Dundee Methodist Church

21 February 2010

Next Sunday: 28 February 2010

11 am
Worship led by the Rev Maudeen MacDougall

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.

Pulpit Exchange

During various conversations last year anent arrangements for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, it was suggested that the Revs Maudeen MacDougall and David Firth 'exchange pulpits' on some suitable Sunday, as part of our relationship as City Centre Churches. We warmly welcome Maudeen to lead and share our Methodist worship next Sunday when David will be in Meadowside St Paul's.

FairTrade Fortnight: 22nd February to 7th March

To mark this year's FTF, FairTrade focus is to be on tea, with encouragement to hold “Big Brew Events”, serving FairTrade refreshments and supporting tea producers. There are a reported 178 Big Brew Events registered (to date) and an estimated 17130 “cuppas” to be served.

Margaret has proposed that Dundee Methodists show their support for FTF during the regular serving of (FairTrade!) coffee and tea after worship next Sunday when she will provide a few extra activities to heighten our awareness of the issues behind Fair Trade:

  • Short DVD
  • Quiz
  • Information and news
  • “advocacy & lobbying” suggestions.

Lent Observance

Our prayerful and active support is invited as we share a Lenten journey of faith with fellow Christians in and beyond Dundee:

“Lent: 2010: Count your blessings”

  • Action for Children (former NCH) encourages our prayerful reflection and action through Lent - a small amount is suggested to “put aside” each day for those so wishing eg “77% of all professionals questioned felt neglected children are likely to do worse at school. Donate 10p for each GCSE / equivalent you have”.
    See noticeboard / sheets on Vestibule table / download from www.actionforchildren.org.uk
  • Christian Aid has produced material under this heading: this week's theme is “A Decent Living”. See www.christianaid.org.ul
  • The Methodist website also has material :see www.methodist.org.uk and recent issue of “Momentum”
Date & timeVenueDetails
Monday 22nd February, 7.30 pm Meadowside St Paul’s Meadowside St Paul's Guild : “The Work of the Sheriff Court”, speaker Sheriff Kevin Veal.
Tuesday 23rd February, 7.30 pm Meadowside St Paul’s Lent Group using The Leprosy Mission's “The Cost of Discipleship” material (downloadable from www.leprosymission.org.uk/resources/lent.aspx / contact David Firth).
Wednesday 24th February, 7.30 pm Broughty Baptist premises, 86 St Vincent Street (map) Broughty Ferry Lent meeting using CTBI material “On the Edge of His Pain”, this week's topic: “Jesus in the Wilderness”. The theme is being linked to BBC broadcasts.
Thursday 25th February 2010, 7.30 pm Dundee Methodist Church, “L” Circuit Leadership Team
Friday 26th February, 12 noon - 1.30 pm YMCA 151 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry (opposite “M&S Food”) (map) Broughty Ferry Churches Group Christian Aid lunch. Soup - a good selection each week - is served with bread & cheese, followed by coffee for £2, in support of this ecumenical aid, relief and development charity. There is also opportunity for meeting old friends and making new ones. A warm welcome is extended to Ferry Folk, people popping out from Dundee, and other visitors.

Support other Organisations

Scottish Churches House Prayer Network

Daily prayers are led at 9.00 - 9.15 am, with Network members particularly asked to join, if possible, on Wednesday mornings.

Prayers are particularly invited for the ACTS Trustees, Interim Management Group and Scottish Friends of Ecumenism for contacts and meetings next week.

Prayers are invited this week for those using the House, including COSCA ('Counselling in Scotland') (tomorrow); ACTS Faith Studies Network, and The Artists Way (Tuesday); Religious Education Movement senior pupils' Conference, and Dunblane Cathedral (Wednesday); ACTS Members' Meeting, and ACTS NEWS Committee (Thursday); the Lattendales Trust meeting (Saturday).

Scottish Bible Society

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

  • distribution of Bibles to the armed forces in Liberia, including HIV / AIDS portions based on Luke's Gospel at a number of military bases;
  • new literacy projects recording of the New Testament, the Good Samaritan programme and closer links with the Roman Catholic Church in Sierra Leone.

Forthcoming events

Date & timeVenueDetails
Wednesday 24th March 2010, 10 am to 4 pm pm Al-Maktoum Institute, 124 Blackness Road, DD1 5PE “Race and Religion in Dundee”. A Conference, under the auspices of Citizens Advice Bureau, designed to
  • promote active citizenship
  • support victims of racial and religious crime
  • overcome discrimination and barriers to employment, education and training.

It would help catering provision if those planning to attend registered by Friday 26th February with John White or Zoe Watson - tel (01382) 431581; email : johnw@dundeecab.casonline.org.uk or zoewatson@dundeecab.casonline.org.uk.

Prayer Points for this week

  • The President of Conference with forces' chaplains;
  • Conference Business Committee meeting, Tuesday;
  • District Office in Scottish Churches House, Dunblane;
  • members of the Circuit Leadership Team;
  • World Water Day, tomorrow (Christian Aid);
  • St John Eye Hospital clinic in Gaza (BibleLands);
  • projects in the Leeds District (Methodist Homes);
  • Bible Society work in Thailand;
  • The Leprosy Mission's work in Botswana, D R Congo, and Zambia;
  • we pray with and for all the peoples of Germany and France (WCC Prayer Calendar);
  • we remember fellow Methodists in Cwmbran (S Wales) and in Alexandria (Glasgow Circuit).