Month: June 2017

News sheet 25th June 2017

Grenfell Tower Fund

As intimated orally last week, donations may be made today to the Relief Fund to aid victims of the devastating fire in London. An offering plate will be available by the door before and after worship; contributions will be sent, as requested, to the Methodist London District for collecting and processing.

Methodist Homes Envelopes


Envelopes for donations in support of the work of caring for older people through the Church’s Care Agency may be returned in the offering plate today.

Curtains wanted

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Methodist ClothesBank

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Facilities’ Technician Holidays

Caragh will be taking the holiday to which she is entitled during July, so cover is needed for her cleaning and chair-removal duties. Help from those able to undertake moving furniture will be appreciated, between 3rd and 29th July.

Safeguarding Training

Further training is now required for “all those who participated in the initial Safeguarding training 5 or more years ago”.

Sessions have been arranged as follows; all last from 2-4pm:

Tuesday 4 July Arbroath
Tuesday 8 August Perth
Thursday 24 August Perth
Tuesday 5 September Dundee
Thursday 21 September Dundee

Please advise Marcia Mackenzie if you plan to attend one of these sessions. If you should be receiving this training, and none of these dates is suitable, please advise a Church Steward and/or contact Marcia Mackenzie; it is possible that an evening session can be arranged.

All are welcome – Safeguarding is the responsibility of each and every one of us.

Methodist Prayer Handbook: 2017-18

It has been agreed that Pam Bostock will again send in a bulk order for this Handbook; please sign the list on the vestibule table if you wish to order a copy, or contact Jenny Easson. The cost for an ordinary print copy is £3.50 and for a large print copy £3.95 – the bulk order will be “post-free”.

Copies should arrive in the Circuit during August.

Eagles Wings seeking new premises

The Eagles Wings Group is going to have to move from its existing base in the next few months, and so they are seeking alternative premises. A brief summary of what they are looking for appears below.

If you are aware of any possibilities which might match their requirements, please contact Eagles Wings direct with any suggestions they might follow up.

“We currently operate from the old Elim church in Dudhope Crescent Road, but unfortunately have been told that we need to move out within the next 3 months. We have fairly specific needs – we need to be central, have a space big enough to hold approx 50 service users, a large kitchen, at least 2 offices and a parking space for our soup kitchen van.”

Broughty Ferry Gala Week

The congregation of St James’ will again be “opening their doors” during the Ferry Gala Week, 2nd – 9th July.

They will also hold a Songs of Praise each Sunday evening at 6.30pm, with particular invitation to friends in the Churches Group to a “Churches Together” service on Sunday 9th July.

Requests for favourite hymns should be made to the Pastoral Locum, Cathy Brodie by Friday 30th June either by e-mail cjb@cathy.org.uk or by post to St James, Fort Street, Broughty Ferry.

Scottish Bible Society


Our support via the Bible-a-Month Partnership is invited in June for work in Nepal and in July for work in Argentina.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

  • Bible Society in Romania’s work with local churches on trauma-healing programmes;
  • children’s summer camps in Scotland;
  • Bible Society of Serbia’s contacts with children through local churches, summer camps, hospitals, and drug addiction centres;
  • Bible Society of Slovenia’s search for new premises with suitable office space.

Prayer Points for this week

  • Methodist Conference, Birmingham, to Thursday;
  • our Circuit friends in Arbroath looking for ways ahead;
  • Methodist Ministers and Circuits preparing for changes after Stationing;
  • residents, staff and supporters in the Northampton District (Methodist Homes);
  • SKILD (Smart Kids with Individual Learning Difficulties) working in Lebanon (Embrace ME);
  • work of PACS (Poorest Areas Civil Society) programme in 7 states in India (Christian Aid);
  • the UK-based team (MAF);
  • Bible Society work in Nepal and in Argentina;
  • promotional work in Europe (The Leprosy Mission);
  • we pray with and for the peoples of Kenya and Tanzania (WCC);
  • we remember fellow Methodists in the Nidd Valley Circuit (Leeds District) and in Greenock (Ayrshire and Renfrewshire Circuit)

 

Safeguarding Training

Further training is now required for “all those who participated in the initial Safeguarding training 5 or more years ago”.

Sessions have been arranged as follows; all last from 2-4pm:

Tuesday 13 June Dundee
Tuesday 4 July Arbroath
Tuesday 8 August Perth
Thursday 24 August Perth
Tuesday 5 September Dundee
Thursday 21 September Dundee

Please advise Marcia or Nick Baker if you plan to attend in Dundee on Tuesday 13th June and Marcia Mackenzie for any other dates. If you should be receiving this training, and none of these dates is suitable, please advise a Church Steward and/or contact Marcia Mackenzie; it is possible that an evening session can be arranged.

All are welcome – Safeguarding is the responsibility of each and every one of us.

Tea and coffee will be available on 13th June from 1.30pm.

The work of God around the Circuit

Dear friends

As we celebrate Pentecost, the sharing of the Spirit among God’s people, we can be encouraged by glimpses of the work of God around the circuit.

In Montrose, from 2nd July the Methodists are going to start sharing weekly worship with Knox United Free Church. This marks a new stage in the journey of Montrose Methodist Church. The two churches will remain distinct but share in Sunday worship and other activities. The leading of worship will be alternate Methodist and United Free (arrangements are being made to ensure Local Preachers have a copy of the BBC Songs of Praise hymn book which will be used). This is an exciting time after a good couple of years in the Dance Centre and is a response to prayer, seeking God’s guidance and invitation.

In Arbroath, St Johns are on the brink of beginning a clothing project (similar to that of Dundee) working in conjunction with Angus Council. In Dundee the clothing project has completed 6 months and has helped 85 people directly and a number of others indirectly. The main reason for people seeking help is homelessness. Such experience should prompt us to ask questions of all who are candidates in the coming General Election – please make sure you vote on Thursday 8 June.

The circuit has now taken possession of the new manse in Blairgowrie. Some work will need to be done in readiness for Nik Wooller and family arriving in August. Nik will begin her new half-time role with us on 1st September and will have pastoral oversight of the church in Blairgowrie/Rattray. She will share oversight with myself of the church in Perth and we will both work across the circuit. The welcome service for Nik will take place on Sunday 27 August 3:00pm at Perth by which time the ceiling will be up and the floor down! A service of rededication for the church will be held on the morning of 17 September.

Thank you all for your willingness to be open and allowing the Spirit to challenge us. The Local Preachers were reminded of the need for us to be flexible and open when we spent a good day with Bob Bartindale (the Connexional Ministry Development Officer for Worship and Local Preachers – and no he wasn’t keen on his title either!). As Methodists we are all strongly encouraged to engage with further learning to help us think about our experience of God in the contemporary world.

A good opportunity to explore faith is at the Solas festival 23rd-25th June near Perth. I shall be leading worship there on the Sunday morning. The day I attended last year was great – I heard local MSPs thinking about society and faith, I shared in a workshop led by the Corrymeela community leader, made shelters with refugees and just had fun. In July I shall visit Bulgaria and look forward to preaching at Sevlievo Methodist Church and discovering a bit more about the work Julya Walsh is involved with.

I encourage you all to pray for the mission and work of all the churches in the circuit and for Nik Wooller as she prepares to move. May we grow together in God’s love as we seek to serve our communities.

With love, Nick