“I am currently on the ferry home from Hoy! ……, I am home this weekend in time for Church.
Starting on Monday, Martin and I are starting a fundraiser for the hospital I worked at in Malawi last year. It’s a 6-week “10k a day” cycle! All the money we raise will go to the hospital, which is a charitable Presbyterian Mission hospital.
…. We have an online sponsorship page, and I will bring a sponsorship form to Church.
Best wishes and looking forward to seeing you on Sunday!”
Moira
The governing document of the Methodist Church (CPD) says that
‘Church Stewards are corporately responsible with the Presbyter…for giving leadership and help over the whole range of the church’s life and activity...’
As part of that responsibility, the current stewards – Sue, Mary, Fiona and Sue meet together regularly to discuss matters of church life. It is really helpful to us to be able to reflect the wishes and thinking of all church members and those attending worship – so please feel free to approach any of us, at any time, with thoughts, suggestions, information, concerns etc.
We will next meet with Rev Nick Baker at the Manse on Tuesday at 10am.
I am contacting those who regularly serve as collection counters, door stewards, and coffee servers. The quite small group of people who form these teams, would welcome (are in need of?) “an infusion of new blood”. Please contact me or a Church Steward if you think you may be able to offer help on Sundays – albeit maybe on an infrequent basis. Thanks, Jenny Easson.
Not all donations to the ClothesBank prove suitable for clients’ needs, so it is proposed to make such surplus goods available to others, for suitable (eg craft) use through the above Event
in Marketgait
on Saturday 2nd March
from 10am to 3pm.
Please give support as you are able:
BFCG agreed to express their concern for refugees, here and abroad, and also for persecuted Christians, through 2 donations from available Group funds. Donations have been made to
A presentation “Large Cheque” was handed to a representative of Dundee Refugee Support before last Tuesday’s BFCG meeting – keep your eyes on local press!
Persecuted Christians world-wide
Everyone is invited to share in this social occasion at Perth Methodist Church on Saturday 16th February, beginning at 2.30pm. The afternoon will include a performance by Perth’s U3A Ukulele Band, items by two of Perth’s own musically talented members and a tea party!
There is no charge but donations to PMC’s 2019 Malawi Project will be gratefully received during the course of the afternoon.
On her recent visit to the FoodBank, Liz topped up donations with more toothpaste (2 tubes already donated) and sets of toothbrushes, having read a newspaper article about families sharing a single brush; Foodbank staff confirmed that this is the case and they have to constantly supply these (ie ‘this is not a newspaper invention’ / ‘fake news’).
We were once again thanked for our continued support.
The need remains:
In mid-December Margarita wrote:
“Christmas is approaching and our hearts are burdened with worries. In May, four of the political parties introduced changes to the law on religion that aim to severely restrict all minority religious groups.
Such changes are in direct violation of the Bulgarian Constitution that guarantees separation between Church and State and religious freedom for all citizens. They threaten the existence of all minority groups.
Despite protest letters from religious groups across the country, as well as from outside Bulgaria, Parliament passed all proposed changes. These included an increase in the minimum number of people required for registration from 300 to 3,000.
If accepted, this would threaten the registration of the majority of Protestant denominations, including the Methodist Church.
Politicians here want the law to be passed quickly and implemented immediately.
Despite street protests by Christians, one party leader declared openly that they would fight “with teeth and nails” for the articles to be passed exactly as proposed. Please continue to pray for us.”
Then on 21 December Margarita sent us this update:
“Today, in its final working day for 2018, Parliament passed the new religious law in Bulgaria. We are happy to inform you that to our great relief 95% of the proposed restrictions were dropped.
It has taken a lot of work by many people to reach this outcome. This includes international pressure, as well as seven Sundays of official prayer marches and protests in Sofia and other cities.
It has also involved prayer and fasting, TV interviews, other media activity and discussions with members of the Parliament’s Commission on Religion and Human Rights.
We are grateful to God for all the support that we received. This has shown our politicians that, though we are a minority, we are part of a big worldwide family. We are a force to be reckoned with.
As a representative of the Bulgarian Methodist Church I would like to thank everyone who helped. I’m especially grateful to the World Methodist Council, the European Methodist Council and the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church women for their support.
We have one more reason to celebrate this Christmas. Our hearts will gladly sing praises to our Lord Jesus for his power and might, love and faithfulness.”
This open meeting will take place in Marketgait from 1pm on Wednesday 6thFebruary. Discussion will include further consideration of points raised in recent Discussion Paper conversations, as well as planning for the observance of Lent (8th March – 14th April) and Easter. Please give apologies and any feedback, comments, or suggestions for material, to Sue Commander (Convener). All are welcome to attend or send their views.
