Category: News

Myanmar Earthquake Appeal 

The situation following the earthquake in Myanmar remains desperate. More than 3,400 people have died and
hundreds of people are still missing. Many more have no access to the safe shelter, clean water, food and
medical care they need to survive. The Methodist Church in Britain remains in contact with our partner, the
Methodist Church Upper Myanmar, offering prayers and solidarity.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal to help with the relief effort. Christian Aid (of which the Methodist Church was a founding partner) is one of the 15 leading aid charities that make up the DEC.
Find out more about the appeal and donate here

Alpha Course

Broughty Ferry Churches Group offer an Alpha Course to explore together the basics of Christian faith, on Wednesdays at 7 pm in the St Aidan’s Centre, Brook Street; it will run for 10 weeks.  All are welcome.

World Day of Prayer

Christian women world-wide invite everyone to share in the annual World Day of Prayer Service, traditionally held on the first Friday of March.  This year’s theme is “I made you wonderful” from Psalm 39 based on material from our sisters in the Cook Islands.  Services in Dundee on Friday 7th March 21025 will take place in St Andrew’s (Catholic) Cathedral, Nethergate at 2.30 pm and in Barnhill St Margaret’s, Broughty Ferry at 7.30 pm.  Everyone is warmly welcome to these or other services.

Pastoral letter from Andrew Baker

Dear Friends in the Angus, Dundee and Perthshire Circuit,

Greetings to you. Every Lord’s Day, every first day of the week, every Sunday Methodist people gathering to offer worship in response to the God who loves extravagantly. There will not be vast numbers in the congregations around our circuit, but we are part of a much larger company from around the world, stretching back over centuries. This worship – sometimes noisy (as we beat out the tune to a great Wesley hymn), sometimes silent – expresses the joy and pain of the journey of the Christian life.

On this preaching plan we tell the story of God’s love proved to us in the living, dying and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a story which come to life in us as we experience the depths and the heights of human experience here on earth. We shall hear that story told again – and something will come to us afresh which will prompt transformation in our lives.

This God – so identifying with human experience that there was a death on Calvary’s cross – is real in the rubble which is Gaza as people try to rebuild lives. This God on the Ukraine-Russia border. This God in the depravity of what is happening in Sudan. This God in Scotland. This God in the joy and pain of our families’ stories. This God, who knows us, draws close to us in a special way as we worship and offers hope.

As we make the Lenten journey through to Easter in our worship, study and relationships, we open ourselves to the power of love. Those of us who prepare worship for these weeks ahead will take care to proclaim the reality of that love in the messiness of human life today. All of us who will gather to worship will take care to receive the signs of God’s love made known to us. Those unable to gather will take care to find ways to connect with this God – through whom there is hope for the world – and for each of us.

Peace be the journey.

Andrew

Marking Candlemas

2nd February is observed as Candlemas, traditionally the date of the Presentation by his parents of the baby Jesus in the Temple, 40 days after his birth.  It also can be taken as the close of the liturgical Christmas season.

In some countries, old customs are maintained, including pancake-making, end-of-year payment settlements, children dressing-up, eating honey, and, unsurprisingly, lighting candles (long-burning wicks indicate a good year for beekeepers in Hungary!)

Dundee Gathering (12th January 2025)

Points to note

  • Continuing process towards District-wide Scotland Circuit: need for a new Circuit Leadership Team, ideally representative of all areas (if interested, contact Andrew Baker).
  • Preachers to be consulted in coming weeks about what / where they could exercise their ministry; current Angus Dundee and Perthshire Preachers’ strong sense of togetherness, mutual support and knowledge of local congregations, hopefully not to be lost in future; changes may not appear great locally with main adjustment to government and administration.
  • The Rev Adam Stevenson (currently Forth Valley Superintendent) to act as Circuit Superintendent; the Rev David Bidnell (subject to Conference) to serve in this part of Scotland, living with wife Fiona in new smaller Manse ‘in Dundee’.
  • Current Dundee members of the East of Scotland Church Council to continue (General Church Meeting 1st June).
  • Worship & Fellowship:
    • preference expressed on behalf of all the children for ‘rhythmic music’, eg another Local Arrangements with musical instruments!
    • The Local Arrangement pattern on Plan to continue; David suggestion of possibility (in summer) of using Church of Scotland Murroes premises; coordination of transport etc possibly needed.
    • Lent – zoom studies to be offered by Andrew.
    • Easter – warm welcome for 9 am Communion, followed by breakfast and further Easter celebration at 11 am.
    • Possibility of café services (as pre-covid on 5th Sunday) mooted, noting recent worship “round tables” (eg Christingle).
    • Monthly fellowship to continue at 7 pm on first Saturday of month.
  • Dundee figure for inclusion in East of Scotland on Connexional Schedule of Membership at 1.11.24 = 24.
  • Outreach:
    1. monetary support for St Luke’s “to end of winter”(ie Easter);
    2. Women’s Hub – Andrew to enquire about monetary donation for “Hear for You”; Marian Taylor may participate in Local Arrangements? the Hub to figure in prayers.
  • Next Gathering: timing, format – ? April / around Easter (ahead of GCM etc)

Worship and lunch on Sunday 12th January 2025

Worship at 11am will be led by Rev Andrew Baker will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion.  All are welcome to partake of the Elements in Communion; the bread will be gluten-free and the wine non-alcoholic.

The Service will be followed by lunch together and a time of conversation to which all are warmly invited – soup and hot drinks will be available – if possible, bring food for food yourself and to share.

Proposed picnic lunch 12th January 2025

It has been suggested that, on Sunday 12th January when the Rev Andrew Baker is to lead us in worship in Roseangle, the opportunity be taken to stay for a shared picnic lunch together and time of conversation (ie the ‘Dundee Gathering / congregational meeting’, to be arranged for mid-January). This will give Andrew a better opportunity to meet some in person and for us to talk together about worship & activities in the first part 2025. We can also consider any need to change arrangements for the Local Fellowship ( zoom, monthly Saturdays at 7pm) and other ways of maintaining and deepening our fellowship and spiritual life.  It would be encouraging to have a good number of us present on that day if possible, hence my notifying you now. Liz has booked the premises for us for longer than our usual “morning worship use”.