02 January 2005

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.

Tsunami Disaster

Donations (marked “Asian Earthquake Fund”) will be sent by MRDF to the local relief agencies who need it most. MRDF will, as usual, work closely with ACT (Action by Churches Together) to ensure that donations go quickly and effectively to the suffering.

ACT is already aiding efforts by ecumenical church groups to provide food, shelter and medical supplies. Partners include The National Council of Churches in Sri Lanka (NCCSL); in India, Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA); in Indonesia, Yayasan Tanggul Bankana (YTB), Yakkum Emergency Unit / Cd Bethesda (YEU), and Church World Service (CWS). See paper on noticeboard for details (as at 29/12/04) and updates on www.methodist.org.uk and http://act-intl.org.

Advent and Christmas Thanks

Thanks are expressed to all who contributed to the marking of Advent and Christmas, through coordinating, providing symbols, leading and taking part in worship; decoration of the premises (especially the “tree-providers” and the Link Club for the L-shape room); donations to the Buffet Lunch; purchase of gifts for the Children’s Group; moving chairs, tables, ……

Creche arrangements

It would now be helpful to have a ‘creche’ rota for use on a more regualar basis as necessary. Anyone willing to take the “wee ones” out for a time during worship is asked to contact Elaine (Baptismal Secretary / Creche Coordinator) or Paddy, Senior Church Steward, as soon as possible. Thanks.

Property Items

Please note the following

• the photocopier in the upstairs office will be out of use until an ordered replacement part arrives – contact Jenny or David for updates
• the premises are not receiving their regular cleaning over the holiday period.
• redecoration of the premises will take place in January, probably towards the middle or end of the month.

Financial support of the Church

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Amnesty International – Global Letter-writing Campaign 2004

Between 1st November and 31st January, Amnesty International UK asks supporters to send cards with messages of hope and solidarity to victims of human rights violations and those who defend them. Details of person or bodies to whom cards may be sent, plus guidelines for doing so, are available on the papers on the Vestibule table.

NCH

• The sum of £260.42 has been raised through the December Communion Offering, Christmas Day collection, and envelopes received. Thanks are expressed for this support of the work of the Methodist Church’s child and family care agency.
• “NCH Scotland celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2005. It supports over 8000 of the most vulnerable children, young people and their families at 66 projects across Scotland, so that they have the opportunity to reach their full potential. NCH Scotland aims to raise an additional £250,000 this year, to create the NCH Scotland Opportunity Fund – tackling poverty of opportunity for Scotland’s children. Later in the year, NCH Scotland will also be producing the NCH Scotland children’s charter – looking beyond tomorrow.”
• A copy of ‘Welcome to NCH Scotland’ is on the Vestibule table - take, read and return.

Make Poverty History

A “Church Launch” will be held on Saturday 29th January from 11 am to 4 pm in Bloomsbury Baptist Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, as an “ecumenical event to mobilise and inspire people of faith to take action throughout the year” (see leaflet on Vestibule table).

Anyone in London at that time is invited to join in – there will be plenty of opportunity for Scotland to make its mark also, notably at the time of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles in July.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President of Conference in Chepstow today and in Reading next Sunday;
• Methodist Relief & Development Fund staff and all agencies responding to the Asia Earthquake appeals;
• ‘Make Poverty History’ planning in Scotland;
• children and young people in the circuit’s five congregations;
• HIV/AIDS-related work and workers (Christian Aid);
• production of teaching materials for children and teenagers by Scripture Union Croatia (Feed The Minds);
• The Leprosy Mission’s work in North East India – Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Nagaland, West Bengal;
• Bible Society work in Ghana;
• we pray with and for the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula*, Iran and Iraq;
• we remember fellow Methodists in the South Molton Circuit (Plymouth & Exeter District) and our own fellowship & witness based in Dundee (Angus, Dundee & Perthshire Circuit).

* Saudi Arabia, The Gulf States (Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman), Yemen Arab Republic, People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen.

• 26 December 2004
• 09 January 2005

© 2002—2003 Dundee Methodist Church.