18 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.

Bible Groups

As the “Year of the Bible” comes to an end, Tom P is consulting those who have attended the two Groups - and any others - about continuing ways of sharing insights and study of Scripture. He commends the book “The Case for Christmas” and also 'The Viral Bible Campaign' (see www.biblefresh.com ). Please contact Tom with thoughts and suggestions for 2012.

“Please Help Me…” - albinism in Tanzania

Alan & Janet commend “Please Help Me…”, a book with which they have been involved, written by St Andrews author, Margaret Ryan, and illustrated by Perthshire artist, Elspeth Baillie. A supply of 4,000 copies of this educational book, which seeks to help combat prejudice and persecution of children with albinism, will be handed over to the Tanzania Ministry of Education, for distribution to every school in Tanzania when Alan, Janet, Andy & Denise visit Moshi in January.

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

• 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.

Hilary Canto, Fundraiser - Scotland North and East, has sent Christmas wishes and thanks to AfC supporters, on behalf of all the children and families helped.

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.

“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.

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 …….

Link Club Party “poser”

Following the (successful) Link Club Party on Tuesday, there was a rapid exchange of e-mails on the scientific reasons for the “loudly exploding balloons” (during decorating upstairs on Monday, overnight into Tuesday, at the Party and in David.

(Jenny, Link Chair, who opted out of the discussion!)

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

• work towards an easy-to-read Dutch Bible, also projects involving children and young people in The Netherlands;
• celebration of 195 years of service by the Bible Society of Iceland;
• National Ministries Team looking to follow up into 2012 the King James Bible 400th anniversary celebrations and the Year of the Bible in 2011.

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 or www.scottishbiblesociety.org 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, members of the Connexional Team, and all based in Methodist Church House;
• the work and staff of Action for Children throughout the UK;
• Christmas Services in Broughty Ferry Churches;
• those preparing to lead and participate in Christmastide worship in the Circuit's churches and communities;
• projects, residents and staff in the Chester and Stoke-on-Trent District (Methodist Homes);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Mozambique, southern Africa, and Zimbabwe;
• partners & projects in Israel - Palestine (Christian Aid);
• Mission Aviation Fellowship aircraft maintenance work in Tanzania;
• Caritas Baby Hospital Bethlehem (BibleLands);
• Bible Society work in Rwanda;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Benin, CÔte d'Ivoire, and Togo (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in the South Guildford Circuit (South-East District) and in Girvan (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire Circuit).

• 11 December 2011
• 25 December 2011

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