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:
“‘Are we there yet?’ We can easily picture a small child enquiring plaintively from the back of the car as to whether, or not, the destination has been reached. Indeed, even as we mature, we can all readily identify with the sentiment as we enquire as to whether, or not, our desired destination has been reached. Over the past months, we might perhaps have been tempted to succumb to the frustration of a journey’s end delayed and to rather lose heart.
“As one who had journeyed and who continued to journey, the Apostle Paul was not unfamiliar with the challenges of doing so. In response to those whom he sensed were ready to succumb to frustration, Paul affirms the basis on which we should continue to journey and concludes: ‘Therefore we do not lose heart.’ What is that basis? It is the assurance that the One who ‘raised the Lord Jesus from the dead’ will also raise us with him and bring us into God’s presence. We share in the life of the risen Lord Jesus and the challenges we face on the journey are to be set in the light of this. We might not be there yet but, as we share in the life of the risen Lord Jesus, we are those who ‘do not lose heart’. (2 Corinthians 4: 13-5: 1)”
We pray:
Living God,
Who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead,
Be with us on the journey before us.
Be with us when the path is smooth
And the horizon is clear.
Lead us on to the place of your presence.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
Who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead,
Be with us on the journey before us.
Be with us when the path is broken
And the way obscured.
Still lead us on to the place of your presence.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
Who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead,
Be with us on the journey before us.
Be with us as we face the challenges seen
And those as yet unseen.
In all we face, may your abiding presence remain.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
Who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead,
Be with us on the journey.
Be with those who grow frustrated
And who feel disheartened.
Renew us that we may discover your presence once more.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
Who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead,
Be with us on the journey.
Be with us that we might share
In the life of the Risen Lord
And the life everlasting in your presence.
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)
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, 6mh dhen Ògmhios, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Tha sinn uile eòlach air ceist ainmeil na cloinne, “An do ràinig sinn fhathast?” Fiù ’s agus sinn nar n-inbhich tha sinn gu math tric air ar sàrachadh leis an fhaireachdainn, mi-chinnteach mun cheist sin: an do ràinig sinn an t-àite far a bheil sinn a’ dol? A bheil sinn fiù ’s faisg air? Ma dh’ fhaoidte gu bheil sinn a’ call ar misneachd gu ìre, gun fhios againn cuin a bhios sinn a’ ruigsinn ceann an t-slighe seo.
Bha an t-Abstol Pòl làn eòlach air siubhal, agus bha e eòlach air na dubhlannan a thig na lùib. Mar sin bha comhairle aige dhan fheadhainn a bha a’ call am misneachd air an t-slighe, a’ dearbhadh grunn ar creideimh, grunn ar siubhail, agus ag ràdh: “Mar sin, chan eil sinn a’ call misneachd, ach ged a tha an duine a th’ air an taobh a-muigh a’ crìonadh, tha ar nàdar a th’ air an taobh a-staigh ga ath-nuadhachadh latha ’n dèidh latha,” oir tha fhios againn “gun tog an t-Aon a thog suas an Tighearna Ìosa sinne suas cuideachd, le Ìosa, agus gun nochd e sinn na làthair-san leibhse.” Ma dh’fhaoidte nach eil sinn air ceann an t-slighe a ruigsinn, ach fhad ’s a tha sinn a’ com-pàirteachadh ann am beatha an Tighearna Ìosa, cha chall sinn ar misneachd. (2 Corintianaich 4: 13 – 5: 1)
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè bheò,
a thog suas an Tighearna Ìosa o na mairbh,
bi maille rinn air an t-slighe.
Bi maille rinn nuair a tha an slighe rèidh agus an latha soilleir.
Treòraich sinn do dh’àite do làthaireachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bheò,
a thog suas an Tighearna Ìosa o na mairbh,
bi maille rinn air an t-slighe.
Bi maille rinn nuair a bhios an slighe doirbh
agus ar lèirsinn dorcha.
Treòraich sinn fhathast do dh’àite do làthaireachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bheò,
a thog suas an Tighearna Ìosa o na mairbh,
bi maille rinn air an t-slighe.
Bi maille rinn anns gach càs,
na rudan a dh’fhiosraich sinn mar-thà agus na rudan nach fhaca sinn fhathast.
Anns gach càs, deònaich dhuinn neart do làthaireachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bheò,
a thog suas an Tighearna Ìosa o na mairbh,
bi maille rinn air an t-slighe.
Bi maille riuthasan a tha a’ call am misneachd, agus a tha fo iomagain.
Thoir dhuinn ath-nuadhachadh tro làthaireachd do Spioraid.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bheò,
a thog suas an Tighearna Ìosa o na mairbh,
bi maille rinn air an t-slighe.
Bi maille rinn gus an gabh sinn pàirt
ann am beatha Tighearna na h-aiseirighe,
agus gum meal sinn beatha mhaireannach nad làthaireachd.
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
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)
