As Christians across the world hear the story of the journey to Emmaus, the Scottish Episcopal Church joins again with other churches this weekend in a Call to Prayer at 7pm on Sunday (26 April), reflecting on the challenges of our own journey through this pandemic.

Thirteen Christian churches and organisations across Scotland are taking part in the joint prayer for the fifth consecutive week, with many of those participating also lighting candles. The prayer appears below, in English and in Gaelic.

The Rev Canon Oliver Brewer-Lennon, Vice-Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow, prepared earlier a five-minute liturgy for the lighting of candles which you may wish to use before joining in prayer with Christians across Scotland.

The churches have issued a joint statement with this week’s prayer. It reads:

“As we continue to journey through this challenging time, we are conscious that the course of our journey will take us to different places. At some points, we will have greater clarity as to where that journey is taking us. At other points, we will be less sure. The two disciples who left Jerusalem to journey to Emmaus were definitely in the latter category. (Luke 24: 13-35) As they journey, they try to make sense of all that they are currently experiencing and, in truth, they are finding it difficult. It is as if the source of their hope has gone. Unexpectedly, they then find themselves in the presence of someone whom they do not recognise. The unrecognised presence listens to their story and, having listened, begins to offer a new way of understanding that story. As they come towards the end of their journey, the unrecognised is revealed as the risen Lord: ‘The Lord has risen indeed’! The Lord is always with us on our journey and so we pray:

Lord, we are those who journey
And who find that journey hard today.
We are those who journey
And long to find our hope renewed.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, whether in our own company or with companions beside us,
We journey on.
Whether sure, or unsure, as to our journey’s end,
Come beside us through the risen Lord.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we pray for others;
For carers of the living and of the dying;
For the bereaved and for the anxious;
For those fearing loss of work and of business.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, we pray for scientists and researchers;
For those seeking to understand the challenge we face;
For those creating potential vaccines;
For those advising decision-makers.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we pray for those who shape our common life:
In local Councils and in Scottish Government
And in the Government of the United Kingdom.
Grant to them wisdom, compassion and understanding.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we pray for your Kingdom to come
And for your will to be done,
On earth
As it is in heaven.
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. 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)

“Tha sinn fhathast a’ siubhal tron àm doirbh seo, agus tha sinn mothachail gum bi ar turas gar toirt gu h-aiteachan eadar-dhealaichte. Ag amannan, bidh sinn a’ faicinn nas soilleire far a bheil an rathad againn a’ dol. Ag amannan eile, cha bhith sinn idir cho cinnteach – ’s ann mar sin a bha e dhan dithis dheisciobail air an rathad gu Emàus (Lùcas 24: 13 – 35). Fhad ’s a bha iad a’ siubhal, bha iad a’ feuchainn ri thuigsinn a h-uile rud a bha a’ tachairt mu thimcheall orra agus, ann an da-rìribh, bha e fìor dhoirbh ri thuigsinn. Cha mhòr, ar leotha, gun deach an dòchas gu lèir aca air thoirt bhuapa. Gun dùil aca idir, nochd cuidgein nach b’aithne dhaibh nan làthair. Dh’èist an neach neo-aithnichte ris an sgeulachd aca, agus, nuair a bha e air a cluinntinn, thòisich e ri mhìneachadh dhaibh dòigh eile gus an sgeulachd sin a thuigsinn. Nuair a thàinig iad gu ceann an turais, bha an neach neo-aithnichte air aithneachadh mu dheireadh thall mar an Tighearna air èirigh: “Dh’èirich an Tighearna da-rìribh”! Tha an Tighearna daonnan maille rinn air an t-slighe. Mar sin, dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Thighearna, is sinne an fheadhainn a tha a’ siubhal,
agus an-diugh tha ar turas cruaidh oirnn.
Is sinne an fheadhainn a tha a’ siubhal,
le miann airson dòchas ùraichte.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair, èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn a’ siubhal air adhart: cuid againn nar n-aonar, cuid againn le companaich ri ar taobh.
Tha sinn a’ siubhal air adhart, cuid againn cinnteach mu cheann ar turais, agus cuid againn nach eil idir cho cinnteach.
A Thighearna na h-aiseirigh, còisich maille rinn air an t-slighe.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair, èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh airson daoine eile;
airson na feadhainn a tha a’ frithealadh na tha beò, agus na tha a’ bàsachadh;
airson na feadhainn a tha fo bhròn agus fo iomcheist;
airson na feadhainn a tha iomaganach mun dreuchd aca.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair, èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh airson luchd-saidheans agus
luchd-rannsachaidh;
airson na feadhainn a tha a’ feuchainn ris an dùbhlan a tha romhainn a thuigsinn;
airson na feadhainn tha a’ feuchainn ri banadach a chruthachadh;
airson na feadhainn a’ toirt comhairle do na riaghaltasan.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair, èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh airson nan uile aig a bheil ùghdarras,
ann an comhairlean iondail, ann an Riaghaltas na h-Alba agus Riaghaltas na Rìoghachd Aonaichte.
Tabhair dhaibh gliocas, truas agus tuigse.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair, èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh gun tig do Rìoghachd,
agus gun dèanar do thoil air an talamh mar a nithear air nèamh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair, eìst ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

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)