The bearing of burdens is the focus of this week’s joint Call to Prayer from churches across Scotland.

The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday 5 July in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Churches Together In England continue to pray each Sunday at 7pm and are using the hashtag #prayersofhope to share the message on social media.

In a joint statement, church leaders in Scotland said:

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’ Matthew 11: 28 (NRSV)

“These are words of Jesus that we all need to hear. We need to hear these words because they speak into the depths of the experience of so many of us at this time. The words create a picture in the mind’s eye. The picture is of ourselves in the times when we are indeed weary and burdened by the particular loads that we have to bear.

“Alongside this, the picture is of the One who offers to us rest. The picture is of human need met by divine promise and finds its context in the affirmation that Jesus is the One who knows the Father and holds in God’s trust all that has been committed to him. He holds our lives in his keeping and offers renewal to those who seek his presence. (Matthew 11: 25-30) Wherever we are and whatever our load, the promise of Jesus is that we will find his renewing presence.”

We pray:

Lord, we come to you as we are
For we can come no other way.
We come acknowledging the burdens we carry
And trusting in your promise of rest.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we come to you
In the sure knowledge that we are not alone.
We come in the company
Of all who know the challenge of these days.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we come to you
Acknowledging that you have already come to us.
We journey to the place where you are to be found
And rediscover that you have always been with us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we come to you
As the One who knows our past and sees our present.
Set us free from that which binds us to our past
And liberate us to serve you in the present.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we come to you
Through the One who is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
May he hold our lives safe
As we embrace the future and the promise of his rest.
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, 5mh dhen Iuchar, ùrnaigh aig 7f

‘Thigibh thugamsa, sibhse uile a tha ri saothair agus fo throm-eallaich, agus bheir mise fois dhuibh.’ (Mata 11: 28, ATN)

“Feumaidh sinn uile èisteachd ris na faclan seo aig Ìosa.  Feumaidh sinn èisteachd ris na faclan seo oir tha iad a’ bruidhinn rinn, agus sinn ann an suidheachadh cho doirbh.  Tha na faclan seo a’ togail dealbh ann an sùil ar n-inntinn.  Tha sinn gar faicinn fhèin anns an dealbh sin, agus sinn sgìth agus fo eallach throm.  Chì sinn cuideachd an t-Aon a tha a’ tairgseadh dhuinn fois.

“Anns an dealbh sin tha sinn a’ faicinn feumalachdan mac-an-duine agus mar a bheireas Dia dhuinn gach rud a tha a dhith. Tha sinn a’ tuigsinn seo oir tha fios gu bheil Ìosa a’ glèidheadh gach rud a thug an t-Athair dha.  Tha e a’ cumail ar beathannan na làimh, agus a’ tairgseadh ath-nuadhachadh dhan fheadhainn a shireas a làithearachd (Mata 11: 25 – 30).  Ge b’e an t-àite far a bheil sinn, ge b’e an eallach a tha oirnn, tha Ìosa a’ gealltainn dhuinn gun lorg sinn ath-nuadhachadh anns a làithearachd.”

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Thighearna, tha sinn a’ tighinn thugad mar a tha sinn,
oir chan urrainn dhuinn tighinn ann an dòigh sam bith eile.
Tha sinn a’ tighinn, mothachail air na h-eallaich a tha oirnn,
agus a’ cur ar n-earbsa nad ghealladh agus nad fhois.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn a’ tighinn thugad,
le cinnt nach eil sinn nar n-aonar.
Tha sinn a’ tighinn maille ris a h-uile neach a tha a’ strì tro na làithean dùbhlanach seo.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn a’ tighinn thugad,
mothachail gun tàinig thu thugainn an toiseach.
Tha sinn a’ dol dhan àite far a bheil thusa ri lorg,
agus tuigidh sinn a-rithist gu bheil thu air a bhith maille rinn a-riamh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn a’ tighinn thugad,
Thugadsa, an t-Aon a bha làn-eòlach oirnn an-dè agus a tha làn-eòlach oirnn an-diugh.
Saor sinn bho na rudan a chumas sinn anns na làithean a dh’fhalbh,
gus am b ’urrainn dhuinn seirbheis nas fheàrr a thoirt dhut anns an latha a th’ ann.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Thighearna, tha sinn a’ tighinn thugad,
tro Ìosa, an t-Aon a tha ceudna an-dè, an-diugh agus gu sìorraidh.
Gum biodh esan gar cumail sàbhailte,
agus sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ris an àm ri teachd, ri do gheallaidh agus rid fhois.
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)