27 March 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.

Lent Observance

• Dundee City Centre Churches will share in studying material by Spurgeon on Tuesday at 7.30 pm in Meadowside St Paul's Church (lower hall); material available at meeting.
• The Broughty Ferry Churches Group will share in a Study Group on Wednesday at 7.30 pm in St Mary's Scottish Episcopal Church, 164 Queen Street, Broughty Ferry on the topic “Speaking and Listening” from the CTBI material 'Reconciliation Together'.
• Riverside Methodist Church Blairgowrie, will be hosting a series of Lent Talks, supported by EPACTS (East Perthshire Action of Churches Together in Scotland), at 7.30pm as follows:
  • Sun 27 March: 'Our Moral Choices' - Dr Jim McManus;
  • Wed 6 April: 'Richness of Diversity' - Dr Bill Reid
  • Sun 10 April: 'Caring for the Environment' - Rt Rev Bruce Cameron
  Our support is warmly invited. See poster on noticeboard.

Spare garage space?

Liz K. would be pleased to hear from anyone willing to rent out some garage space for a car for a couple of months. A speedy reply will be very helpful as the car in question has to be off the road by Friday 1st April.

Looking for a good read?

Tom Penman draws our attention to two new books in the Church Library :

• “The Christ Files - How historians know what they know about Jesus” by John Dickson
  This is a work soundly based on historical and New Testament scholarship, but presented in a readable way for the enquirer who wants answers to questions about the hot issue of the historical basis of the Christian faith.
• “Did St. Paul Get Jesus Right?: The Gospel According to Paul” by David Wenham
  Respected New Testament scholar David Wenham looks at the historical evidence for the claim that St Paul was the true founder of Christianity. Comparing the life and message of Jesus with the writings of St Paul, he offers a thoughtful exploration of their relationship, concluding that far from imagining Christianity, Paul was the messenger of an inherited faith.

Or you may wish to order or borrow (from Jenny or Lorna once they have finished reading!) Malcolm Rothwell's new book “Sense and Nonsense, conversations with a clown about spiritual things” published by Authorhouse 2011, and available from Amazon (online) or Waterstones.

Or you may wish to recommend a book which interested or challenged you - send details to the news-sheet Editors.

Circuit Manses

At last week's Circuit Meeting, it was agreed that, following completion of Phase 1 of the 'Manse Relocation Policy' by the purchase of the Scone manse and sale of the Albany Terrace property, Phase 2 should now be implemented. This means that the Montrose Manse will be sold and a new Manse purchased at the eastern side of Dundee (Broughty Ferry / Monifieth area). This will place the Superintendent's Manse nearer a mid-point of the whole Circuit and the present distance between Manses of c50 miles should be halved (“near enough”!)

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited for work in March for work in Croatia and in April for work in Chile. See noticeboard in library area for more information. Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• distribution and printing of 54 million Bibles by the Chinese Church during 25 years of partnership with the United Bible Societies;
• activities in universities and schools in Chile.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President and Vice-President of Conference's visit to the Channel Islands, from Wednesday for a week;
• Diaconal & Presbyteral Candidates' Selection Committees, Monday - Thursday;
• the process to determine the future of Scottish Churches House;
• marking of the Year of the Bible in the Circuit's churches;
• residents and staff in Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire (Methodist Homes);
• Fairhaven School in Alexandria's outreach project (BibleLands);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in India;
• child undernourishment in Guatemala (Christian Aid);
• Bible Society work in Croatia and in Chile;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in the Newport and Lower Wye Circuit (Wales Synod) and in Cullen (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).

• 20 March 2011
• 3 April 2011

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