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, will also light candles.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’, you are doing right.’ James 2: 8)
“Given all that we face today: How do we know we are doing the right thing? In our personal life and in our shared life, the challenge of doing the right thing is something that we continually face. As we reflect upon this, we recognise that knowing ‘the right thing to do’ is not always easy. Nevertheless, throughout Scripture there runs an ancient thread that links the original call to love our neighbour to the summary of the Law given by Jesus. (Leviticus 19: 18; Mark 12: 31) The call to love our neighbour is described by James as the ‘royal law’ and is the surest guide we have as to knowing ‘the right thing to do’.
“As we face the challenge of renewing our society and, at the same time, continuing to face the ongoing pandemic, the need of a sure guide remains constant. The ‘royal law’ has been gifted to us by our Creator and renewed by the Lord Jesus Christ. We take it as our guide for these times.”
We pray:
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to you as our Creator
And ask for grace and strength
To live according to that law.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to those beside us as our neighbours
And ask for wisdom that we might do to others
As we would have them do to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to face the challenges of the day
And seek to renew our society
That it might better reflect your Kingdom which is to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to the world before us
And seek to do right in your eyes
That we might bring glory to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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)
