Dundee Methodist Church

11 January 2009

Next Sunday: 18 January 2009 Unity Octave

11 am
Worship led by Jenny Easson

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.

Service of Welcome for the new Dundee Congregational Minister

The Session and Members of Dundee Congregational Church have sent an invitation to our Minister(s) and representatives to a Service of Welcome for their new Minister, Rev Andria Benzie BD, at 3 pm on Saturday 31st January. It would be good for there to be Methodist lay as well as clergy representation on this occasion - if you hope to attend please advise a Church Steward or the Rev David Firth so that numbers may be given for catering purposes, preferably by next Saturday, 17th January.

Christmas thanks

Warm gratitude is expressed to those who facilitated our celebrations during Advent and Christmas by participation in worship; obtaining, decorating and dismantling The Tree (supporting the Bethany Trust's work with the homeless) and other decorations (with special mention of the Link Club); provision and distribution of cards & presents; catering, ………

Unity Octave / Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - 18th - 25th January

The Broughty Ferry Churches Group will mark this year's Unity Octave with the customary coffee-and-worship on Saturday from 10 am in the Baptist premises, St Vincent Street, Broughty Ferry.

The Act of Worship will take place in the Church at 11 am led by members of the BFCG congregations.

Next Sunday the annual Pulpit Exchange has been arranged as part of which the Rev Mary Patterson will preach in St Mary's Episcopal Church. Worship in Marketgait will be led by Jenny Easson.

“Sing a New Song”

Comments are invited by 31st January on the list for the new hymnbook. See recent Methodist Recorder Supplement or www.methodist.org.uk/newhymnbook.

Meetings this week

Date & timeVenueDetails
Wednesday 14th January, 7.30 pm Dundee Methodist Church, “B” Circuit Learning Group
Thursday 15th January, 7.30 pm Dundee Methodist Church, “B” Circuit Leadership Team
Thursday 16th January, 12 noon - 1.30 pm YMCA 151 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry (opposite “M&S Food”) (map) Broughty Ferry Churches Group Christian Aid lunch. The weekly lunch (£2) comprises a choice of home-made soups, bread & coffee, plus conversation with friends 'old and new'.
Saturday 18th January, 10 am and 11 am Broughty Baptist Church, 86 St Vincent Street (map) Broughty Ferry Churches Group coffee at 10 am and ecumenical worship at 11 am.

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

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

  • 2011 Trust planning for the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible;
  • new 'e-zine' electronic magazine for teenagers in Northern Ireland;
  • work of the United Bible Societies in times of large-scale population movement (“4 million alone from Iraq and other millions from Africa”).

Forthcoming events

Date & timeVenueDetails
Thursday 22nd January, 7 pm Dundee University Tower Lecture Theatre (building 1 on Campus Map) “Muslim and Christian Perspectives” - “Sharia and Biblical law” with speakers Todd Thompson (Cambridge) and Hamza Sodagar (Qum, Iran). There is no entry fee and light refreshments will be served after. See poster on noticeboard or contact John Clark for further information: email johndrummondclark@googlemail.com or mobile 'phone 07919 242847.
Saturday 24th January 11 am to 5 pm St Cuthbert's Parish Church, 5 Lothian Rd, Edinburgh Come and sing 'Creation' with John Rutter, arranged under the auspices of Friends of the Music of St Giles' Cathedral as part of a fund-raising programme to support a Tour to Canada and the USA. Scores will be available for use on the day at a nominal charge of £2. For Registration Form and copy of letter, see Vestibule table.
Wednesday 4th February 7.30 pm St Paul's Cathedral, 1 High Street, Dundee “Talking Around Paul” - The second in the series of lectures in St Paul's Cathedral; Richard Holloway will speak on “Talking around Ethics”. Admission is free and refreshments will be served after.
The series forms part of a programme for “The Year of St Paul” - see www.stpaulscathedraldundee.org or phone (01382) 224486 for more information.
Saturday 14th March 7.30 pm Saughtonhall United Reformed Church, Edinburgh EH12 5TR “Messy Church Training Day”; an ecumenical event (cost £10). See poster on noticeboard for details and Vestibule table for registration forms (the Ministers, Lorna & Margaret, & the Eassons can supply more).
It seems like an event at which Dundee and the Circuit should have representation from among Ministers, Preachers & Worship Leaders, workers with children, Stewards, anyone interested ……. The District Children's Work Support Group would like to see every church and circuit send someone - please act quickly (by 1st March at latest) as it may be booked up!

Prayer Points for this week

  • the President of Conference in the Liverpool District this weekend, with the Vice-President in the Newcastle District next weekend;
  • Methodist ecumenical work and cooperation, particularly on civic and public issues at Holyrood and Westminster;
  • resumption of Christian Aid lunches in the YMCA, Broughty Ferry, those who prepare and serve them throughout the year;
  • work in the Lincoln and Grimsby District (Methodist Homes);
  • those made homeless by the floods in Bihar, India, last summer, and agencies working with them (Christian Aid);
  • Hadana Kindergarten run by the Diocese of Egypt in a very poor area of Cairo (BibleLands);
  • The Leprosy Mission's work in Ethiopia, Sudan, & Uganda;
  • Bible Society work in China;
  • we pray with and for the peoples of Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey (WCC Prayer Calendar);
  • we remember fellow Methodists in Darlington (Darlington District) and in Granton (Edinburgh & Forth Circuit).