Joint Call to Prayer, Sunday 23 May at 7pm

May 21, 2021

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 below in English and Gaelic, will also light candles.

In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:

“The Gospel of John speaks of the One who is to come and of the One who is go. Jesus is the One who is to go and he must do so first. On hearing this, the disciples of Jesus are filled with sorrow and he explains to them that ‘if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you’. The disciples fear that they will be left bereft and Jesus reassures them that his absence will be filled by the outpouring of ‘the Spirit of truth’. The Spirit is the One who is to come and Jesus is the One who is to go. (John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b-15)

“Who is the Spirit who is to come? In the Gospel of John, the word used to describe the Spirit is variously translated as ‘Advocate’, ‘Comforter’, ‘Counsellor’, ‘Helper’ or simply transliterated as ‘Paraclete’. (John 15: 26) The word used is found in only one other place in the New Testament outwith the Gospel and here it is used to describe Jesus. Jesus is the One who stands before the Father and pleads for us. (1 John 2: 1)

“On this Pentecost Sunday, we give thanks to God for the Spirit outpoured on the people of God. The Spirit comes to be the abiding presence of God in our lives and in the life of the people of God. We give thanks that the Spirit is the One who has come.”

We pray:

Living God
And Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Pour out your Spirit upon us
And fill the hearts of your faithful people.
May your Spirit come as the One who speaks for us
And advocates on our behalf.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God
And Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Pour out your Spirit upon us
And kindle in us the fire of your love.
May your Spirit comfort us in our sorrow
And strengthen us in our weakness
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God
And Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Pour out your Spirit upon us
And create your people anew.
May your Spirit come to counsel and direct us
And grant to us wisdom in all we face.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God
And Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Pour out your Spirit upon us
And renew the face of all the earth.
May your Spirit help us to care for Creation
And to live as those who cherish the gifts you have given.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God
And Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Pour out your Spirit upon us
And set us free to worship and glorify your name.
Come, Holy Spirit,
And fill our hearts with love for you.
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. 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. 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, 23mh dhen Chèitean, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“Tha Soisgeul Eòin a’ cur an cèill an Tì a tha ri teachd agus an Tì a tha ri falbh. Is e Ìosa an Tì a tha ri falbh, agus tha aige ri falbh an toiseach. Nuair a chuala na deisciobail sin, bha iad uile fo bhròn, agus bha aig Ìosa ri innse dhaibh “mura falbh mi, cha tig an Neach-Cuideachaidh thugaibhse.” Bha eagal air na deisciobail gum biodh iad air am fàgail nan aonar, agus dh’innis Ìosa dhaibh gum biodh iad air an lìonadh le “Spiorad na Fìrinne”. Is e an Spiorad an Tì a tha ri teachd, agus is Ìosa an Tì a tha ri falbh. (Eòin 15: 26 – 27; 16: 4b – 15).

“Cò an Spiorad seo a tha ri teachd? Ann an Grèigis, ’s e pneumos am facal as cumanta airson spiorad, ach ann an Soisgeul Eòin is e paraklete (neach-cuideachaidh, fear-tagraidh) a tha air a chleachdadh airson an Spioraid Naoimh, facal nach eil a’ nochdadh ann an àite sam bith eile san Tiomnadh Nuadh ach ann 1 Eòin 2: 1 – far a bheil e a’ ciallachadh Ìosa fhèin.An-diugh, air Latha na Caingis, tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhan Tighearna airson an Spioraid a chaidh a dhòrtadh a-nuas air poball Dhè. Tha an Spiorad Naomh na làthaireachd mhaireannach nar beathannan agus ann am beatha na h-Eaglaise. Tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhan Tighearna gun tàinig an Spiorad.”

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè bheò,
Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Dòirt do Spiorad a-nuas oirnn
agus lìon cridheachan do phobaill leis.
Thigeadh do Spiorad thugainn, ar fear-tagraidh a bhruinneas às ar leth.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Dòirt do Spiorad a-nuas oirnn
agus brosnaich annainn lasair do ghràidh.
Deònaich dhuinn comhfhurtachd do Spioraid nuair a bhios sinn fo bhròn.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Dòirt do Spiorad a-nuas oirnn
agus dùisg sinn gu beatha ùr.
Deònaich dhuinn treòrachadh agus comhairle do Spioraid,
agus deònaich dhuinn gliocas anns gach teanntachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Dòirt do Spiorad a-nuas oirnn,
agus ath-nuadhaich beatha air feadh na talmhainn.
Thoir dhuinn taic le glèidheadh do Chruitheachd
agus luach a chur air na beannachdan bhuat.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Athair ar Tighearna Ìosa Crìosd,
Dòirt do Spiorad a-nuas oirnn
agus saor sinn gus am mol sinn glòir d’ ainm.
Thig, a Spioraid Naoimh,
agus lìon ar cridheachan led ghràdh.
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 Niall MacMhaoilein, 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 Tòmas R. Wilson, 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)