Funding for redistributing surplus food

In April 2021, a group of MPs from all of the political parties including the Conservatives called on the Westminster Government to release funding for charities like FareShare to “Provide additional funding for redistributing surplus food”. Sadly in mid June the Government rejected the call.

You are invited to sign a petition to ask the Government to reconsider this decision.

Fareshare operate in Scotland, redistributing wholesome surplus food to organisations that can use it to provide meals and food parcels for those in need.

Making Agriculture a Business

Christian Aid logoWomen subsistence farmers who scratched a living out of small pieces of land are now growing enough food for themselves and for market. Find out how farmers in Zambia have become business-savvy in on the Christian Aid website. 

Making Agriculture a Business is funded by the Scottish Government and implemented by Christian Aid, in partnership with Norwegian Church Aid and Churches Health Association Zambia.

Methodist Prayer Handbook

Prayer Handbook 2021 to 2022The theme for the 2021/2022 Methodist Prayer Handbook is ‘A Place for All’.
As the Church strives to be God’s people in a world changed by a global pandemic, use the prayers from this book, which has been written by the Methodist community, to resolve that, with God’s help, we may recognise and repent of our exclusivity, and that then we may be reconciling, open to all and ready to listen to all voices equally. Purchase here.

Worship we bring you

Saturday 21st August, 9.30am-1pm

An online gathering for all in the Scotland and Shetland region who would like to become involved in worship leading and preaching in new ways or refresh their experience. Following up the strategy for worship leading and preaching in our region, we are offering two sessions linked by a period of shared worship. Whether you are experienced or exploring these roles, we invite you to join us for one or more of the sessions as appropriate to you.

Session 1 : Introduction to Worship Leading & Local Preaching, 9:30am – 11:00am Open to any with an interest in finding out more about these roles. Experienced Worship Leaders and Local Preachers also welcome to share in this time reflecting on our roles and sharing our experience with one another.

Link Session: ‘Worship we bring you…’

11:00am – 11:30am A time of worship and prayer for all attending either session.

Session 2: Exploring the roles of Mentor and Tutor, 11:30am – 1:00pm Looking more closely at the Worship: Leading and Preaching course and the roles of mentor and tutor within the training programme. Open to any who are considering offering themselves in either of these roles.

Register here

Round Table Talks with Professor John Drane

Round Table Talks

If you missed our sessions in conversation with Professor John Drane about Mark’s Gospel then you can catch up on the 12 segments here on our Youtube Channel and listen to John as he offers three short inputs on each of the following topics:

What is Mark’s gospel for?

What makes a disciple?

What is the point of it all?

Memories that fire the imagination

Learning & Development Officer,  Scotland & Shetland 

If you are keen and enthusiastic about supporting and resourcing the mission of our churches, circuits and districts by joining a faith-based Learning and Development team, then we would like to hear from you. As an experienced professional with a proven track record in learning and development, you will be part of the Learning Network within The Methodist Church.

This is a home-based full time post (35 hours/week equivalent worked in a pattern of annualised hours), in the Scotland and Shetland Region of the Learning Network, covering a substantial geographical area.

Closing date: 23 August 2021

More details

Call to Prayer 1st August 2021

Print Version

‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’

The words of the Gospel resonate in the hearts of all who have searched for spiritual sustenance in a dry land. They are words spoken to those who searched for Jesus and could not, at first, find Him. They are words spoken to those who are ‘looking for Jesus’. On finding Him, Jesus speaks to them of the ‘bread from heaven’ and in turn they ask: ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ In response, Jesus says: ‘I am the bread of life.’ (John 6: 24-35)

It is to those who continue to seek the presence of Jesus in a dry land that He offers Himself as the ‘bread from heaven’. We stand with those who sing:

‘Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till my want is o’er.’

We pray:

Gracious Father,
Who gives to us bread from heaven,
Hear us when we hunger
And cry out to the One who is the bread of life.
Renew us by Your gift and restore us by Your presence.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Gracious Father,
Who gives to us bread from heaven,
Hear the cry of all who hunger this day
And who long for the gifts that renew and restore life.
Renew our concern for Your Creation and for all who inhabit the earth.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Gracious Father,
Who gives to us bread from heaven,
Hear us when we thirst
And long for living water.
May all who thirst drink deep from the rivers of living water.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Gracious Father,
Who gives to us bread from heaven,
Hear the cries of those who long for clean water
And who live in parched lands.
May all who thirst find living water for daily life.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Gracious Father,
Who gives to us bread from heaven,
Hear our cry to the One
Who is the bread of life:
Give us this bread always.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Signed by:

  • Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
  • Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
  • Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
  • Rev. Dr David Miller, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
  • Rev. Neil MacMillan, Moderator, Free Church of Scotland
  • Rev. Paul Whittle, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
  • Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
  • Rev. Thomas R. Wilson, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
  • Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
  • Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
  • Rev. Ruth Turner, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene
  • Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
  • Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
  • Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)