20 June 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.

“Come As You Are”

This material aims to help exploration of what belonging to the Methodist Church means. The Pastoral Committee and Church Council encourage EVERYONE to think carefully and share together what “Membership” implies for us all today, through coming together on a series of evenings (or during the daytime) hopefully during the summer.

David Firth (223059) & Jenny E need to hear from anyone interested in this, today if at all possible.

Circuit Meeting résumé

The Meeting on Wednesday

• agreed the proposals contained in “Further Forward”, with Review through a Circuit Forum in Spring 2006;
• determined that Jean Murrie’s ‘Farewell’ be on Saturday 28th August at 5 pm in Perth (replaces previously announced event in Blairgowrie);
• noted that authority has been given by the Connexional Property Office (‘Manchester’) for the sale of the Manse in Perth;
• considered the “District Review” Consultation Paper and agreed that comments be forwarded to the District Office

(NB anyone may send comments – ask members of the Circuit Meeting to obtain / see a copy of the Paper)

“Quiet Room”

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

News-sheet Circulation

For those who are not able to collect a news-sheet each week, it may be helpful to note the following:

• back-copies are stored on the Vestibule table for about a month after issue – help yourself!
• the upstairs office has a file of copies from recent years & the Editors have a full archive at home – for consultation / one-off photocopying
• details from the news-sheet are published (and archived) on our website
• electronic mailing – an email attachment system is already in operation, contact the Editors to be added to their circulation list
• Pastoral Visitors and others may deliver / post copies on a regular basis if requested

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

The Leprosy Mission

The Leprosy Mission (Scotland) marks its 130th anniversary this year. The Leprosy Mission was founded in Dublin in 1874. “Initially working in India, The Leprosy Mission now has over 2,300 field staff operating in 28 countries in Africa and Asia, working towards a world without leprosy.

Leprosy is a disease affecting people today. Each day there are 2000 people diagnosed with leprosy – sadly one fifth of them are children. Leprosy is now curable, thanks to the remarkable success of MDT (multi-drug therapy).

In the last twenty years the number of people diagnosed with leprosy has fallen dramatically. However an estimated four million people are left permanently disabled by leprosy and they will need support for the rest of their lives. Each year around _ million new cases are found – many of them already displaying irreversible physical damage.”

TLM Scotland: 89 Barnton Street, Stirling FK8 1HJ Tel: 01786 449266; www.tlmscotland.org.uk

Scottish Bible Society

Our attention this week is drawn to

• ‘Year of the Bible’ in Germany, also initiatives from the First German Ecumenical Church Convention
• Newly-elected Board and staff of the Bible Society in Hungary
• Christfest Celebration organised by Dumfries & Kirkcudbright Presbytery (Church of Scotland)
• Revision of the Common Language Old Testament and new translation of Mark’s Gospel in Italy
• Work and witness in Libya

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• Methodist Conference meeting, residentially, in Loughborough from Wednesday;
• Rev Mary Patterson, attending Conference as a representative from the Scotland Synod;
• the witness of the Circuit’s congregations in their communities;
• partners and projects in Colombia, especially MINGA (Association for the Promotion of an Alternative Society) working with displaced people (Christian Aid);
• newly-opened Chandigarh Bible College in Punjab, India (Feed The Minds);
• The Leprosy Mission’s work in Mozambique, Southern Africa, and Zimbabwe;
• Bible Society work in Democratic Republic of Congo;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Togo;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Southampton Circuit (Southampton District), and in Partick (Glasgow Circuit).

• 13 June 2004
• 27 June 2004

© 2002—2003 Dundee Methodist Church.