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:
“At certain times in our experience we are especially conscious of our strengths and, at other times, of our weaknesses. In our times of perceived strength, we are confident of our capacities and abilities. In our times of perceived weakness, it is often otherwise. We might easily imagine that it is in the former situation that God is especially close to us. However, the experience of faith and of the grace of God suggests otherwise.
“The Apostle Paul discovered this in the course of his own spiritual experience and came to realise the sufficiency of the grace of God in his life. This discovery is made in the times when he senses that he is at his weakest and not in his times of perceived strength. (2 Corinthians 12: 9) In the spiritual journey that each one of us makes, the sufficiency of God is often known when we come to the end of our own strength and discover the ever-renewed grace of God.”
We pray:
God, whose grace is revealed,
In the One who embraces the Cross,
May we know the sufficiency of your grace
In the times of our deepest need.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God, whose grace is revealed,
In the One who embraces the Cross,
May we walk in the company of those who suffer
And so share in the grace that you provide.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God, whose grace is revealed,
In the One who embraces the Cross,
May we experience the strength you provide
In the times of our greatest weakness.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God, whose grace is revealed,
In the One who embraces the Cross,
May our lives be renewed as we live out our response to your grace
And so share in the community of grace.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God, whose grace is revealed,
In the One who embraces the Cross,
May your grace, sufficient in days past,
Be sufficient in all the days that are to come.
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
Aig amannan, tha sinn fìor mhothachail air meud ar spionnaidh; agus aig amannan eile, tha sinn nas mothaichaile air ar laigseannan. Aig amannan,tha sinn calma, làn misneachd, agus aig amannan eile, tha sinn air ar lìonadh le teagamhan agus eagal. Ma dh’fhaoidte gu bheil sinn a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil sinn nas fhaisge air Dia ann an làithean neart ar misneachd, ach tha creideamh agus ar eòlas air gràs Dhè gar teagasg nach eil sin uile gu lèir fìor.
Dh’ionnsaich an t-Abstol Pòl brìgh na fìrinne seo na bheatha spioradail fhèin. Chunnaic e cumhachd Dhè ag obair an taobh a-staigh dheth nuair a bha e fhèin fann, agus thuirt an Tighearna ris: “Is leòr mo ghràs-sa dhut, oir tha mo chumhachd air a dhèaamh foirfe ann an laigse.” (2 Corintianaich 12: 9). Chì sinn air ar turas fhèin gu bheil sinn a’ faicinn pailteas gràs Dhè nuair nach eil neart is spionnadh againn fhèin.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè, tha do ghràs air fhoillseachadh dhuinn
ann an ìobairt do Mhic air a’ Chrann-ceusaidh.
Deònaich dhuinn eòlas air pailteas do ghràis
nuair a tha cruaidh feum againn air.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, tha do ghràs air fhoillseachadh dhuinn
ann an ìobairt do Mhic air a’ Chrann-ceusaidh.
Fhad ’s a chòiseachas sinn maille riuthasan a tha a’ fulang,
deònaich gun co-pàirtich sinn na do ghràs fhèin.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, tha do ghràs air fhoillseachadh dhuinn
ann an ìobairt do Mhic air a’ Chrann-ceusaidh.
Deònaich dhuinn do neart
nuair a bhios sinn lag.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, tha do ghràs air fhoillseachadh dhuinn
ann an ìobairt do Mhic air a’ Chrann-ceusaidh.
Deònaich dhuinn ath-nuadhachadh nar beathannan, agus sinn a’ co-pàirteachadh ann an co-chomann do ghràis.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè, tha do ghràs air fhoillseachadh dhuinn
ann an ìobairt do Mhic air a’ Chrann-ceusaidh.
Gum biodh do ghràs, a bha leòr dhuinn riamh,
leòr dhuinn fhathast anns na làithean ri teachd.
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)
