A café service will take place on Sunday 1st March instead of the last Sunday of the month. Within the worship there will be an opportunity to think about and share thoughts regarding pastoral care in the life of church – all accompanied by refreshments.
Our study of this book continues on Wednesday 19th February, when we will discuss chapters 8 & 9. All welcome.
Café Service on Sunday March (not 29th).
Shared congregational Easter Breakfast at 9.30am on Sunday 12thApril, preceded by Holy Communion at 9am.
The candle will be lit shortly before commencement of worship; the congregation is asked to prepare quietly for the service from this point.
Next meeting – Tuesday 5thMay, 10am in “L”.
The Book chosen by the Connexion for this year’s Bible Month is the Old Testament story of Ruth.
A District Training Day will be held on Saturday 21stMarch in Perth Methodist Church from 10.30am to 3.30pm.
Our Circuit Preachers are to attend and an invitation is given to anyone else interested to do likewise.
Register through Eventbrite via http://www.preachweb.org/biblemonth
More details from Lorraine Darlow: 07799900471
The Redevelopment Group met recently.
The cost of essential work and our limited redevelopment proposals is around £400k, and would not deal with the heating, the roof, the kitchen, the drains or improve the energy efficiency.
We are making a substantial loss on the building each year.
The Group does not feel that redevelopment is now the way forward, and suggests we need to consider seriously how long we remain in Marketgait and what the alternatives might be in the light of our mission.
The Church Council on Tuesday will be asked to consider options for the congregation. All members of the congregation are invited to attend and participate in the discussion.”
Rev Nick Baker, the Church Stewards, Margaret Goudie (Group convener)
Dear friends
As I write at the beginning of February, it seems just a moment ago it was Christmas and then in this plan we will travel through Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy week and Easter and Pentecost at which point summer will be just around the corner! Time is a curious thing – it slips by even what you’re not looking, and all the while there is the stuff that needs to be taken care of in our lives, at home, in our families, at work, in church.
In the telling of the creation story of creation, we know that God blesses time (Genesis 2:1-3). Time, like life is a blessing of God and in the beginning, we are being reminded to simply spend time with God. The story of Jesus being tested in the wilderness is time apart with God and Lent encourages us to embrace and do likewise. To allow ourselves simply to be in the presence of God without a list, agenda or anything else. In Mark’s account of the gospel after learning of the death of John the Baptist and before responding to the crowds (feeding of the five thousand) Jesus says to the disciples:
“Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.” Mark 6.31
There is need to pause amongst the everyday of life and take a breath and the authorised version captures it well – a time to come ‘apart’ in the presence of God. As Jesus notes elsewhere there will always be demands on our time but hardwired into us, in the act of creation, is the need for us simply to take time to be in the presence of God.
The blessing of God rest upon you, with love, Nick
A prayer for Brexit day by the Revd Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference
However we feel about today
We mark this Brexit day
As people who grieve or celebrate together
One people
Loved equally, freely and unconditionally
By the one wise all-seeing God
Either way let us hold this day gently
Giving ourselves permission to leave
Without elation or despair
Determined to love our neighbour
Support the weak and welcome the stranger
Lord of all life
Let your servants depart in peace
And live according to your Holy Law.
A letter of thanks for our November Communion Offering donation has been received from Poppyscotland, referring to their continuing work in
