Month: November 2020

Call to Prayer 29th November 2020

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We come now to a significant place in the long journey that we have made over these past months and the place we have come to is where the season of Advent begins. The season speaks of Hope and, though it begins with a recognition that we still face the darkness, brings with it the promise of light. The 1st Sunday in Advent will, in years past, have echoed to the singing of ancient and inspiring words:

O come, O come, Immanuel / and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here / until the Son of God appear.

The words express the longing of the people of God to know the coming of God amongst them. In anticipation of this promise being fulfilled, the people of God sing out:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you O Israel.

In our hearts, the promise still resonates and so we awaitthe coming of God. Indeed, we may say that the season of Advent is a season of waiting and anticipation and one that yields the promise of God: ‘From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.’ (Isaiah 64: 4)
We wait and we pray:

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where the promise is renewed.
Even in the darkness,
We look for the light of your presence to be revealed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where hope is renewed.
Even in the midst of all that we have faced in times past,
We trust in the hope that does not disappoint.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where we must wait for a time.
Even though we have waited in times past,
We gladly do so again trusting that our waiting shall yield the coming of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place of anticipation.
Even though we do not yet see,
We anticipate the good gift that you will offer.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where we resolve to journey on.
Even though we have travelled through hard times,
We go forward, trusting in the promise:
Immanuel, shall come to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

  • Signed by:
    Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
  • Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
  • Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
  • Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
  • Rev. Lindsey Sanderson, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
  • Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
  • Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
  • Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
  • Rev. Claire Fender, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene Pastor
  • Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
  • Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
  • Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)

Call to Prayer 22 November 2020

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The imagery of the shepherd is woven into our understanding of the way in which the living God cares for us: ‘I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flocks when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep.’ (Ezekiel 34: 11-12) These words speak to us and resonate in the depths of our soul. They do so because they speak to our longing to know that, in all we face, God watches over us and searches for us when we are lost. The words speak to us, especially in difficult times, and resonate profoundly in days of darkness.

The times in which we live are difficult indeed and dark for many. At such a time as this, we still ourselves and listen for the voice of the One who calls us by our name. The Shepherd calls us by our name, even in the darkest of times, and comes to journey with us. The Shepherd journeys until, in God’s good time, the darkness yields to the promise of the One who comes to reign as King forever.
We pray:

Good Shepherd,
Speak to us at this time
And hear us when we call to you.
Answer our call
And come to journey with us.

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Good Shepherd,
Search for us when we are lost
And gather us safely into your presence.
Speak to the depths of our fears
And still our anxious hearts.

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Good Shepherd,
Stand with us in the midst of these times
And do not forsake us.
Search for the lonely and the anxious
And embrace them in your love.

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Good Shepherd,
Strengthen us when we stumble
And renew us when we are weak.
Stand with all who are made in your image
And who reflect your goodness.

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Good Shepherd,
Support us when we suffer
And bring healing when we are wounded.
Strengthen us that we might strengthen others
And be with them in all we face together.

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Good Shepherd,
Speak once more to our hearts
And offer us vision and hope for days to come.
Go before us Shepherd King
And lead us into the future that you hold in your hands.

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Signed by:

  • Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
  • Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
  • Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
  • Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
  • Rev. Lindsey Sanderson, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
  • Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
  • Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
  • Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
  • Rev. Claire Fender, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene
  • Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
  • Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
  • Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)

Prayers for the Prayer Handbook

The theme for the Methodist Prayer Handbook 2021/2022 is ‘a place for all’.

A Place for All

No one was excluded from Jesus’ table and eating with him was a sign of the kingdom of heaven and an invitation to meet God and to be transformed. We recognise that we do not always offer such generous welcome or listen to the voices on the margins.

As the Church strives to be God’s people in a world changed by a global pandemic, we invite prayers of thanksgiving and intercession, penitence and resolve that, with God’s help, we may recognise and repent of our exclusivity, and that then we may be reconciling, open to all and ready to listen to all voices equally. Together, we pray to become a more inclusive and diverse Church, creating communities of greater respect and compassion.

In addition to prayers on the theme of the Handbook, we invite prayers of thanksgiving, adoration and confession and prayers on the themes of justice, times of life and times of day and the comforting presence of God for the opening pages of the Handbook.

Prayers must be no longer than 120 words.

Please also email photographs that will help to bring our theme to life. Photographs with people in are particularly welcome. Photographs should be sent in their original size. Please provide a caption and state where the photograph was taken.

The deadline for submission of prayers and photos is 11 January 2021.

The exception to this is prayers and photos from schools. For schools only the deadline is 29 January.

Please send contributions to: prayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk. Please also provide your name, postal address and how you would like to be described.

Before sending contributions, please read the full submission guidelines at: www.methodist.org.uk/prayerhandbook

Community Fridge in Brought Ferry?

At the online meeting of the Broughty Ferry Churches Group this week, there was a presentation by the Administrator of the West End Community Fridge Project based at The Gate.  Community Fridge Projects seek, in cooperation with a range of agencies and groups, to address issues of ‘food waste’ working with supermarkets and other retail outlets.  Interest in the possibility of a Community Fridge in the Ferry has also been expressed at Community Council meetings.  BFCG is therefore seeking to facilitate a meeting of those interested in exploring this further, as partner groups working together.

