8 February 2009

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.

Rotas

Mary F, as Senior Church Steward, is preparing the rotas for stewarding and other Sunday duties; she would be pleased to hear from or of people willing to join the Teams of Door Stewards or Coffee Makers - there are vacancies and the more folk on the list, the less frequently names come round! Warm thanks are expressed to those no longer able to be on the rotas, as to those continuing to serve in providing a valuable and much appreciated ministry of welcome on behalf of the whole Church.

United Service

Please note that there will be a United Service at 6.30 pm on Sunday 22nd February in Meadowside St Paul's Church, when the Preacher will be the Rev Andria Benzie, of Dundee Congregational Church.

Worship Group

Last Wednesday's meeting was postponed because of the inclement weather; please contact 'tricia about the re-arranged date.

Methodist Prayer Handbook 2009 : contributions

The Connexion's request for contributions to the next Handbook is commended to us by the Rev Lily Twist, Chair of the Synod.

Contributions of specially written prayers or favourites throughout the centuries are invited, as are our photographs, providing they are copyright-compliant.

The theme for the Handbook is “Each Returning Day” taken from John Keble's hymn “New every morning” (H&P 636).

Contributions should be sent by Tuesday 10th February to Fiona Inglis, District Administrator, Methodist Office, Scottish Churches House, Dunblane FK15 0AJ, or by email : meth@scottishchurcheshouse.org

For details on copyright etc, see email on noticeboard or contact Fiona (as above or telephone : 01786 820295).

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in February for work in Ukraine. See library area noticeboard for more information. Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• Elaine Duncan, Director SBS, visiting Turkey this week with leaders from across the Europe - Middle East Region;
• successful outreach in Namibia inviting prayer for the distribution of Scriptures in local languages and need for a translation manager;
• progress on translation projects in Botswana, including launch of the Kalanga New Testament and Psalms;
• continuing peace in Angola, recruitment of young people to carry out Bible work and the obtaining of land on which to build Bible House.

Fellowship of the Least Coin

This world-wide movement “of prayer for peace, justice and reconciliation”, closely linked to the (Women's) World Day of Prayer has invited prayer for 'the breaking down and crossing of barriers', symbolized by the giving of the coin of least value in the local currency, since its founding by Shanti Solomon over 50 years ago.

Money raised is sent to the World Council of Churches in Geneva and grants allocated by the International Committee of the FLC, whose current Chairperson is Jill King, formerly of Nicolson Square Methodist Church; her husband Paul was a Minister in the Edinburgh & Forth Circuit.

FLC money is dispersed through Block Grants to ecumenical organizations and through Project Grants. Occasional emergency grants are also made for relief and rehabilitation programmes in devastated areas.

The 2008 FLC Report intimates that a total of US$120,000 was given in Block Grants and US$130,000 in Project Grants. Among recipients of money from the Project Grants allocation were

• Otina Self Help Group - Kisumu, Kenya: fish-farming of tilapia and mudfish to support families economically;
• 'Healthy Children' under the programme “Protection of Life” of Caritas, St Petersburg, Russia;
• Holistic Ministries and Leadership Training with Women and Youth in Poverty and Marginalized Areas - project of Women's Ministry of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina;
• Centre for Fine and Arts for Under-privileged located in the Ayadina Centre, Lebanon;
• rehabilitation for Tsunami Victims, led by the Ecumenical Churches of the Solomon Islands;
• Project Chacocente to re-establish families from the city dump of Managua, Nicaragua, on rural land where they learn life skills for reintegration into society.

Jenny has more information about FLC whose Scotland Secretary (currently Helen Galloway) has ex-officio membership of the World Day of Prayer Scottish Committee.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• the President & Vice-President of Conference in Wales and visiting the Cymru District this week;
• District Ministers, Deacons & Spouses' Retreat, Tuesday - Thursday;
• The Circuit's Preachers and all at the District Conference in Dunblane next weekend;
• work in the North Lancashire District (Methodist Homes);
• separated families and communities (Christian Aid);
• The Helen Keller Centre for the Visually Impaired, Jerusalem (BibleLands);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Nepal and in Uzbekistan;
• Bible Society work in Ukraine;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Belgium, Luxembourg, and The Netherlands (WCC Prayer Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in Liskeard & Looe (Cornwall District) and in Kilsyth (Glasgow Circuit).

• 1 February 2009
• 15 February 2009

© 2002—2009 Dundee Methodist Church Scottish Charity number: SC037954.