10 February 2013

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.

Lenten Observance

The Season of Lent commences this week on Ash Wednesday when Broughty Ferry Churches Group extend a warm welcome to the Ecumenical Service of Ashes in Our Lady of Good Counsel, Westfield Road, Broughty Ferry, at 7.30pm.

Broughty Ferry Churches Group and Dundee City Centre Churches have arranged the following weekly Study Groups, to which a warm welcome is extended:

• City Centre:

“Ecumenical Lenten Study Groups Tuesdays at 7.15 for 7.30pm in Meadowside St Paul's Hall Complex (turn left on entry to the Lower Hall, the usual place of our meeting).

The theme this year is “Fit for Purpose” - A Lenten Course in Spiritual Health. This may be purchased at www.kevinmayhew.com or better still through the CLC bookshop. It is adaptable but presents all leaders with a structure from which to work.

We would be delighted to see you at any of our sessions - each Tuesday at the same venue.

Leaders this year are from St Andrews Cathedral, The Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, The High Kirk and MStP's. The Salvation Army has also been invited. The Theme should make for lively ecumenical discussion! All Welcome!”

(Rev Maudeen MacDougall, Meadowside St Paul's)

• Broughty Ferry Churches Group:

The theme will be “This is our Story: Journeys of Faith”, using material from CTBI (including downloadable pdfs of the materials), also to be the basis of BBC Radio Services (Radio 4 and Local Radio stations) in Lent.

• Mondays (except 25th February) 10.15am-11.45am in St Mary's Episcopal Church, Queen Street, Broughty Ferry;
• Wednesdays (except March 13th), 7.30pm to 9pm in New Kirk Small Hall, Queen Street, from 7.30pm to 9pm; Thursday 14th March in St Mary's Episcopal Church, Queen Street, Broughty Ferry.

The Monday daytime meeting will be facilitated by Jenny Easson and the evening meetings by representatives of BFCG member churches, with Methodist participation on Wednesday March 20th with St Luke's & Queen Street.

Sunday Worship in Marketgait will include a short common liturgical set of Opening and Closing Responses with Prayer each week, together with the symbolic use of a “Signpost” relating to the Gospel Reading.

As previously intimated by the Worship Group, last year's practice of not decorating the sanctuary area with flowers during Lent and on Palm Sunday will again be followed, sharing the custom of some ecumenical partners; however, there will be an arrangement as usual on the Beechwood Table in the porch. We are grateful for the understanding of those who have previously provided flowers during these weeks.

I-phone users are advised of the provision of short Lenten Prayer texts through the Methodist young people on the One Programme:

“The prayer texts have been written by children and young people from across the Methodist Church. They are intended to inspire other young people embarking on the 46-day spiritual journey of Lent. Mobile phone users can sign up to receive daily prayers by texting LENT on 66777 charged at the standard network rate. The texts will be free to receive.”

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in February for work in Fiji.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• SBS Appeal for funds for the work of the Bible Society in Malawi;
• safety of Bible translators, some of whom may be facing the prospect of prison for such work;
• recent publication of the Thai Standard Version of the Bible and continuing adoption of this translation in the country;
• Bible Society volunteers in India engaging with widows, orphans, sex workers, youth at risk, people infected and affected with HIV-AIDS and leprosy.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• The President of Conference in Cambridge next weekend;
• JIC2 Anglican - Methodist Covenant residential meeting in Leeds, Monday-Tuesday;
• ecumenical observance of Lent in the British Isles;
• work of medical safari teams flown to communities in Madagascar (Mission Aviation Fellowship);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Nepal and in Uzbekistan;
• plans for new community-based children's rehabilitation programme by the Deaf Unit in Cairo (Embrace);
• projects in the Lincoln and Grimsby District (Methodist Homes);
• Count Your Blessings Lenten calendar (Christian Aid);
• Bible Society work in Fiji;
• we pray with and for our own population in the United Kingdom and that in the Republic of Ireland (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in Tendring (Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire District) and in Banff (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).

• 3 February 2013
• 17 February 2013

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