The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 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 in English and Gaelic below, will also light candles.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“We live in a world in which questions of identity are much to the fore. The questions range from that of personal identity to those of communal identity. Such questions are important and from our understanding of who we are there will follow, in large measure, the pattern of how we engage with others.
“In similar fashion, the way in which we understand the nature of God will enable us to better understand the pattern of how God engages with us. Scripture speaks of the identity of God when it affirms: ‘God is love’. We understand this to be the case because: ‘God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world that we might live through him.’ (1 John 4: 7-21) We see something of the identity of God revealed in the self-giving of God. In the self-giving of God, we see revealed the truth that: ‘God is love’. In the light of our understanding of this truth, there will follow, in large measure, the pattern of how we engage with others.”
We pray:
God whose name is Love,
We see your love revealed
In the giving of your Son.
May we embrace the offer of your love
And live in response to your generosity.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose name is Love,
We see your love revealed
In the One who shares in our humanity and who suffers on our behalf.
May we live as those who share a common humanity
And in the suffering of the world.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose name is Love,
We see your love revealed
In the community of your people and in all who are made in your image.
May we share in the life of your people
And recognise your image in the life of others.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose name is Love,
We see your love revealed among us
In the places where love is known and fear is cast out.
May fear be cast out and love be known
In the community we share and in the spaces we shape.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose name is Love,
We see your love revealed among us
In the resurrection of your Son and in the promise of your Spirit.
May we live as those who share in the hope of the resurrection
And in the life 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
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. Donnie G. MacDonald, 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. 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, 2 dhen Chèitean, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Tha iomadh deasbad a’ dol mu cheistean dearbh-aithne na làithean seo. Tha daoine a’ beachdachadh air an dà chuid dearbh-aithne phearsanta agus dearbh-aithne na coimhearsnachd no na dùthcha. Tha na ceistean seo cudromach, oir bidh ar dàimhean le daoine eile a’ fàs bhon tuigse againn oirnn fhèin.
Anns an aon dòigh, nuair a thuigeas sinn nàdar Dhè nas fheàrr, bidh sinn a’ tuigsinn nas fheàrr a dhàimh rinne agus ar dàimh ris-san. Tha na Sgriobtairean a’ soillearachadh dearbh-aithne Dhè dhuinn, ag innse dhuinn “gur gràdh Dia”. Tha dearbhadh againn air a seo, oir: “chaidh gràdh Dhè a nochdadh dhuinne – gun do chuir Dia aonghin Mic dhan t-saoghal airson ’s gum bitheamaid beò troimheasan.” (1 Eòin 4: 7 – 21). Chì sinn nàdar Dhè ann am fèin-ìobairt Dhè, agus tron fhèin-ìobairt sin, chì sinn an fhìrinn, “gur gràdh Dia.” Ann an solas na fìrinne seo, ann an solas na tuigse seo, chì sinn gu ìre mhòr pàtran ar dàimh ri ar co-creutairean.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè, is gràdh thu,
agus chì sinn do ghràdh air fhoillseachadh
ann an gealladh do Mhic.
Deònaich gun gabh sinn ri gealladh do ghràidh
agus gum bitheamaid beò ann antaingealachd airson d’ fhialaidheachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, is gràdh thu,
agus chì sinn do ghràdh air fhoillseachadh
nad Mhac, a ghabh air fhèin nàdar na daonnachd,
agus a dh’fhuiling air ar sgàth.
Stiùir sinn, gus an gabh sinn pàirt ann am beatha choitcheann ar co-chreutairean
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, is gràdh thu,
agus chì sinn do ghràdh air fhoillseachadh
ann an coimhearsnachd do shluaigh, anns gach aon againn a chaidh a dhèanamh nad ìomhaigh fhèin.
Thoir solas do ar sùilean, gus am faic sinn d’ ìomhaigh nar coimhearsnaich.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, is gràdh thu,
agus chì sinn do ghràdh air fhoillseachadh
anns na h-àiteachan far a bheil gràdh a’ cur an ruaig air eagal.
Deònaich gum bi an ruaig air a chur air eagal, agus gun soillsich gràdh na àite
nar coimhearsnachdan fhèin.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, is gràdh thu,
agus chì sinn do ghràdh air fhoillseachadh
ann an aiseirigh do Mhic agus ann an gealladh do Spioraid.
Stiùir sinn, gus am bitheamaid beò ann dòchas na h-aiseirighe.
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 Pòl Whittle, Moderàtor, Eaglais Ath-Leasaichte Aonaichte (Alba)
An t-Urramach Dòmhnall G. Dòmhnallach, Moderàtor, an Eaglais Shaor
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)
