11 December 2011

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.

Action for Children

December has traditionally been the month for inviting Dundee Methodist support of the work of Methodism's child-care arm. This year's opportunities for donations are through

• Communion Offering today
• envelopes (Gift-Aided) still available today, for return during or after next Sunday
• donations via Margaret (AfC contact) or David (Church Treasurer)

NB as Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, no separate AfC offering will be uplifted on Christmas Day.

Circuit Ministerial Invitation

Members of the Circuit Meeting voted at the special Circuit Meeting on 23rd November to enter the Stationing Process to seek a second Minister for the Angus, Dundee & Perthshire Circuit. The Senior Circuit Steward, David Cowling, advises that “no match” was available for us at the recent stationing round and the Circuit's request will now be taken forward to the next one in January.

“The Fruitful Field”

The Methodist Connexional Ministries Committee has prepared this document which Conference commended for wide reading and consultation through the Church. Responses should be returned by Friday 23rd December.

“The Fruitful Field is a project about learning, formation, training, theological education, scholarship, research and development. It's about the future of the Methodist Church's connexional learning resources. It's about equipping the Church and its ministries, equipping the Methodist movement in all of its contexts and formational communities, and equipping God's people for discipleship and mission.”

Members of the District Policy Committee have printed copies and it is also accessible on the Methodist Church website at www.methodist.org.uk/fruitfulfield. It is important that consultation on this document is as wide as possible.

Methodist Prayer Handbook 2012-13

Contributions are invited by Tuesday 20th December for the new Prayer Handbook, entitled “Crossing the chasm”, in the form of prayers (max 120 words) or photographs. The theme seeks to explore ideas of reconciliation, living the peace of Christ in a broken world, and being drawn into God's programme of reconciliation within ourselves.

See www.methodist.org.uk for details.

Circuit Preachers' Meeting news

At the quarterly meeting on Monday, members

• shared in a short Bible study of Isaiah ch 61;
• were given an overview of the recent “locum ministry” of Bill Beedie in Spain;
• agreed arrangements for a Trial Service for Tom Penman (prior to consideration to be placed “On Trial”);
• agreed that Beryl Cowling be “given a Note to Preach” ie enter on Local Preacher training;
• took forward consideration of “continuing development” for all the Circuit's Preachers;
• heard the report by the Secretary and Tutor of the October District meeting of Secretaries & Tutors.

Scottish Methodists Together

The new edition of the District Letter is on the Vestibule table - please take, read, distribute. This edition contains the “faith journey” of someone well known to the Marketgait congregation from leading our worship …….

Dalit Liberation Sunday

The National Council of Churches in India has instituted today as a focus on “Dalit Liberation” and the Methodist Church in Great Britain is encouraging prayer for Dalits struggling under the caste system, using the theme “Our God with Struggling People”. For information and material, see www.methodistchurch.org.uk.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in December for work in Rwanda.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• political stability in Lebanon allowing wider distribution of material, joint action with churches, and a weekly television programme;
• new audio products in Turkish and Kurdish, also completion of the first Turkish Bible Dictionary;
• offer by its Bible Society to schools in Denmark of educational material, also on-line Bible.

The Christmas SBS Appeal is for support of work in Bethlehem, “a town of danger, borders and checkpoints, where people live in an environment of instability, isolation, trauma, and poverty; a place where children have lost their childhood.” See library area noticeboard for details & how to support this Appeal.

BibleLands

Under the theme “Christmas Starts with Christ”, please note

• Carol-Singing World Record Attempt on Sunday 18th December at 7pm - across multiple locations.
  For information see www.christmasstarts.com/record
• Radio Broadcast from the Holy Land on Christmas Eve (Saturday 24th December) at 7pm on Premier Christian Radio (accessible on National DAB, Sky Digital 0123, Freeview 725, www.premier.org.uk)

Prayer Points for this week

• the President and Vice-President of Conference meeting with former Presidents and Vice-Presidents on Thursday;
• the work and staff in Scotland of Action for Children;
• Christmas Services in Broughty Ferry Churches;
• the Circuit Leadership Team;
• projects, residents and staff in the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (Methodist Homes);
• The Leprosy Mission's partnerships with other agencies;
• those waiting for climate justice (Christian Aid);
• Mission Aviation Fellowship work in Tanzania;
• The Fairhaven School, Alexandria (BibleLands);
• Bible Society work in Rwanda;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember all in the South West Sussex United Area (South-East District) and in Greenock (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire Circuit).

• 4 December 2011
• 18 December 2011

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