The Scottish Episcopal Church and other denominations join together in prayer on Sunday at 7pm, as they have done throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears below in English and Gaelic, will also light candles.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“What is the future shape of the society in which we live? To ask the question is to invite any number of different answers and many of the answers will reflect the uncertainty of the times. In all of our lives, there is perhaps a greater element of uncertainty than there has been in previous years. Each of us will respond to the challenges of our times in different ways and many will ponder the question and ask: What does the future hold?
“The Apostle Paul lived within the society of his time and offers us a vision of our place within the world. That vision is shaped by an understanding of how we share in the purpose and plan of the ‘God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’. We share in that understanding as those who have received the ‘promised Holy Spirit’. Within this vision, we find that we are adopted as the children of God and discover our place according to the purpose and plan of God. (Ephesians 1: 3-14) If we cannot yet describe the future shape of our society, we know that, whatever the future holds, we live as those whose destiny is shaped by the purpose and plan of God.”
We pray:
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
You adopt us as your children
And include us within your purposes.
May we find our place in the world and purpose for our lives
As we respond to your gracious initiative in Christ.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
You adopt us as your children
And offer to us forgiveness.
May we know the healing power of forgiveness
And offer forgiveness according to the measure that we have been forgiven.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
You adopt us as your children
And make known your intention
To gather together all things in heaven and earth.
May our lives on earth reflect the life of the world that is to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
You adopt us as your children
And make known to us the word of truth.
May we always speak according to the truth
And may our words reflect the One who came to us full of grace and truth.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
You adopt us as your children
And seal us with the promised Holy Spirit
May we rediscover our place in the world and renew the purpose of our lives
As we receive the gracious gift of your Spirit.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic 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)
Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 20mh dhen Ògmhios, ùrnaigh aig 7f
“Dè mar a bhios an t-àm ri teachd? Bidh iomadh freagairt againn don cheist seo, agus bidh grunn math dhiubh a’ sealltainn ceart cho mì-chinnteach ’s a tha iomadh rud anns an latha a th’ ann. Bidh gach aon againn a’ freagairt ceistean ar latha ann an diofar dòighean, agus bidh iomadh neach a’ meòrachadh air a’ cheist: dè mar a bhios a an t-àm ri teachd?
“Tha an t-Abstol Pòl a’ toirt dhuinn sealladh air ar n-àite anns an t-saoghal. Tha an sealladh seo air a dhealbhadh le tuigse air ar com-pàirteachadh ann an rùintean Dhè agus Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd. Is ann mar dhaoine a chaidh ar “seuladh le Spiorad Naomh a’ gheallaidh” a tha sinn a’ com-pàirteachadh anns an tuigse seo. Leis an tuigse seo, chì sinn gun do ‘ro-òrdaich e sinne gu uchd-mhacachd tro Ìosa Crìosd dha fhèin, a rèir deagh thoil a rùin’ agus mar sin, tha sinn a’ lorg ar n-àite ann am plana agus rùintean Dhè. (Ephèsianaich 1: – 14). Ged nach eil sinn eòlach air dè mar a bhios an t-àm ri teachd, tha fios againn gu bheil cùrsa ar beathannan air an dealbhadh le làmh Dhè, ge b’ e na thachras.”
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
ro-òrdaich thu sinne gu uchd-mhacachd tro Ìosa Crìosd dhut fhèin,
agus tha thu a’ doirt a-nuas oirnn beannachdan do gheallaidhean.
Deònaich gun lorg sinn ar n-àite san t-saoghal,
agus treòrachadh nar beathannan,
fhad ’s a bheireas sinn taing
airson tiodhlac prìseil do mhic.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
ro-òrdaich thu sinne gu uchd-mhacachd tro Ìosa Crìosd dhut fhèin,
agus thug thu dhuinn maitheanas.
Deònaich gum fiosraich sinn slànachadh do mhaitheanais,
agus gum maith sinn ar luchd-fiach,
mar a mhaith thu ar fiachan fhèin.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
ro-òrdaich thu sinne gu uchd-mhacachd tro Ìosa Crìosd dhut fhèin,
agus dh’fhoillsich thu dhuinn do rùn gus a h-uile nì a chruinneachadh ann an Crìosd, rudan sna nèamhan agus air an talamh.
Deònaich gum bi do rùintean airson an t-saoghail a tha ri teachd air am foillseachadh nar beathannan.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
ro-òrdaich thu sinne gu uchd-mhacachd tro Ìosa Crìosd dhut fhèin,
agus dh’fhoillsich thu dhuinn Facal na Fìrinne.
Treòraich sinn, gus an labhair sinn
an-còmhnaidh a rèir na Fìrinne.
Deònaich gum bi an Tì a thàinig thugainn, làn gràis agus fìrinn air fhoillseachadh nar cainnt.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
ro-òrdaich thu sinne gu uchd-mhacachd tro Ìosa Crìosd dhut fhèin,
agus sheulaich thu sinn le Spiorad Naomh a’ gheallaidh.
Deònaich gun lorg sinn as ùr ar n-àite san t-saoghal, agus ath-nuadhaich annainn miann airson do rùintean,
agus sinne a’ gabhail ri tiodhlac gràsmhor do Spioraid.
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 Morair Uallas, Moderàtor Àrd-Sheanadh Eaglais na h-Alba
Am Fìor Urramach Leo Cushley, Àrd-Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn agus Dùn Èideann
An t-Urramach Oll. Daibhidh Miller, Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Niall MacMhaoilein, Moderàtor, an Eaglais Shaor
An t-Urramach Pòl Whittle, 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 Tòmas R. Wilson, Cathraiche, Caidreachas Co-thionalach ann an Alba
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Rùnaire na h-Alba, Feachd na Slàinte
An t-Urramach Rut Nic an Tuairneir, Àrd-Neach-Stiùiridh Roinn-Dùthcha, Eileanan Bhreatainn, Eaglais an Nàsaraich
Adwao Bittle, Comann nan Caraidean (Cuagairean)
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)
