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:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19: 14)
“The Psalmist turns to God, as we ourselves do, in search of the One who will accept us as we are and who will be our strength in hard times. The times in which we live will feel to many of us like “hard times”. In these times, the Psalm speaks to us and for us.
“We are conscious that the words we offer are but frail and we sometimes fear that they will not carry to God. Likewise, we fear that our hearts are faint. In these times, the Psalmist stands where we stand and calls upon the Lord as the One who is our rock and strength, and as the One who will bring us into the living presence of God. The words are offered from open lips and an open heart and rise into the presence of God. The words are offered trusting that they will be pleasing before God. In similar fashion, we offer our words from open lips and open hearts and we trust, that in these times, they will be heard by the One who is our Rock and Redeemer.”
O Lord,
You are our Rock and our Redeemer,
Hear us as we call to you
With open lips and open hearts.
Hear us and accept us we are.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
O Lord,
You are our Rock and our Redeemer,
Hear us as we call to you
In the times in which we live.
Hear us in hard times and answer us in your time.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
O Lord,
You are our Rock and our Redeemer,
Hear us as we call to you
With the words that you have given to us.
Hear us with words hewn from the experience of life.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
O Lord,
You are our Rock and our Redeemer,
Hear us as we call to you
Though our words are often frail and our hearts sometimes faint.
Hear our words and accept the offering of our hearts.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
O Lord,
You are our Rock and our Redeemer,
Hear us as we call to you
And may the words we offer and the meditation of our hearts
Be acceptable in your sight.
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, 26mh dhen An t-Sultain, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Biodh briathran mo bheòil agus smuaintean mo chridhe taitneach nad làthair, a Thighearna, mo charraig agus m’fhear-saoraidh. (Salm 19: 14)
“Thionndadh an Salmaidh do Dhia, mar a nì sinn fhèin, a’ sireadh an Tì a ghabhas rinn mar a tha sinn, agus a dheònaicheas dhuinn neart nuair a bhios sinn fann. Tha gu leòr againn a’ faireachdainn lag anns na làithean seo. Mar sin, tha an Salmaidh a’ bruidhinn rinn agus às ar leth.
“Tha fhios againn gu bheil ar faclan rudeigin lag, agus uaireannan tha eagal oirnn nach cluinn Dia iad. Mar an ceudna, tha eagal oirnn gu bheil ar cridheachan lag. Aig na h-amannan sin, bidh an Salmaidh a’ seasamh far a bheil sinne nar seasamh agus a’ gairm air an Tighearna, ar carraig agus ar neart, air an Tighearna a bheireas sinn a-steach do làthaireachd Dhè. Tha na faclan ag èirigh o ar bilean agus o ar cridheachan a-steach do làthaireachd Dhè. Tha sinn a’ tairgsinn nam facal le làn-earbsa gum bi iad taitneach do Dhia. Tha ar faclan-sa cuideachd a’ dol a-steach do làthaireachd Dhè, agus tha earbsa againn gun tèid an cluinntinn leis an Tì as àrd, agus e ar Carraig agus ar Fear-saoraidh.”
A Thighearna,
is tusa ar Carraig agus ar Fear-saoraidh,
èist rinn, agus sinn a’ gairm ort
le bilean fosgailte agus cridheachan fosgailte.
Èist rinn, agus gabh rinn mar a tha sinn.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna,
is tusa ar Carraig agus ar Fear-saoraidh,
èist rinn, agus sinn a’ gairm ort
anns na làithean doirbh seo.
Èist rinn ann an làithean doirbh, agus freagair sinn nad ghràs.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna,
is tusa ar Carraig agus ar Fear-saoraidh,
èist rinn, agus sinn a’ gairm ort
leis na faclan a thug thu dhuinn.
Èist rinn, agus sinn a’ cleachdadh faclan a chleachd do phoball thairis air na linntean.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna,
is tusa ar Carraig agus ar Fear-saoraidh,
èist rinn, agus sinn a’ gairm ort
ged a tha ar faclan fann agus ar cridheachan lag.
Èist ri ar faclan, agus gabh ri tairgse ar cridheachan.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna,
is tusa ar Carraig agus ar Fear-saoraidh,
èist rinn, agus sinn a’ gairm ort,
deònach gum bi briathran ar beòil agus smuaintean ar cridheachan uile taitneach nad làthair.
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)
