The Scottish Episcopal Church joins again with other churches and many thousands of people in Scotland in a Call to Prayer at 7pm on Sunday [17 May], in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Thirteen Christian churches and organisations across the country will take part.
Many of those joining together will also light candles at the time of prayer, which appears below in English and in Gaelic.
Churches Together In England will also be continuing to pray each Sunday at 7pm and will be using the hashtag #prayersofhope to share the message on social media.
In a joint message accompanying this week’s prayer, Scottish church leaders said:
“In the days following the first Easter Sunday, the disciples of Jesus would have gone through any number of different reactions, from uncertainty and anxiety to joy and celebration, through incomprehension and fear to recognition and hope. If the Cross had robbed them of his presence, the Resurrection has restored his presence. Surely Jesus will continue to be with them always?
“The Gospel of John (14: 1-21) portrays the disciples wrestling with the dawning reality that Jesus will not continue to be physically present to them. It would seem that they are again to be left bereft and ‘orphaned’. Uncertainty and anxiety threaten once more. In response, Jesus speaks into their incomprehension and fear with the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus reassures them that they are not alone and that his spiritual presence will be renewed in this world through the Spirit. Jesus, through the Spirit, continues with us always as the assurance of God’s love for us.”
Let us pray:
Living God, you are our Creator and our Maker
And the very breath of life is given as your gift.
We thank you for the gift of life
And we embrace and treasure that gift.
Living God, you are the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
Whose presence in the world reveals your love for us.
In the giving of your Son,
You reveal the depths of your love.
Living God, your Son embraced the Cross
And the depths of human suffering.
We thank you that you delivered him
On the day of Resurrection.
Living God, as you spoke to the bereft and the orphaned in days past,
Speak to the bereft and the orphaned in days present.
Speak to the uncertain and the anxious.
Speak into the depths of our incomprehension and fear.
Living God, your promise
Is that we will not be left alone to face the world.
We thank you that through the gift of your Spirit
That promise is fulfilled.
Living God, be with all who sustain our common life at this time,
Carers and nurses, cleaners and porters,
Doctors and ambulance staff, delivery drivers and posties.
Through their giving our common life is sustained.
Living God, as you have watched over us in the past,
Watch over us in the present.
As once more we thank you, that through Christ
And by your Holy Spirit, we are not alone. Amen.
Signed by:
Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt. Rev. Colin Sinclair, 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)
Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 17mh dhen Chèitean, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Anns na làithean as dèidh Latha na Càisge, bhiodh faireachdainnean diofraichte air deisciobail Ìosa, eadar teagamh agus iomagan, eadar aoibhneas agus subhachas, eadar mì-thuigse agus eagal, eadar aithneachadh agus dòchas. Nan robh an crann-ceusaidh air làithearachd Ìosa a ghoid bhuapa, bha Aiseirigh a’ toirt a làithearachd dhaibh a-rithist. Nach robh Ìosa dol a bhith maille riutha a-ghnàth, gu deireadh an t-saoghail?
Ann an Soisgeul Eòin (14: 1 – 21), chì sinn na deisciobail a’ strì leis an tuigse nach bi Ìosa daonnan nan làthair gu fiosagach. A-rèir coltais, bha iad dol a bhith nan aonar, nan dìlleachdain, mar gum biodh. Bha mì-chinnt agus iomagan a’ tighinn orra a-rithist. Mar sin, bhruidhinn Ìosa gus am mì-thuigse agus an t-eagal a fhreagairt, ann a bhith a’ gealltainn dhaibh tìodhlac an Spioraid Naoimh. Bha Ìosa gam brosnachadh, a’ dearbhadh dhaibh nach robh iad nan aonar agus gum bi a làithearachd spioradail air a nuadhachadh anns an t-saoghal tron Spiorad.
Tron Spiorad, bidh Ìosa daonnan maille rinn mar dhearbhadh gràdh Dhè dhuinn.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè Bheò, chruthaich thu sinn agus rinn thu sinn,
thu a’ toirt dhuinn, mar thìodhlac, anail na beatha fhèin.
Tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhut airson tìodhlac na beatha,
tìodhlac a tha prìseil agus luachmhor dhuinn.
A Dhè Bheò, is tusa Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Chrìosd,
agus tha a làithearachd anns an t-saoghal a’ foillseachadh dhuinn do ghràdh.
Le bhith a’ toirt dhuinn do Mhic,
tha thu a’ foillseachadh dhuinn doimhneachd do ghràidh.
A Dhe Bheò, ghabh do Mhac ris a’ Chrann-cheusaidh,
agus ri doimhneachd fulangais dhaonna.
Tha sinn taingeil dhut gun do thog thu a-rithist e
air latha an aiseirigh.
A Dhè Bheò, mar a labhair thu ris na caillte agus na dìlleachdain anns na làithean a dh’fhalbh,
labhair ris na caillte agus na dìlleachdain anns an latha a th’ ann.
Labhair riuthasan a tha teagmhach agus iomaganach.
Labhair rinn, a tha fo mhì-thuigse agus eagal.
A Dhè Bheo, is e do ghealladh
nach bi sinn air ar fàgail nar n-aonar san t-saoghal.
Tha sinn taingeil dhut airson coileanadh a’ gheallaidh sin
le tìodhlac do Spioraid.
A Dhè Bheò, bi maille riuthasan uile a tha a’ cumail suas ar beatha choitcheann aig an àm seo,
luchd-curaim agus nursaichean, luchd-glanaidh agus portairean,
dotairean agus luchd nan carbadan èiginne, dràibhearan-lìbhrigidh agus postaichean.
Tro an cuid oidhirpean, tha ar beatha choitcheann air a cumail suas.
A Dhè Bheò, mar a tha thu air a bhith gar glèidheadh anns na làithean a dh’fhalbh,
glèidh sinn anns an latha a th’ ann.
Agus tha sinn a’ togail taing dhut a-rithist nach eil sinn nar n-aonar, oir tha Crìosd agus do Spiorad Naomh maille rinn.
Amen.
Soidhnichte:
Am Fìor Urramach Marcus Strange, Primus as leth Colaiste nan Easbaigean, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba
An Ceart Urramach Cailean Mac na Ceardaich, 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-shlu