 

Advent Bible Study

Advent bible study poster

Nik Wooller, Andrew Baker and Laurent Vernet (both Strathclyde) invite you to to travel with them through Advent 2020 along with others who live life with a Methodist flavour in Scotland. They say,
“It would be great to have people from across the districts [Scotland and Shetland] looking at this remarkable story together!”
There will be a presentation, using material from Paula Gooder’s book “Journey to the Manger”, and then discussion groups when we can share and learn together.

All sessions on Thursdays at 7pm

  • Genealogies – 26th November
  • Announcements – 3rd December
  • Arrivals – 10th December
  • Aftermaths – 17th December

To join, email amb.strathclyde@btinternet.com, expressing interest: you will receive a Zoom link.

Andrew Baker; Nik Wooller; Laurent Vernet

Call to Prayer 15 November 2020

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‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ In the Gospel of Matthew, these words are spoken to the servants who have wisely used the talents entrusted to them. In our reading of the Parable of the Talents, we remember that the meaning of the word ‘talent’ has subtly changed. Originally, the reference is to a measure of weight and we learn from this that the weight of money entrusted to the servants is considerable indeed. In our contemporary reading, we are more apt to think of ‘talent’ in terms of gift and ability, and we read and mark this subtle distinction carefully. (Matthew 25: 14-30)

In these unprecedented times, we are conscious of the very considerable investment that has been made in sustaining the community and society of which we are a part. In facing the challenges that are before us, we are again conscious of the work of those who seek, on a daily basis, to renew the health and well-being of our community and society. We act with them and pray for them. Indeed, we are all called to use that which has been entrusted to us to serve and bear witness to the love, grace and mercy of God. We do so trusting that, at the last, we shall hear the words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’

We pray:

Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for the gift of life entrusted to us
And for the knowledge that we are made in your image.
In these times, may we bear witness to the gift you have given to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for the gift of family and of friendship
And for the companions who join us on the way.
In the community in which we share, renew the ties that bind us together.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for those who serve within our community and society
And who, by their work, sustain our common life.
In these times, strengthen and renew them in all they do,
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you that you call us to serve and to bear witness
To your love, grace and mercy.
In the community of the faithful, may we never forget this calling.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for all those who through their talent,
And by their research, give hope to the world.
In these times, may we share generously the fruit of that hope.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you that you reveal your life to us
In the community of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In the life to come, may we hear: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Signed by:

  • Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
  • Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
  • Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
  • Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
  • Rev. Lindsey Sanderson, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
  • Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
  • Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
  • Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
  • Rev. Claire Fender, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene
  • Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
  • Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
  • Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)

Call to Prayer: Sunday 8th November 2020

Prayer @ 7pm

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The season of Remembrance invites us, at one and the same time, to look back and to look forward. As we look back, we recall those who have gone before us and, on a broader scale, the human tragedies that have scarred our world. The tragedy of human conflict continues to scar the lives of so many at this time and so our act of remembrance has an immediate resonance in present times. As we look forward, we affirm the living hope that is founded in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In affirming this hope, we resolve to live our lives shaped by that hope and so our resolve has an immediate resonance in present times. Remembrance of the past and hope for the future shape our lives in the present.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear of what it is to live as those who pray ‘thy Kingdom come’ and who anticipate the coming of the Kingdom. Jesus said: ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.’ (5: 43-45 a)) In these challenging times, we are invited to embrace the teaching of Jesus anew and to live in the present as those whose lives are shaped by ‘the life of the world to come’. We pray:

Living God,
We come before you
To look back and to remember.
In our remembrance,
We give thanks for the lives of those who have gone before us
And who have shaped the world in the light of your Kingdom.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
We come before you
To look forward and to affirm
The hope founded in the resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ.
May we journey hopefully in these times
And live lives shaped in the light of your Kingdom.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
We come before you
To remember those whose lives have been scarred
By past conflicts.
Grant to us grace to live as peacemakers
And strength to break down the barriers of division.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
We come before you
As we journey forward
And face the challenges of our times.
Grant to us that we may live
As those whose lives are shaped by the life of the world to come.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Signed by:

  • Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
  • Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
  • Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
  • Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland Rev. Lindsey Sanderson, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
  • Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
  • Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
  • Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
  • Rev. Claire Fender, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene
  • Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
  • Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
  • Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)

Connecting Women of different Faiths, Beliefs and Cultures

Interfaith Scotland invites women of all backgrounds to talks and conversation on the theme of ‘Connecting’ to celebrate Scottish Interfaith Week 2020

Monday 9th November 2020 10 – 11.30 am

Our keynote speaker is Roz Adams, a certified trainer with the Centre for Nonviolent Communication. Roz is the Project Development Worker with Glasgow-based charity Bridging the Gap which brings people together from all faiths, backgrounds and cultures to share meaningful activity, explore difference and find common, human ground. Roz will be joined by two volunteers from Bridging the Gap, Katherine Longmuir, a Scottish Catholic, and Huda Jaber, a Sudanese Muslim, who will speak about their experiences of putting faith into action by connecting with others. We will then have time to connect with one another in conversation in small groups.

This event is open to women and those who identify as women.

To sign up to attend the event please fill in the Google form at this link:

If you have any additional support needs to assist you in attending this event please email Frances Hume at frances@interfaithscotland.org