3 September 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.
We give a warm welcome to our friends from Dundee United Reformed Church (Salem) at the outset of our journey of growing together in worship and witness. We express the assurance of Methodist prayerful support for the Rev Alan McGougan and for URC congregations in this area.

Methodist Covenant Service

It has been Methodist practice since the time of John Wesley to hold this annual Service in which we are invited to remember our calling as the people of God and to renew our commitment to God's service. This Service also includes the celebration of Holy Communion in which all are invited to participate as they wish.

Communion Offerings

It is Methodist Communion practice, again of long standing, to invite contributions in support of those less fortunate. In Dundee contributions are now invited via a plate inside the upstairs door. These offerings are allocated each month, by Church Council decision, to different Methodist or other charities. There is no compulsion or pressure to support this Offering - it is matter of individual decision and choice.

Methodist ClothesBank

Mondays 10am -12 noon (i/c Liz)

Thursdays 1pm - 3pm (i/c Sue)

• new Volunteers please contact Sue or Liz
• 'Rag bag' collection point: table at top of stairs - recycle and fund-raise!

Methodist Prayer Handbooks 2017-18

The supply has now arrived - please see Jenny Easson for ordered copies.

Circuit Preaching Plan

The Plan for September-November has been circulated by email with some printed copies also available on the vestibule table. Please let David Easson know if you wish your name to be added to either list for regular distribution.

Joint URC-Methodist Services in Dundee

These are indicated on the Plan; they follow a pattern of “worship together” every other Sunday, with 5 held in Marketgait and 2 in the URC Salem Church (Salem Street off Constitution Road, above North Marketgait).

The next meeting of the Methodist-URC Group will be in Salem on Wednesday 8th November. Please pass any comments or suggestions to Nick Baker, Jenny Easson or Sue Marshall-Jennings to enable conversation which will include an assessment of experiences hitherto and any possible “next steps” in the process of getting to know each other and growing & working together.

Safeguarding Training

New arrangements are still being agreed and will be notified in due course.

Dundee United Community Trust

The following notice has come to our attention and it has been suggested that inclusion in the church news-sheet might draw it to the attention of a wider audience:

“A reminder that we have free hospitality and mascot packages to give away to worthy causes in Dundee for every single Dundee United home league match this season (subject to availability and at the discretion of our trustees).

We are looking for worthy causes all the time and would ask that you please circulate this around your networks and/or make a nomination/request yourself. The donor is keen that we use the gifts to make a real impact on the local community and has given broad scope for usage. Some previous requests have included:

• Families that have fallen on hard times
• Other charities looking to raise funds and further/continue their work
• Rewards for outstanding contributions to our local communities

Please don't hesitate to get in touch to make an enquiry - 07824 776 063; Jamie.kirk@dundeeunitedct.co.uk; www.dundeeunitedct.co.uk.”

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support via the Bible-a-Month Partnership is invited in September for work in Bolivia.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• Bible Society of Spain's translation of the Bible into the Asturian language, used by 100,000 native speakers and some 450,000 second-language users;
• translation of the New Testament in Javanese and work by the Bible Society of Suriname to translate the Old Testament;
• production of an online version of the Old Testament by the German Bible Society;
• Bible Society of Swaziland's work among children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS.

Prayer Points for this week

• the President and Vice-President of Conference at Services to mark the start of the Connexional Year;
• newly formed Methodist Districts and Circuits, especially the Forth Valley Circuit in Scotland;
• ecumenical relationships in Tayside and Fife;
• residents and staff in the Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire District (Methodist Homes);
• bursaries to Christian schools in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza (Embrace ME);
• partner CBCA in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Christian Aid);
• work in Papua New Guinea (MAF);
• Bible Society work in Bolivia;
• work in south-east India (The Leprosy Mission);
• we pray with and for the peoples of Benin, CÔte d'Ivoire and Togo (WCC);
• we remember Methodists in the North Norfolk Circuit (East Anglia District) and in Cullen (North of Scotland Mission Circuit), and the URC congregation in Annan

• 27 August 2017
• 10 September 2017

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