13 January 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.

Thanks

Gratitude is expressed to all who enabled or assisted in the celebration of the Advent-Christmas season, through acquiring, decorating and recently dismantling the tree, leading and participating in worship, facilitating the Café Service, etc, etc. Messages of appreciation have been received from the Rev Maudeen MacDougall and Meadowside St Paul's congregation members who joined us on 30th December.

Methodist Prayer Handbook 2013-14

The editor, Primavera Quantrill, is inviting contributions for the next connexional Prayer Handbook and our Chair of Synod, Lily Twist, has expressed the hope that the District will again have a number of contributions included, ie of printed prayers and / or photographic illustrations.

The theme for 2013-14 is “Light and Hope”, based on lines from the hymn 'May the God of hope go with us everyday' (Singing the Faith 411).

Full details of requirements are available on the Vestibule table or from the Office or Synod members.

Contributions are to be sent by 16th January to the District Office, Scottish Churches House, Dunblane, FK15 0AJ; email: fiona@methodistchurch.plus.com.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: 18th - 25th January

This annual time of world-wide sharing in worship, prayer and witness will be marked on the eight days from Friday, under the theme “What does God require of us?”, using material prepared by an ecumenical group in south India, published for use in this country by CCBI.

The Broughty Ferry Churches Group will observe the Week by shared worship on Wednesday 24th January at 12 noon in Barnhill St Margaret's Church, Invermark Terrace, Broughty Ferry, which can be followed by lunch at the weekly café in the Halls. A warm welcome is given to all.

“Beethoven Five Alive!” Workshop in Dundee

To celebrate the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, an opportunity is offered to join a scratch orchestra or choir “to perform a new piece created by you”.

On Wednesday 6th February from 7pm in the Caird Hall, Ian Steiner will lead an orchestra of professional and amateur musicians for a 3-hour workshop, exploring Beethoven's Fifth and creating a unique work for performance at the end of the workshop.

The Workshop will be suitable for all musical enthusiasts (including compete novices!) aged 7 or over (16 & under must be accompanied by an adult throughout), players to bring their instrument (or sing or play percussion).

Participation is free but reservation is necessary, with places allocated on “first come, first served” basis. Apply by midnight next Sunday (20th January) by email to Beethoven5@bbc.co.uk.

See poster on downstairs noticeboard.

Meetings this week

Support other Organisations

Scottish Bible Society

Our support through the Bible-a-Month Club is invited in January for work in Ukraine.

Our prayerful attention is drawn this week to

• ministry to young people by the Bible Society in Malawi;
• co-ordination of literacy programmes in Kenya, especially for rural areas;
• completion and publication of translation of the Old Testament into Toba Sur in Argentina;
• goal of the Bible Society of India to provide at least 300 translations for a population of more than 1 billion people speaking 1,652 languages or dialects, often bi-lingually.

Scottish Bible Society Bible a Month Calendar

For a number of years Dundee Methodists have supported the Scottish Bible Society's Bible-a-Month Calendar Scheme, focussing on one area each month. (See references in weekly news-sheet and Marketgait library area noticeboard). Updated information has been received on 2012 Bible a month projects:

• Benin (January): more than 100 teachers have been trained to run literacy classes in their churches. People are taking up the offer of be able to read and write, thereby gaining access to knowledge and other life-changing skills.
• Ghana (May): junior high school pupils are receiving Bibles through the “One Million Bibles” project.

Forthcoming events

Prayer Points for this week

• the President of Conference in the Lancashire District from Tuesday;
• the Learning and Development Officers in Scotland - Helen Wareing, Gary Williams, and Sally Robertson;
• work from base in Lesotho (Mission Aviation Fellowship);
• The Leprosy Mission's work in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda;
• Habitat for Humanity partnership to provide housing for families in Lebanon (Embrace);
• projects in the Cornwall District (Methodist Homes);
• action for justice transparency in taxation and land use (Christian Aid);
• Bible Society work in Ukraine;
• we pray with and for the peoples of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Iran and Iraq (WCC Ecumenical Calendar);
• we remember fellow Methodists in Herts and Essex Border Ecumenical Area (Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire District) and in Portessie (North of Scotland Mission Circuit).

• 6 January 2013
• 20 January 2013

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