Joint call to Prayer: “Do not be afraid”

August 8, 2020

The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday 9 August in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, will also light candles.

Churches Together In England continue to pray each Sunday at 7pm and are using the hashtag #prayersofhope to share the message on social media.

In a joint statement, church leaders in Scotland said:

Have you ever been afraid? Even as we ask the question, we know the answer. Have you been especially afraid at any point in these recent months? Once more, to ask is to know. Collectively and as a society, have we experienced in recent decades anything comparable to the fear and anxiety that has gripped us during the Covid 19 pandemic? Fear and anxiety paralyse us and, as we now see, fear and anxiety can at times paralyse a society and leave it profoundly uncertain.

The Gospel of Matthew records that early one morning the disciples of Jesus were afraid. They had spent the night in a boat on the water and had been ‘battered by the waves’ and now they find themselves terrified and unable to recognise the presence of Jesus. Jesus speaks to them and says ‘do not be afraid’. In response, the disciple Peter steps out of the boat and walks towards Jesus. However, as he does so, fear begins to overtake him once more and he cries out: ‘Lord, save me!’ In response, Jesus reaches out his hand and brings him to the place of safety. (Matthew 14: 22-33)

Today, to the fearful and to the anxious, Jesus reaches out his hand.

Lord, you are our Creator and our Maker.
We are fashioned in your image
And all that we are is known to you.
Hear us as we cry out and respond to us in our time of need.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, your Word has become flesh and lived among us
Full of grace and truth.
As the living Word comes, we respond with open hearts
And ask that you will meet us in the place where we are today.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, you see all that takes place around us
And nothing is hidden from your sight.
You see waves that batter us and the storm that seems unceasing.
Come to us in response to the depth of our need.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, your presence is revealed in the life of your Son.
He knows us as we are and even now he prays for us.
May he hear us when we are anxious
And respond when we are afraid.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, you inspire in us faith
And yet we confess that our faith is weak.
Hear us when we cry: “Lord, save me!”
And in response reach out your hand to all who cry to you today.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Signed by:

Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Dr David Pickering, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rev. Jim Ritchie, 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)

An robh an t-eagal ort a-riamh? Tha an fhreagairt againn cho luath ’s a tha sinn a’ cur an ceist oirnn fhèin. A bheil an t-eagal air a bhith ort anns na mìosan seo chaidh gu sònraichte? A-rithist, tha an fhreagairt againn uile. An robh an leithid de dh’eagail oirnn a-riamh, gu coitcheann, ’s a tha air a bhith oirnn ri linn Covid-19? Bidh an t-eagal agus iomagan gar reòthadh, agus mar a tha sinn a’ faicinn a-nis, faodaidh iad rìoghachdan agus coimhearsnachdan a reòthadh cuideachd, agus mì-chinnt throm fhàgail air a h-uile duine.

Leughaidh sinn ann an Soisgeul Mhata gun robh an t-eagal air deisciobail Ìosa aon mhadainn. Bha iad air an oidhche a chuir seachad ann an eathar air an uisge, “air an tilgeil mun cuairt leis na tonnan” agus an uair sin bha dearg-eagal am beatha orra, agus cha b’ urrainn dhaibh làthaireachd Ìosa aithneachadh. Labhair e riutha, agus thuirt e, “Na biodh eagal oirbh.” Agus fhreagair Peadar e, agus thug e ceum às an eathar agus choisich e a dh’ionnsaigh Ìosa. Ach fhad ’s a rinn e sin, thuit an t-eagal air a-rithist, agus ghlaodh e, “A Thighearna, sàbhail mi!” Agus shìn Ìosa a-mach a làmh agus rug e air, agus thug e gu àite sàbhailte e. (Mata 14: 22 – 33)
An-diugh, tha Ìosa a’ sìneadh a-mach a làmh dhaibh-san uile a tha fo eagail agus fo iomagain.

A Thighearna, chruthaich thu agus dhealbh thu sinn.
Tha sinn dealbhte nad ìomhaigh fhèin,
agus tha sinn uile gu lèir aithnichte dhut.
Èist rinn, agus sinn a’ glaodhadh, agus thoir cobhair dhuinn nar feum.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
Èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, chaidh d’ Fhacal a dhèanamh na fheòil agus ghabh e còmhnaidh nar measg,
làn gràis agus fìrinn.
Tha am Facal beò a’ tighinn dar n-ionnsaigh, agus tha sinn ga fhreagairt le cridheachan fosgailte.
Thig, a Thighearna, agus coinnich rinn far a bheil sinn an-diugh.
A Thirgheana, na do thròcair,
Èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha thu a’ faicinn gach rud a thachras mu thimcheall oirnn,
agus o d’ fhradharc chan eil nì sam bith falaichte.
Tha thu a’ faicinn na tonnan a tha gar tilgeadh, agus stoirm nan seachd sìon.
Thig, a Thighearna, agus deònaich dhuinn cobhair nar feum.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
Èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha do làthaireachd air fhoillseachadh ann am beatha do Mhic.
Tha e eòlach oirnn, tha e ag eadar-ghuide air ar son.
Deònaich gun cluinn e sinn nuair a tha sinn iomaganach,
agus gum freagair e sinn nuair a tha sinn fo eagal.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
Èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha thu a’ brosnachadh ar creideimh,
ach tha sinn ag aideachadh gu bheil ar creideamh lag.
Èist rinn nuair a ghlaodhas sinn, “A Thighearna, sàbhail mi!”
Agus sìn a-mach do làmh dhaibh-san uile a tha ag glaodhadh riut an-diugh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
Èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

Soidhnichte:

Am Fìor Urramach Marcus Strange, Primus as leth Colaiste nan Easbaigean, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba
An Ceart Urramach Màrtainn Fair, Moderàtor Àrd-Sheanadh Eaglais na h-Alba
Am Fìor Urramach Leo Cushley, Àrd-Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn agus Dùn Èideann
An t-Urramach Iain Fulton, Moderàtor, Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Daibhidh Pickering, Moderàtor, Eaglais Ath-Leasaichte Aonaichte (Alba)
An t-Urramach Màrtainn Hodson, Àrd-Stiùiriche, Aonadh Baisteach na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Marcus Slaney, Cathraiche Roinn-Dùthcha, Eaglais nam Methodach (Alba)
An t-Urramach May-Kane Logan, Cathraiche, Caidreachas Co-thionalach ann an Alba
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Rùnaire na h-Alba, Feachd na Slàinte
Adwao Bittle, Comann nan Caraidean (Cuagairean)
An t-Urramach Jim Ritchie, Àrd-Neach-Stiùiridh Roinn-Dùthcha, Eileanan Bhreatainn, Eaglais an Nàsaraich
Aoghaire Chris Gbenle, Aoghaire Roinn-Dùthcha, Mòr-Roinn na h-Alba, Eaglais Chrìosdal air Saoradh le Dia
Easbaig Francis Alao, Eaglais Dhè (Alba)/ Eaglaisean nam mìon-shluagh còmhla ann an Alba (MECTIS)
An t-Urramach Fred Drummond, Stiùiriche, Caidreachas Soisgeulach (Alba)