22 October 2017

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.

Methodist ClothesBank

• Wanted: volunteers, carrier bags, rag bag items and jeans
• If you would be willing to join the rota in the coming months, please contact Margaret Goudie. Men are especially welcome, since we have more male than female customers.
• There are regular uplifts of items in the “rag bag” - any still usable item of clothing or footwear can be contributed, the heavier the better. Money from the sale of rags enables the ClothesBank to buy underwear and socks for our clients.

Thinking about Advent

• The Circuit Preachers are holding a “training day” to which they warmly invite all interested; it will consider and plan for the marking of Advent in and throughout the Circuit's churches. The “day” will take place on Saturday 4th November in Marketgait from 10.30am to 4.30pm.
  “This is open to Preachers, Church Stewards, members of Worship Consultation groups and anyone else interested. It is hoped that during the session, as well as exploring many aspects of Advent, a suitable Advent liturgy can be agreed for use throughout the circuit.”
• The next Dundee Worship Consultation will be on Wednesday 8th November at 1pm.
  All interested are invited; feedback, comments on and material for worship can be given to Sue Commander.

“In Touch” - District newsletter

This is now being sent by email from the District Office with local distribution to be arranged by churches. If you wish to receive a copy by email or a printed copy, please let the Eassons know. There is a paper to sign on the vestibule table to indicate your wish. Alternatively, read it now!

“One Mission” Prayer Diary

This handbook to support our prayers for work in Scotland and beyond has been prepared by Sue Marshall-Jennings, with others; she is the District representative to the Connexional One Mission Group. The Diary has been circulated to Synod members but is intended for anyone wishing to use it. Please ask a member of Synod to forward it; may be available from the District Office: fiona@methodistchurch.plus.com;>tel: 01786 820295.

Church Council résumé

On Wednesday the following decisions were taken:

• reappointments of Church Treasurer (D Easson), Council Secretary (M Goudie), Pastoral Secretary (J Easson), the Independent Examiner (“auditor”) (F Thomas) and the appointment of the in-coming Finance & Property Convener (K Pearson);
• in connection with the church development, opening of a “property scheme” in the Connexional property system, also appointment of Andrew Black Design as architect; an initial sum of £5k to be identified within the church accounts as a “redevelopment fund”;
• as there will be no Communion Offering in November (Service in Salem URC), the sum of £50 will be forwarded to the Earl Haig Fund with no need for a (subsequent) retiring offering. This is the amount of the Communion Offering in November 2016 allocated to Tayforth Veterans, but returned to us because of difficulties within the organisation. The Council agreed that, given the work of Tayforth Veterans and the Earl Haig Fund both aim to offer support to former Service personnel, this amount could be treated as the 2017 Communion Offering for the Earl Haig Fund. Please contact the Church Treasurer with any comments or queries, and / or any further donations.
• Public Worship will take place in Marketgait on Christmas Day at 10.30am.
• Next meeting - Wednesday 7th February 2018, at 7pm.

Updates were received from the ClothesBank and the Link Club; discussion was held about Scottish Churches Housing Action, 'MHA extra Christmas card' (details to come), the return to be made to OSCR, process for decision-making by email, and Data Protection requirements.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Partnership is invited in October for work in Liberia.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• Peruvian Bible Society's Building Healthy Families workshops;
• Colombian Bible Society's work with local churches to provide food, education, and Bibles for the Wayuu indigenous community;
• 150th anniversary of Scripture Union, Friday;
• observance of Bible Sunday next Sunday.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• the President and Vice-President of Conference in the Sheffield District this week; the Vice-President in south-east England next weekend;
• Annual Assembly of the Baptist Union of Scotland in Motherwell on Thursday;
• outreach to and within our communities in the Circuit;
• residents & staff on the Isle of Man (Methodist Homes);
• Salaam Centre working in Ezbet el Nakhl, Cairo alongside Zabaleen rubbish-recyclers (Embrace ME);
• partner Philanthropy's work in Bujanovic refugee camp, Serbia (Christian Aid);
• work in Burma (MAF);
• work of International Directors (The Leprosy Mission);
• we pray with and for the peoples of The Caribbean, especially remembering victims of recent hurricanes and storms (WCC);
• we remember Methodists in the Bury St Edmunds Circuit (East Anglia District), and our Angus, Dundee and Perthshire Circuit colleagues in Montrose & the congregation of Knox United Free Church of Scotland.

• 15 October 2017
• 29 October 2017

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