Category: News

Worshipping downstairs

The new Stewarding Team of Mary, Fiona, Sue and Sue, met together with Nick on Thursday evening and discussed many aspects of church life, including the proposal to worship downstairs with effect from the Harvest Service on 23rd September.

Whilst recognising that many people have concerns about this proposal, we do feel it is something that we should take forward, so want to give everyone the chance to talk about this openly and share their concerns.

We are therefore holding a meeting in the church on Thursday 13th September at 7.30 pm and invite everyone to come along.  If anyone is unable to attend but has views that they wish to make known, please speak to any of the Stewards or to Nick.  The move will also be discussed and reviewed at the Church Council meeting on 24th October.

District Prayer Diary

Sue Marshall-Jennings would be pleased to receive further prayers, especially relating to local situations and concerns, for inclusion in the Diary – in the next few days, please.

All are Welcome in this place

We sing this from time to time, but I have been challenged to take it more seriously.  I was very impressed with the arrangements at Methodist Conference to make the Conference accessible in all sorts of ways including a ramp up to an adjustable podium.

This came after learning that someone was not able to attend worship at our church because they turned up in a wheelchair.  This is a matter of regret and something we have the ability to do something about.  In addition, I recognise some of our own members struggle with the stairs.  Whilst we are working on plans for a lift as part of the refurbishment, this will take quite some time.  At the worship consultation we discussed meeting downstairs for worship on a Sunday.  Whilst there are some practical issues, these can be resolved and we are small enough in number to fit comfortably downstairs.  I would like us to try this so that we truly are a welcoming place of worship.

Welcoming all can also mean going out of the building to let people know they are welcome.  The first Dundee Pride takes place on Saturday 22nd September.  I have reserved a space in the march for Dundee Methodist Church.  I shall be going along with a few others.  If any of you would like to join us or find out more, please speak to me.

Nick

Worship Consultation brief résumé

Wednesday afternoon’s discussion included the following:

  • feedback on “Jonah in June” and Café Service and Trip for lunch at St John’s, Arbroath;
  • lengthy conversation about the challenges for all of us of how to actively be and appear “welcoming to and of all”
  • Harvest – Café Service on  23rd September based on All We Can material;
  • care for, interaction with, and involvement of children in worship, across a range of ages;
  • window and porch displays
  • next Meeting – Wednesday  7th November, 1pm.

Talking of God

A series of meetings on the theme Talking of God has been arranged over the autumn months. All interested are welcome to share in our consideration of how we speak of God – through stories, experiences and thoughts.

The meetings will all take place in the Methodist Church, Marketgait, on Wednesday September 26th, October 17th, November 14th and 28th, , from
7 to 8.30 pm.

The Start of the Methodist Year

The new Methodist Year starts on 1st September, and is the time for the new Church Stewards team to take office. We express our prayerful and active support to the new Church Stewards for the forthcoming year, our thanks to those continuing or demitting office, and our appreciation to all office-holders in our church community.

Fairtrade – Who picked my tea?

Many British blends include tea from Assam, where people get poverty wages, are scared to speak up and have no way out. The big British brands know this but aren’t doing enough to challenge it.

Traidcraft’s campaign calls on the big UK tea brands to publish their list of suppliers from Assam.

“Twinings have become the second big UK tea brand to publish their list of suppliers from Assam – a key demand of our campaign.  This follows on from Yorkshire Tea’s decision to publish their list in June.  Together Twinings and Yorkshire make up nearly one-third of the UK tea market so these are significant steps forward.

More than seven thousand people have sent in ‘Who picked my tea?’ postcards and taken our online action targeting the big 6 UK tea brands.  This has spurred the brands into action to publish their lists of Assam tea estates in full.

We now need to push the remaining four – PG Tips, Tetley, Typhoo, and Clipper – to do likewise so that British consumers and tea workers in Assam know where the big UK brands buy their tea from.”

The Big Story – Bible Awareness Day

If you hope to go to this District event in Perth on Saturday 25thAugust from 10.30am to 3pm, lunch provided; please register soon so its viability can be decided.

The speaker will be Adrian Armstrong (Scottish Bible Society) and there will be a range of resources on display.

Contact Sue Marshall-Jennings:

Mobile: 07787 380823

email:smj4409@hotmail.co.uk