As lockdown continues for an extended period in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Scottish Episcopal Church joins again with other churches this weekend in a Call to Prayer at 7pm on Sunday (19 April).
Thirteen Christian churches and organisations across Scotland are taking part in the joint prayer for the fourth consecutive week, with many of those participating also lighting candles. The prayer appears below, in English and in Gaelic.
The churches have issued a joint statement with this week’s prayer. It reads:
“As we find ourselves living through a renewed phase of Lockdown, we see in the Gospel of John (20: 19-23) that, in part, the experience of the disciples, even on the day of Resurrection, was one in which they found themselves locked in and behind closed doors.
“Their experience of Lockdown was interrupted by the presence of Jesus as he came and stood among them. He speaks into the depths of their fears and anxieties: ‘Peace be with you.’ We hear these words and know that they speak to us. We listen again for what he will say and discover that Jesus simply repeats himself: ‘Peace be with you.’ As we still ourselves, we hear those words of peace spoken and sense that they are spoken to us and to all who long to hear a word that heals and reassures: ‘Peace be with you’.”
We pray:
Living God, speak into the depths of our experience,
Speak the word that stills our fears
And calms our anxieties:
‘Peace be with you.’
Speak your word to the lonely and to the broken,
To the bereaved and to those whose world has crumbled:
‘Peace be with you.’
Faithful God, speak to us behind locked doors
As we remember others, who risk their own safety,
In order to serve others:
Peace be with them.
Carers and nurses, doctors and ambulance drivers,
Delivery drivers and shop assistants:
Peace be with them.
God who inspires Hope, speak to us in the present
And speak to us of the future,
For though the doors are locked, in time they shall be open:
Peace shall be renewed.
For those who lead the life of our Nation: Our Queen Elizabeth,
First Minister and Prime Minister, and all who shape our common life,
For us all: Peace shall be renewed.
God whose name is love and whose gift is love,
Open our hearts to know you and to love you,
To love you and to love our neighbour
And as we do, to hear again: ‘Peace be with you.’
May we find our strength in you,
And hear again:
‘Peace be with you.’
Signed by:
Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt. Rev. Colin Sinclair, 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. Dr David Pickering, 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. Jim Ritchie, 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)
Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 19mh dhen Ghiblean, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Anns na làithean seo agus sinn fhathast glaiste a-staigh, tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh gun robh na deisciobail, fiù ’s air latha an aiseirigh fhèin, glaiste a-staigh leis na dorsan dùinte (Soisgeul Eòin 20: 19 – 23).
Ach nuair a bha iad glaiste a-staigh, nochd Ìosa nan làthair, thàinig e a-steach agus sheas e nam measg. Nuair a bha iadsan fo eagal agus fo imcheist, thuirt e riutha: Sìth dhuibh. Tha sinn a’ cluinntin nam facal sin, le fhios againn gu bheil e a’ bruidhinn rinne cuideachd. Bidh sinn ag èisteachd riutha a-rithist, agus a’ tuigsinn gu bheil Ìosa fhathast ag ràdh: Sìth dhuibh. Èisteamaid ris na faclan sin, faclan na sìthe a labhair e ris nan uile a tha feumach air faclan slànachaidh misneachaidh: Sìth dhuibh.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè bheò, labhair rinn anns an teanntachd anns a bheil sinn,
labhair rinn leis am facal a tha a’ toirt ciùnas an àite eagail,
agus fèath an àite iomgain: ‘Sìth dhuibh’.
Labhair d’ fhacal dhaibhsan a tha aonaranach agus brònach,
dhaibhsan a tha air an luchd-gràidh a chaill,
dhaibhsan a tha air a h-uile nì a chaill: ‘Sìth dhuibh’.
A Dhè dhìleis, labhair rinne nuair a tha ar dorsan dùinte.
Tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh iadsan a tha gan cur fhèin ann an cunnart gus frithealadh a thoirt do dhaoine eile: Sìth dhaibh.
Sìth dhaibh uile: luchd-cùraim agus nursaichean, dotairean agus dràibhearan nan carbadan-èiginn, dràibhearan lìbhrigidh agus luchd-obrach nam bùth.
A Dhè an Dòchais, labhair rinn anns an latha a th’ ann,
agus labhair rinn mun àm a tha ri teachd.
Oir ged a tha na na dorsan dùinte, aig ceann thall bidh iad air am fosgladh a-rìthist. Gum biodh sìth ann às ùr.
Tha sinn ag ùrnaigh air an son uile aig a bheil ùghdarras, airson na Banrìghinn, airson a’ phrìomhaire agus airson a’ phrìomh mhinisteir.
Agus tha sinn ag ùrnaigh air ar son uile: Gum biodh sìth ann às ùr.
A Dhè a’ ghràidh, a thug gràdh dhuinn,
fosgail ar cridheachan, gus am bi sinn a’ faighinn eòlais ort,
agus a bhith gad ghràdhachadh,
gus am bi sinn gad gràdhachadh agus a’ gràdhachadh ar comharsnaich,
agus gus am bi sinn a’ cluinntin nam facal a-rithist: ‘Sìth dhuibh’.
Nuair a tha sinn a’ faicinn cho beag ’s a tha an neart againn fhèin,
gum bitheamaid a’ lorg neart às ùr annadsa,
agus gum bitheamaid a’ cluinntinn a-rithist: ‘Sìth dhuibh’.
Soidhnichte:
Am Fìor Urramach Marcus Strange, Primus as leth Colaiste nan Easbaigean, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba
An Ceart Urramach Cailean Mac na Ceardaich, 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 Daibhidh Pickering, 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 Jim Ritchie, 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 ri chèile ann an Alba (MECTIS)