Once more, churches across Scotland have come together to encourage Christians to join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday evening [31 May] in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week, 14 Christian churches and organisations across the country, including the Scottish Episcopal Church, have co-signed the letter calling for prayer.

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:

“Though we are moving into the first stages of the easing of lockdown, we continue to be painfully aware that there’s a long way to go and that what lies at the end of it all remains unclear.

“And so we proceed in faith, believing that God always goes before us and knows the end from the beginning.

“On this Day of Pentecost we give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit, believing that it is by the Spirit that God guides us.”

We pray:

Almighty God, by your Spirit, you brought order from chaos. By your brooding Spirit, hovering over the void, you spoke and there was … something rather than nothing.
Create and recreate in and through us, we pray.

Almighty God, by your Spirit, you equipped and gifted and led our ancestors to know you and to serve you and to glorify you.
Continue to equip and enable us, we pray.

And then, Almighty God, as promised by the prophets and as never before, you poured out your Spirit on these first believers – on men and women, on the old and the young; and they were transformed and made alive, as dry bones brought to life.
Pour out your Spirit on us, we pray.

Almighty God, in these turbulent and uncertain times, send us the Comforter, that we might know you to be near. Grant us your healing touch and help us to know the rest that comes from resting in you.For the loving touch of your Spirit, we pray.

Almighty God, by what seemed as a rushing wind and as tongues of fire you brought your Church to life. Come to your Church now, we pray, that by the same Spirit we might be renewed and refreshed and remade and revived.
Yes, Lord, grant us a fresh outpouring of your Spirit, we pray. 

And all our prayers we offer in the name of our Lord and Saviour, none other than Jesus Christ.  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)
Rev. Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)

Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 31mh dhen Chèitean, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“Ged a tha sinn a-nis a’ tòiseachadh air an t-slighe às an glasadh-sluagh, tha sinn fhathast mothachail gu bheil astar fada fhathast romhainn, agus nach eil e soilleir dhuinn idir dè bhios aig ceann an rathaid seo.

“A dh’aindeoin sin, tha sinn a’ dol air adhart ann an creideamh, a’ creidsinn gu bheil Dia daonnan a’ dol romhainn, agus gum b’ aithne dhasan ceann an t-slighe bhon toiseach.

“An-diugh, air Sàbaid na Caingis, tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhan Tighearna airson tìodhlac an Spioraid Naoimh, a’ creidsinn gur ann tron Spiorad a threòrachas Dia sinn.”

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè uile-chumhachdaich, is ann tro do Spiorad a chruthaich thu òrdugh à eu-cruth.
Nuair a bha an talamh gun dealbh agus falamh, agus dorchadas air aghaidh na doimhne,
bha do Spiorad a’ gluasad air aghaidh nan uisgeachan.
Labhair thu, agus bha an cruthaidheachd ann far nach robh nì sam bith roimhe.
Tha sinn ag ùrnaigh gun cruthaich agus gun ath-chruthaich thu annainn agus tromhainn mar an ceudna.

A Dhè uile-chumhachdaidh, is ann tro do Spiorad
a theagasg agus a threòraich thu ar sinnsearan gus eòlas a chuir ortsa,
gus an robh e an comas dhaibh d’ adhradh agus do ghlòrachadh.
Tha sinn ag ùrnaigh gun teagasg agus gun treòraich thu sinn mar an ceudna.

Agus, Dhè uile-chumhachdaich, mar a gheall na fàidhean,
dhòirt thu do Spiorad a-nuas air na creidmhich –
air fir is mnathan, seann is òg, agus bha beatha ùr air a toirt dhaibh,
mar chnàmhan tioram air an toirt gu beatha a-rithist.
Tha sinn ag ùrnaigh gun dòirt thu oirnn do Spiorad mar an ceudna.

A Dhè uile-chumhachdaich, anns na làithean doirbh agus mì-chinnteach seo,
cuir thugainn an Cofhurtair, gus am bi fìos againn gu bheil thu faisg oirnn.
Deònaich dhuinn slànachadh agus am fois nach fhaighear ach annadsa a-mhàin.

A Dhè uile-chumhachdaich dhùisg thu d’Eaglais gu beatha gu h-obann
le toirm o nèamh mar shèideadh gaoithe ro-thrèin agus le teangaidhean sgoilte, mar de theine.
Thig dod Eaglais a-rithist, tha sinn a’ guidhe ort,
gus am gum bi sinn air ar n-ath-nuadhachadh,
air ar n-ath-dhèanamh
agus air ar n-ath-bheòthachadh tron Spiorad ceudna sin.

O a Thighearna, tha sinn ag ùrnaigh gum foillsich thu dhuinn a-rithist do Spiorad.

Na rudan seo uile tha sinn ag ùrnaigh nad ainm agus air do sgàth,
Ìosa Chrìosd ar Tighearna agus ar Slànaighear.

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)