This weekend on Trinity Sunday, churches across Scotland will come together to encourage Christians to join together in prayer at 7pm in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A letter calling for prayer has been co-signed by 14 Christian churches and organisations across the country, including the Scottish Episcopal Church.

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 for Trinity Sunday, Scottish church leaders said:

“We are familiar with the words of Scripture remind us that ‘now we see in a mirror dimly’ and we might think that these words are especially applicable to our present times. As our society continues in the journey out of Lockdown, there are many things that we know only in part. We trust that greater clarity will be given in times to come. That said, there are some things that are clear and which our faith affirms to be so. In the Gospel of Matthew (28: 16-20), the disciples gather in the presence of the Risen Lord who assures them that in all they now face: ‘I am with you always, to the very end of the age’. The Gospel affirms that the life of God has been shared with us in the revelation of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and that our lives are to be lived out in the enduring presence of God. Knowing this to be so, we pray:

God whose name is Love,
You make yourself known to us
As the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sustain us in the knowledge of your love through the times in which we live.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God whose love endures,
May we hear the words of your Son
That echo down the ages:
I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God whose love is generous,
You gift to us your Holy Spirit,
The very giver of Life.
Renew our lives and the life of the community in which we share.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God whose love is steadfast,
You know us as we are for you have made us.
In your compassion, be with all who struggle and grieve at this time.
Remember them and hold them safe in your keeping.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God whose love is from everlasting to everlasting,
Give strength to the weary and power to the weak,
That we might renew our strength
And soar on wings like eagles.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God whose love inspires,
May we love you with all that we are
And love our neighbour in response to your love.
Through our service of others, may your love be revealed.
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. 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, 7mh dhen Ògmhios (Sàbaid na Trianaide), ùrnaigh aig 7f

Is aithne dhuinn uile na faclan anns na Sgriobtairean a dh’innis dhuinn gu bheil sinn a’ faicinn gu dorcha tro ghlainne, agus abair gu bheil sin fìor anns an latha a th’ ann.   Ged a tha sinn a-nis air an t-slighe às an glasadh-sluaigh, agus ged a tha sinn an dòchas gum bi rudan a’ fàs nas soilleire anns na làithean agus na seachdainean ri teachd, tha iomadh rud ann air nach eil sinn ach leth-eòlach.  A dh’aindeoin sin, tha rudan ann a tha soilleir, agus air an dearbhadh tro ar creideamh.  Ann an Soisgeul Mhata (28: 16 – 20), thàinig na deisciobail cruinn còmhla ann an làthaireachd an Tighearna Bheò, a thuirt riutha, Tha mise còmhla ribh an-còmhnaidh, gu deireadh na linne.  Tha an t-Soisgeul a’ dearbhadh dhuinn gu bheil beatha Dhè air a roinneadh dhuinn ann am foillseachadh an Athar, a’ Mhic agus an Spioraid Naoimh, agus gu bheil sinn beò ann an làthaireachd bhuanach Dhè.  Le fios gu bheil sin fìor, dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè a’ ghliocais agus a’ ghràidh,
Tha thu gad fhoillseachadh fhèin dhuinn,
mar Athair air Tighearna Ìosa Chrìosd.
Cùm sinn beò le eòlas do ghràidh anns an latha a th’ ann.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a’ ghraidh bhuanaich,
Deònaich gun cluinn sinn faclan do Mhic
mar mhac-talla tro na linntean:
Tha mise còmhla ribh an-còmhnaidh,
gu deireadh na linne.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a’ ghràidh fhialaidh,
a thug dhuinn do Spiorad Naomh,
Spiorad na beatha fhèin.
Ath-nuadhaich ar beathannan agus beatha ar coimhearsnachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a’ ghràidh earbsaich,
Tha thu eòlach oirnn, oir rinn thu sinn.
Nad thruas, bi maille riuthasan uile a tha a’ fulang no a’ caoineadh aig an àm seo.
Cuimhnich iad, agus glèidh iad gu sàbhailte.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a’ ghràidh shìorraidh,
Thoir lùths dhaibhsan a tha sgìth, agus neart dhaibhsan a tha fann,
gus am biodh spionnadh nuadh againn, agus gun èirigh sinn suas mar iolair air a sgiathan.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a’ ghraidh chumhachdaich,
Dèonaich gun gràdhaich sinn thu ann an cridhe, anam agus inntinn.
Deònaich gun gràdhaich sinn ar coimhearsnach mar sinn fhèin, mar a ghràdhaich thu sinn an toiseach.
Deònaich gum biodh do ghràidh air fhoillseachadh nar seirbheis do chàch.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

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)
An t-Urramach Fred Drummond, Stiùiriche, Caidreachas Soisgeulach (Alba)