01 August 2004

We give the assurance of our thoughts and prayers to all who are unwell, awaiting or undergoing treatment, or anxious or grieving for the loss of loved ones.

Sudan Appeal

The amount raised by retiring offerings in recent weeks was £180.25, which has been forwarded, via the Methodist Relief & Development Fund, to the Disasters Appeal Committee.

Communion

During next Sunday’s Sacrament, the Minister will invite communicants to come to the Communion Table to partake of the bread and wine.

Link Club News

• Over the summer, trips are being organised for members. These include seeing the floral arrangements commemorating Enable’s 50th anniversary (in Dundee and at the Fife end of the Tay Road Bridge), and visits to Quarry Mill, Perth.
• Lorna, as Secretary, has received literature about Dundee University Further Learning courses - see Vestibule table.
• A College student has been with us “on placement” and this has helped our staffing ratio, as well as giving her experience of the Club and its members.
• A degree of concern has been felt about the decrease in numbers of our “on duty” Helpers. Anyone interested in joining us is invited to see Lorna or any Club Helper.

“Quiet Room”

The downstairs back room is being prepared as a place forquiet reflection & personal prayer before worship on Sundays.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Remember this week

• Increased accessing of the Swedish Bible Society’s website
• Preparation of ‘The Backpacker’s Bible’ by the Bible Society in Australia for distribution among young adult travellers
• Display of Bible-based works by artist Peter Howson, during the Edinburgh Festival
• Bible depot, recently opened in Marouai in northern Cameroon – the first project in the region
• Audio-recording of local-language Bible in Gabon.

The Factory Skatepark

Derek Marshall (Operations Director) – tel: 221222; email enquiries@factoryskatepark.com; www.factoryskatepark.com

Trade Justice Campaign

The public launch of “Vote for Trade Justice” will coincide with the opening of the Labour Party Conference in Brighton on September 26th. The Launch will feature international speakers and celebrities, and also a Church Service “for inspiration and reflection”. Invitations will be given to Ministers and MPs “to cast their votes too”. The campaign is aimed at building momentum in the run up to the G8 Summit and encouraging the UK Government, also then holding the Presidency of the EU (July – Dec) to take action for trade justice.

Next April “The People’s Week of Global Action for Trade Justice” aims to unite millions world-wide.

International Finance Facility (IFF)

Methodist Conference has given backing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s initiative to create the IFF, and also to ecumenical campaigns towards this; the Chancellor has expressed his appreciation of the support given by the Methodist and other Churches.

The principle of the IFF is that, in addition to aid given regularly, donor governments in rich countries should guarantee additional flows of funds from the private sector to the developing world. The Government is working to encourage international support for the IFF, with potential benefits increasing as the number of participating country governments grows. The participation of major economic powers, such as the USA and Germany, is very important. The hoped-for launch of the IFF would be during 2005, as the UK holds the Presidency of the EU and the G8.

The support of Churches has been specifically invited by the Chancellor, not least for their own international networks. The IFF is seen as complementary to other campaigns for an increase in aid budgets and the reform of world trade. It does have the potential to make a positive difference.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President of Conference preparing for his visit to Kenya this month;
• Lindsay Sanderson, taking up appointment as Assistant General Secretary of ACTS, based in Dunblane;
• treasurers in our Circuit congregations;
• partners and projects in Peru (Christian Aid);
• books about minority groups and human rights, produced by Nirali Kitaben, an interdenominational publishing house in Pakistan, - and their readers (Feed The Minds);
• The Leprosy Mission’s work in Bhutan, and in Nepal;
• Bible Society work in Scotland;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Canada;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Doncaster Circuit (Sheffield District), and in Clydebank (Glasgow Circuit).

• 25 July 2004
• 08 August 2004

© 2002—2003 Dundee Methodist Church.