6 March 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.

Marketgait Seating

To try to achieve a balance between an appropriate number of chairs for our size of congregation, space between and around rows, personal comfort, and flexibility, there may be some changes to what has become our regular arrangement of chairs for worship. 'Please bear with us and give us any comments (positive or negative)' is the request from the Minister and Church Stewards.

The Vice-President last Saturday in Arbroath spoke of Primitive Methodist advice: “Do not over-pew your bottoms”. This was not about sitting too long on hard pews (introduced in galleries), but having movable benches (at ground level) rather than fixed seating. Furnishings flexibility is apparently already a part of at least one strand of our Methodist tradition!

Circuit Preaching Plan

The Plan for March-May is now available and has been distributed by email, with some printed copies placed on the vestibule table. If you wish your name to be added to the list for electronic or printed copies, please see David Easson, and advise him if more copies are required.

Observance of Lent

Marketgait worship includes a responsive Lenten Liturgy at or near the start of the Service. There are no flowers upstairs but a symbolic arrangement has been created on the Beechwood Table in the porch.

Meadowside St Paul's: ecumenical Lent Study series in their church halls at 7.15pm on Tuesdays using material from 40ACTS 'do Lent generously'.

The Broughty Ferry Churches Group issues a warm invitation to the following:

• Study Group on Monday mornings (22nd February yet to be confirmed) in St Mary's (Queen Street, near Post Office Bar) from 10.15am to 11.45am, using the CTBI Pilgrimage material;
• Soup Lunch on Wednesdays (12.15pm to 1.30pm) in the YMCA, Brook Street (opposite M&S), in support of Christian Aid; soup & a filled roll, then tea or coffee will be provided, invited minimum donation of £3.
• Reflective Act of Worship on Wednesdays at 7.30pm in St Mary's (Queen Street) based round the CTBI Pilgrimage material.

Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees

This project was set up in late 2015 by several Scottish Churches and Faith Groups (including the Methodist Church) as a joint response to the growing humanitarian catastrophe. This joint faiths initiative involves a number of Scottish Churches and the main representative Ecumenical, Jewish, Muslim, and Interfaith Groups.

The project now has a website with more information and links to resources, consult www.sfar.org.uk or follow on Twitter @WithRefugees.

David Bradwell is a Methodist working for the Church of Scotland and currently seconded to this project through ACTS; his role includes offering support to local churches & leaders and advice on refugee and asylum issues. He can provide information, speak at a service or meeting, supply written material for local publications, and suggest possible practical courses of action. He also hopes to produce an occasional email newsletter.

If you wish to contact David about any of the above or to provide him with news of local needs / events, please contact him: email dbradwell@churchofscotland.org.uk or phone 0131 225 5722 (Church of Scotland office).

Community Bible Experience

The congregation of St James' Church Broughty Ferry are to undertake a planned reading of the Bible during 8 weeks from 17th April, under the above Scheme, and have invited others to join them.

The Scheme provides for daily reading of a specially-produced Bible (books arranged more chronologically, without internal subdivisions) and shared conversation with others in “Book Club”-style groups. To know more, contact David or Jenny Easson before Monday 21st March; register with St James' by Monday 21st March (Registration forms on table)

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in March for work in Paraguay.

Our prayerful attention this week is drawn to

• outreach by the Bible Society of Singapore through the Sower Institute and Ethos Institute courses and seminars;
• bookshops selling Bibles in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel;
• visit by SBS Chief Executive, Elaine Duncan, to the Republic of Ireland this week.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President and Vice-President of Conference at the Lay Workers' Conference, Monday-Thursday;
• Connexional Law and Polity Committee, Thursday;
• District Probationers Committee, Thursday;
• members and work of the Circuit Meeting;
• the people of Fiji, especially our Methodist sisters and brothers, following the devastation caused by cyclone Winston last month;
• residents, staff and supporters in the Lancashire District (Methodist Homes);
• Fairtrade Fortnight; International Women's Day, Tuesday (Christian Aid);
• the Princess Basma Centre in Jerusalem, working with autistic children and their families (Embrace);
• work in Bangladesh (The Leprosy Mission);
• work in Papua New Guinea (MAF);
• Bible Society work in Paraguay;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Burma and Thailand (WCC);
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Chorley and Leyland Circuit (Lancashire District) and all in the Rosyth Ecumenical Partnership (Edinburgh and Forth Circuit).

• 28 February 2016
• 13 March 2016

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