As part of the ongoing response to the Coronavirus pandemic the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) will this Sunday (22 March) begin broadcasting video coverage of Eucharistic services via its website, social media channels and YouTube channel. The web page for the broadcast is located at www.scotland.anglican.org/broadcast-sunday-worship

The first service, led by the Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, will be broadcast at 11am, to coincide with when many people would normally be worshipping, if church services had not been suspended earlier this week.

The website will also contain a downloadable video and audio format of the service. A new service will be broadcast every Sunday on the SEC website, to allow all congregations to worship. We are aware that some congregations will offer their own version of online worship, but others will not have the means or resource to attempt this, hence this province-wide broadcast.

In advance of the broadcast of each provincial service, the Liturgy will be available to download from the SEC website. We are conscious of the need to offer as much assistance as possible to those who have no access to the internet, and we encourage people to distribute the video/audio recordings and the Liturgy widely within their own personal networks. In households with no internet or playback capacity, people who can be helped by others through the provision of printed materials will have the opportunity to read the words of the Liturgy to themselves close to the appointed time, praising God along with others in the Church.

As part of this initiative, and bearing in mind the particular importance of Mothering Sunday this weekend, we seek prayers from people to form our intercession.

“Prayer is an important part of the tradition and spiritual life of the people of God, said Bishop Mark. “In hard times and good times, quietly being before God with the people we love in our hearts encircles us all in God’s everlasting love and the promise of hope and salvation.”

To request a prayer for a specific person, you can email office@scotland.anglican.org. When asking for prayer for people, you only need to mention their first name or initials, to maintain privacy. Prayers received before Thursday each week will be added to the upcoming Sunday service broadcast; prayers received on Thursday and beyond may be put forward to the following week.

The service will be available online after its first broadcast, followed by a new one each week, the next at 11am on Sunday 29 March.