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 [24 May], in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
This week, 14 Christian churches and organisations across the country will take part.
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:
“At this present time, we are especially conscious of the need to protect and to be protected. Indeed, our collective awareness of the need to protect life and the lives of those whom we love has perhaps never been so heightened. In response to the threat posed by Covid 19, we seek to protect and shield those whom we care for most deeply.
“In the Gospel of John (17: 1-11), Jesus prays for his disciples in anticipation of the time when he will no longer be with them. What is it that he prays for? Jesus asks the Father to ‘protect’ his friends. Whilst he was with them, Jesus protected and shielded the disciples and later in his prayer he prays for each one of us. The ascended Lord Jesus continues to pray for us and assures us that his presence will be renewed through the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
We pray:
Living God and gracious Father,
Protect and shield us.
Living God, protect and shield
All whom we love,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Living God, your Son now sits in your presence
And shares in your glory and honour.
We thank you for the promise
That his presence shall be renewed for us,
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Living God, we thank you that Jesus prayed for us
And that he continues to intercede for us.
We thank you that he continues to pray
For us and for our protection,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Living God, we pray for the life of the world.
We thank you for all those who, in these days,
Strive to protect and shield us.
Renew them in heart and soul, and mind and strength,
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Living God, renew us we pray and renew the life of the world.
For you so loved the world that you gave your Son
That we might share in the life of the world to come.
Hear our prayer, now and always,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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. 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)
Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)
Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 24mh dhen Chèitean, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Aig an àm seo tha sinn glè mhothachail air cho feumach ’s a tha sinn air dìonadh, agus a bhith a’ dìonadh a chèile. Ma dh’fhaoidte nach robh sinn a-riamh cho mothachail air sin ’s a tha sinn a-nis, agus sinn a’ feuchainn ri ar coimhearsnaich agus luchd ar gràidh a dhìonadh bho na cunnartan a tha a’ tighinn oirnn uile an cois Covid-19.
Ann an Soisgeul Eòin (17: 1 – 11), rinn Ìosa ùrnaigh airson a dheisciobail, oir bha fhios aige gun robh làithean a’ teannachadh orra, làithean anns nach robh e fhèin dol a bhith còmhla riutha gu fiosaigeach. Dè a dh’iarr e san ùrnaigh sin? Dh’iarr e gum bi an t-Athair a’ dìonadh a charaidean. Fhad ’s a bha e còmhla riutha, dhìon Ìosa na deisciobail, agus nas fhaide san ùrnaigh aige, tha e ag ùrnaigh airson gach neach againn. Tha an Tighearna Ìosa, agus esan air èirigh, fhathast ag ùrnaigh air ar son, agus a’ toirt barantais dhuinn gum bi a làithearachd air ath-nuadhachadh tro thìodhlac an Spioraid Naoimh.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Dhè Bheò agus Athair thròcairich,
dìon sinn agus glèidh sinn.
A Dhè Bheò, dìon agus glèidh
luchd ar gràidh,
tro Ìosa Crìosd ar Tighearna.
A Dhè Bheò, tha do Mhac a-nis na shuidhe nad làthair,
a’ gabhail pàirt nad ghlòir agus nad chliù.
Tha sinn taingeil dhut airson a gheallaidh
gum bi a làithearachd air ath-nuadhachadh dhuinn,
tro thìodhlac an Spioraid Naoimh.
A Dhè Bheò, tha sinn taingeil dhut gun do rinn Ìosa ùrnaigh air ar son,
agus gu bheil e fhathast ag eadar-ghuidhe air ar son.
Tha sinn taingeil dhut gu bheil e fhathast ag ùrnaigh air ar son,
agus airson ar dìonadh,
Tro Ìosa Crìosd ar Tighearna.
A Dhè Bheò, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh airson beatha an t-saoghail.
Tha sinn taingeil dhut airson a h-uile neach a bhios, anns na làithean seo,
ag obair gu cruaidh gus ar dìon.
Thoir dhaibh spionnadh ùraichte ann an cridhe, spiorad, inntinn agus neart,
tro thìodhlac an Spioraid Naoimh.
A Dhè Bheò, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh gun ath-nuadhaich thu sinn, agus gun ath-nuadhaich thu beatha an t-saoghail.
Oir is ann mar sin a ghràdhaich thu an saoghal, gun tug thu do Mhac,
gus am bi sinn a’ gabhail pàirt ann am beatha an t-saoghail a tha ri teachd.
Èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh, a-nis agus gu bràth,
tro Ìosa Crìosd ar Tighearna.
Amen.
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 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 còmhla ann an Alba (MECTIS)
Fred Drummond, Stiùiriche, Caidreachas Soisgeulach (Alba)