as best placed to take this forward in Dundee, with other appropriate support.

Incoming water and drainage work: important alert!

The lengthy process to sort out our problems with the drains and water coming in has now reached the point where DynoRod are to undertake remedial work. Health and Safety considerations (ie for the general public as well as ourselves), have determined that this will take place on a Sunday. The implications of this are being actively considered and any consequent decision, including the date of the Sunday affected, will be notified as widely as possible, once the situation has been clarified and necessary decisions & arrangements made.

Doors Open Weekend

Marketgait will be taking part in the Dundee Doors Open Weekend on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September.

The suggested opening hours are

• Saturday 10am to 3pm
• Sunday 12.30am to 3pm - with public worship as usual at 11am.

Our entry in the programme refers to displays and refreshments. Sue Marshall-Jennings will be very grateful to know of people who are then available, able and willing to help - just having people on hand to generally chat to visitors can be useful!

Brochures are now available on the vestibule table - please take a copy for yourself and some to pass to others.

“The Way Ahead” - important developments

Following discussions at the General Church Meeting, the Minister and Stewards have sought to move forward, including looking further at the possibility of setting up a Job Club. Investigation and conversations have revealed that there is a more pressing need to set up somewhere for people to obtain cheap or free clothing that they could wear for an interview.

It is therefore proposed that we work with Dundee Council (who can provide some funds) to run a small Clothes Bank, specifically for smart interview clothing such as suits and formal wear. The downstairs office (former vestry) will be used to store these clothes and an appointment system established for people to come in and use the Clothes Bank.

The prayerful support of the whole congregation is requested for this development, which may also serve to support grant applications for the agreed necessary disability access improvements to our premises. Training can be available for those who feel able to actively assist with the Clothes Bank.

Please contact Nick Baker or Sue Marshall-Jennings about this development or to offer other help / find out more.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in August for work in Pakistan and in September for work in Algeria.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• SBS appeal to support Bible-based Trauma Counselling in Iraq;
• Estonian Bible Society's use of radio programmes, exhibitions, workshops and conferences to encourage Bible-reading;
• Bible Society staff in Algeria and their outreach work to the Berber people;
• establishment of 350 literacy classes for 7,000 students by Pakistan's Bible Society.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• the President and the Vice-President of Conference at the World Methodist Council meeting in Houston, Texas, Tuesday to Saturday;
• the new Methodist Connexional year, from Thursday;
• Methodist treasurers preparing accounts “for audit”;
• homes, residents and staff in the Darlington District (Methodist Homes);
• work in Madagascar and Mozambique (MAF);
• Bible Society work in Pakistan and in Algeria;
• partner CAB in Democratic Republic of Congo (Christian Aid);
• Think and Do's Life School serving rural Egyptian communities, (Embrace);
• regional offices (The Leprosy Mission)
• we pray with and for the peoples of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (WCC);
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Alderley Edge and Knutsford Circuit (Manchester and Stockport District) and in Armadale (Central Scotland Circuit).

• 21 August 2016
• 5 September 2016

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