The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday, 7 February, as they have done throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, will also light candles.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“At this time, we are those who wait. In common with every member of our community and our nation, we are those who wait for the renewal of life within the families and communities of which we are a part. The time of waiting has now exceeded anything we might have imagined as we began the first lockdown, and as we wait many have grown weary.
“The prophet Isaiah speaks to a people who have waited and whose time of waiting has exceeded anything they might have imagined. (Isaiah 40: 21-31) During the time of waiting, the people of Israel have grown weary. To those people, the word of the Lord comes through the prophet and they are given a vision of ‘the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth’ who ‘does not faint or grow weary’.
“Even in the longest times, the word of the Lord speaks to those who have come to the end of their strength with the assurance that: ‘those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint’. (Isaiah 40: 31)
“We are those who wait and our waiting is not in vain.”
We pray:
Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And we confess that we have grown weary.
Speak to us we ask and hear our cry.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And who have come to the end of our own strength.
Lift up the weary and strengthen the powerless.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And who have heard your Word echo in our hearts.
Grant us grace for this time and faith to believe your promise.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And who ask that your promise will be fulfilled.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Lindsey Sanderson, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rev. Claire Fender, 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, 7mh dhen Ghearran , ùrnaigh aig 7f
Tha sinn a’ feitheamh aig an àm seo. Maille ri gach neach nar coimhearsnachd agus nar dùthaich, tha sinn a’ feitheamh ri ath-nuadhachadh na beatha nar teaghlaichean agus nar coimhearsnachdan. Tha sinn uile a’ fàs sgìth, oir tha sinn air a bhith a’ feitheaamh nas fhaide na bha sinn an dùil nuair a thòisich an galar a sgapadh an tòiseach.
Tha am fàidh Isaiah a’ labhairt ri sluagh a bha a’ feitheamh, agus a bha air a bhith a’ feitheamh na b’ fhaide na bha iad an dùil (Isaiah 40: 21 – 31). Bha iad air fàs sgìth. Thàinig facal an Tighearna thuca tron fhàidh, agus fhuair iad sealladh air “an Dia bithbhuan, an Tighearna, Cruithear crìochan na talmhainn,” esan nach fann agus nach sgìth. Fiù ’s anns na h-amannan as fhaide, tha facal an Tighearna a’ labhairt riuthasan a tha anfhann agus a tha gun lùth, leis an dearbhadh seo:
“Iadsan a dh’fheitheas air an Tighearna, gheibh iad spionnadh nuadh; èiridh iad suas mar iolair air a sgiathan; ruithidh iad agus cha bhi iad sgìth, siùbhlaidh iad agus chan fhàs iad fann.” (Isaiah 40: 31)
Tha sinn a’ feitheamh, agus chan ann gu dìomhain.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè bhithbhuain,
Cruithear crìochan na talmhainn,
Tha sinn a’ feitheamh
agus ag aideachadh gu bheil sinn a’ fàs sgìth.
Labhair rinn agus èist ri ar gaoir.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bhithbhuain,
Cruithear crìochan na talmhainn,
Tha sinn a’ feitheamh
agus tha sinn fann, gun lùth.
Tog suas an fheadhainn a tha sàraichte, agus deònaich neart dhan fheadhainn a tha anfhann.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bhithbhuain,
Cruithear crìochan na talmhainn,
Tha sinn a’ feitheamh
agus tha sinn a’ cluinntinn mac-talla d’ Fhaclain nar cridheachan.
Deònaich dhuinn gràs aig an àm seo, agus creideamh nad ghealladh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bhithbhuain,
Cruithear crìochan na talmhainn,
Tha sinn a’ feitheamh
agus a’ guidhe ort gun tèid do ghealladh a choilionadh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Dhè bhithbhuain,
Cruithear crìochan na talmhainn,
Tha sinn a’ feitheamh.
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 Màrtainn Fair, Moderàtor Àrd-Sheanadh Eaglais na h-Alba
Am Fìor Urramach Leo Cushley, Àrd-Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn agus Dùn Èideann
An t-Urramach Iain Fulton, Moderàtor, Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Lindsey Sanderson, Moderàtor, 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 May-Kane Logan, Cathraiche, Caidreachas Co-thionalach ann an Alba
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Rùnaire na h-Alba, Feachd na Slàinte
Adwao Bittle, Comann nan Caraidean (Cuagairean)
An t-Urramach Claire Fender, Àrd-Neach-Stiùiridh Roinn-Dùthcha, Eileanan Bhreatainn, Eaglais an Nàsaraich
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)
