The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday, 20 December, the fourth Sunday in Advent. Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, will also light candles.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“The words of the angel to Mary bring this assurance: ‘The Lord is with you.’ (Luke 1: 28) The words are clear and unequivocal: ‘The Lord is with you.’
“Nevertheless, Mary is ‘perplexed’ and clearly fearful as she tries to comprehend the words spoken to her. The message of the angel that she is to become the bearer of the Christ-child leads her to ask: ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ In response, the angel speaks of the promise of the Spirit and Mary affirms and embraces the promise: ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ (Luke 1: 26-38) It is as if Mary hears and embraces the first words spoken to her: ‘The Lord is with you.’
“As we come near to the point where the promise of the Advent season is fulfilled in the birth of the Christ-child, we are conscious of the renewed challenges we face within the communities of which we are a part. In the face of this, each one of us longs to know the assurance of the promise: ‘The Lord is with you.’ In the perplexities and challenges of the times, and to each one of us, the words of assurance are spoken. The Lord is with us and we are invited to embrace the promise of the Christ-child who is to come.”
We pray:
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We give thanks that the promise of the Advent season
Will soon be fulfilled in the birth of the Christ-child.
May we embrace the promise and share in the hope it brings.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We pray for the lonely and the perplexed;
For the anxious and the fearful.
Be near to them as you are to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We pray for the families and communities of which we are a part
And for our Nation.
Sustain us in these times and renew us in times to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We give thanks that, in all things, you are with us
And we embrace once more the promise of the Christ-child.
May the light of Christ shine in the darkness and bring hope to the world.
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. Lindsey Sanderson, 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. Claire Fender, 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)
Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 20mh dhen Dùbhlachd, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Tha faclan an aingeil do Mhoire a’ taisbeanadh an dòchais seo: “Tha an Tighearna còmhla riut” (Lùcas 1: 28). ’S e teachdaireachd shoilleir a tha seo, “Tha an Tighearna còmhla riut.”
A dh’aindeoin sin, bha Moire “fo dhragh mòr air sgàth an fhacail aige” nuair a dh’fheuch i ris an teachdaireachd seo a thuigsinn. B’e teachdaireachd an aingeil gur ise an tè a bheireas an Crìosd a-steach dhan t-saoghal, agus on a sin chuir i ceist air: “Ciamar as urrainn seo a bhith, on as e òigh a th’ annamsa?” Agus fhreagair an t-aingeal i, a’ bruidhinn mu ghealladh an Spioraid, agus ghabh Moire ris leis na facail seo:
“Seall, is mise searbhanta an Tighearna; bhiodh e dèanta riumsa a rèir d’ fhacail.” Tha coltas ann gun do thug Moire na ciad facail a labhair an t-aingeal rithe: “Tha an Tighearna còmhla riut.”
Fhad ’s a theannas an Nollaig oirnn dlùth, tha ar smuaintean air na dùbhlannan a tha romainn agus ro na coimhearsnachdan againn. Agus le seo, tha sinn uile ag iarraidh cofhurtachd a’ gheallaidh seo: “Tha an Tighearna còmhla riut.”
Tha Dia a’ labhairt nam facal seo rinn fhèin, a-measg duilgheadasan na bliadhna, ri gach neach againn. Tha Dia còmhla rinn an da-rìribh, agus tha cuireadh againn dòchas fhaighinn sa Chrìosd a tha ri thighinn.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Thighearna, bi faisg oirnn,
agus air gach aon air a bheil miann airson d’ Fhacail fhèin.
Tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhut airson gealladh na Nollaige,
a choilean le breith Ìosa.
Deònaich gun gabh sinn ris a’ gheallaidh, agus gun gabh sinn pàirt ann an dòchas a’ gheallaidh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, bi faisg oirnn,
agus air gach aon air a bheil miann airson d’ Fhacail fhèin.
Tha sinn ag ùrnaigh airson na feadhna a tha aonranach agus fo dhragh;
airson na feadhna a tha fo iomgain agus eagal.
Bi faisg orra mar a tha thu faisg oirnn.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, bi faisg oirnn,
agus air gach aon air a bheil miann airson d’ Fhacail fhèin.
Tha sinn ag ùrnaigh airson ar teaghlaich, ar coimhearsnachdan
agus ar Dùthcha.
Glèidh sinn an-diugh,
agus deònaich dhuinn neart ùr a-màireach.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, bi faisg oirnn,
agus air gach aon air a bheil miann airson d’ Fhacail fhèin.
Tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhut, oir tha thu maille rinn anns gach càs.
Tha sinn a’ gabhail as ùr ris a’ gheallaidh a thug thu dhuinn ann am breith Ìosa.
Deònaich dhuinn solas Chrìosda anns an dorchadas, agus dòchas air feadh an t-saoghail.
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 Lindsey Sanderson, 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 Claire Fender, 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)
