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 will also light candles.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“The Psalmist says of the Lord: ‘You open Your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.’ The imagery embodied in the words of the Psalmist speaks of a God whose will is to sustain and nurture all creation. The God who so wills is a God whose ‘kingdom is an everlasting kingdom’ and one that endures throughout all time. (Psalm 145: 10-18)
“As our eyes turn to God, we see that intention expressed in the good gifts that we receive in the course of our lives. Equally, we are conscious that the gifts we receive are not thereafter to be kept and retained by our closing our hands and keeping the gifts to ourselves. The goodness of God is a gift to be shared with others.
“Within the community of which we are a part, we are called to reflect the One in whose image we are made and whose hand is open towards us.”
We pray:
Living God,
You open your hand towards us
And offer to us good gifts.
We accept your gifts with gratitude
And respond with thanks and praise.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
You open your hand towards us
And offer to us the gift of life.
We acknowledge that we made in your image
And recognise your image in the life of each person upon the earth.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
You open your hand towards us
And offer life to the world.
We receive your offer
As a sign of your faithfulness towards us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
You open your hand towards us
And offer your gifts to all.
We resolve to share the gifts we have received
And not to close our hand towards others.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
You open your hand towards us
And offer to us signs of your kingdom.
We pledge to bear witness to your enduring kingdom
And to your abundant grace.
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)
