The Scottish Episcopal Church joins again with other churches and many thousands of people in Scotland in a Call to Prayer at 7pm on Sunday [10 May], in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Thirteen Christian churches and organisations across the country will take part in the joint prayer to the Good Shepherd who watches over us in this time of uncertainty.

Many of those joining together will also light candles at the time of prayer, which appears below in English and in Gaelic.

Churches Together In England will also be continuing to pray each Sunday at 7pm and will be using the hashtag #prayersofhope to share the message on social media.

In a joint message accompanying this week’s prayer, Scottish church leaders said: “As Scotland locked down in March, so our usual way of life came shuddering to a halt. Travel was restricted to an extent not experienced in any living lifetime. Our way of life changed too. Some faced traumatic, heart-rending personal situations, from illness to hospitalisation, anxiousness for and separation from loved ones. Others experienced new risk through their roles, including those serving in hospitals and care homes, and key workers in other sectors that are vital for life. Yet others faced difficult personal situations: hunger, tension in relationships and worse, and overnight, everyone had to find a new way of living life.

“Today’s gospel reading from John Chapter 14, tells of a traumatic time in the life of the disciples and Jesus. After three years travelling together around Galilee, they arrive in Jerusalem amidst an atmosphere heavy with threat. Gathering behind a closed door, in the hour of his own need, Jesus sought to offer comfort and guidance to his followers and friends, telling them of a place in God’s house, and that he was going ahead to prepare a place for them. Thomas, bless him, asked the question which is on the hearts of so many: ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ To which Jesus replied: ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’

“Today, in these times, we pray that we may sense Christ’s guiding presence.”

Come, Jesus Christ, come my way;
showing me your way, through these disorientating days,
and opening my eyes to your accompanying presence.

Come, Jesus Christ, come my way;
teaching me your truth, through these confounding days
and opening my mind to your living Word.

Come Jesus Christ, come my way;
revealing to me your life, through these bewildering days,
and opening my heart to the fulness of your being. Amen.

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, 10mh dhen Chèitean, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“Nuair a thòisich an glasadh-sluagh ann an Alba sa Mhàirt, thàinig ar dòigh-bheatha àbhaisteach gu stad gu h-obann.  Chaidh stad a chuir air siùbhal gu ìre nach fhaca gin againn nar beatha.  Dh’atharraich ar dòigh-bheatha cuideachd.  Bha cuid de dhaoine air an cur ann an suidheachaidhean cearbail, brònach; le cuid tinn agus san ospadal, cuid fo iomagain mu luchd an gràidh, agus air an dealachadh bhuapa.  Chuir cuid eile iad fhèin ann an cunnart, cuid ann an ospadalan agus dachaighean-curaim, agus cuid eile nan luchd-obrach riatanach ann an roinntean eile a tha deatamach airson beatha na dùthcha.  Agus bha cuid eile air am fàgail ann suidheachaidhean pearsanta a bha doirbh: acras, teanntachdan anns an dàimhnean – no nas miosa na sin – agus cha mhòr ann am priobadh na sùla, bha againn uile ri dòigh-bheatha ùr a lorg.

“Tha an earrann dhen t-soisgeil againn an-diugh, Soisgeul Eòin 14, ag innse dhuinn mu àm ciùrrach ann am beatha nan deisciobal, agus ann am beatha Ìosa fhèin.  Aig ceann trì bliadhna anns an robh iad a’ siubhal air feadh Ghalile, ràinig iad Ierusalem, le cunnart agus bagairt a’ teannachadh orra.  A’ cruinneachadh air cùl dòrais dùinte, ann an uair na h-àmhghair fhèin, thug Ìosa cofhurtachd agus treòrachadh dha luchd-leanntainn agus da chairdean, ag innse dhaibh mun àite a bha e dol a dh’uallachadh dhaibh ann an taigh Dhè.  Chuir Tòmas air a’ chèist a tha ann iomadh cridhe a-diugh: ‘A Thighearna, chan eil fhios againn càit a bheil thu a’ dol; agus cionnas a dh’fhaodas eòlas na slighe a bhith againn?’ Agus thubhairt Ìosa ris: ‘Is mise an t-slighe, an fhìrinn agus a’ bheatha.’

“An-diugh, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh gum faigh sinn eòlas air treòrachadh agus làithearachd Chrìosd.  Dèanamaid ùrnaigh.”

Thig, Ìosa Crìosd, thig dham ionnsaigh;
seall dhomh do shlighe, anns na làithean troimh-a-chèile seo,
agus fosgail mo shuilean-sa, gus an aithnich mi do làithearachd.

Thig, Ìosa Crìosd, thig dham ionnsaigh;
teagaisg dhomh d’ fhìrinn, anns na làithean breathalach seo,
agus fosgail m’ inntinn, gus an aithnich mi d’ Fhacal beò.

Thig, Ìosa Crìosd, thig dham ionnsaigh;
foillsich dhomh do bheatha, anns na làithean aimlisgeach seo,
agus fosgail mo chridhe, gus an aithnich mi lànachd do bhith.

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)