The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday 4 October in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, 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 message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“As we journey through these days, we will come to occasions of real significance that will mark out its future shape and course. However, we might only come to appreciate the significance of those occasions as we look back and reflect. We are not yet in a place where we can look back and understand all that has happened in these past months. History has yet to be written. However, the events of our times will shape that history in ways that we can only anticipate.
“The journey of the people of Israel described in the Book of Exodus takes them to many places and occasions of significance. The journey to Mount Sinai and the significance of receiving the commandments of the Lord is one such. Traditionally, we refer to these as the Ten Commandments and their giving is a moment of profound significance in the Exodus story. This part of the story begins with a recalling of the fact that it is the Lord their God who has delivered them. In turn, the Commandments offered set out the boundaries within which the community of Israel may live and flourish. (Exodus 20: 1-4, 7-9, 12-20) In these difficult times, let us recollect that it is the Lord our God who will deliver us and who offers to us life and the hope that our communities will flourish once more.”
We pray:
Lord our God,
We recall that you are the One who journeys before us.
As you have journeyed with us in times past,
Journey with us now
In all that we face as the people of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord our God,
We recall that you are the One who offers life
To all who call upon you.
We call upon you now
And trust that you will answer in your good time.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord our God,
We recall that you are the One who speaks to your people
And offers to them the word that brings life.
May your word spoken to us this day
Bring life and the promise of hope once more.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord our God,
We recall that you are merciful and gracious
And that you abound in love.
Grant us understanding to speak words of comfort
And wisdom to speak words of hope.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord our God,
We recall that your Son invites us to love you
With heart and soul and mind
And to love our neighbour as ourselves.
Grant us grace to do so in these times.
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. Lindsey Sanderson, 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, 4mh dhen Dàmhair, ùrnaigh aig 7f
“Tha sinn fhathast air turas air a bheil a h-uile rud a’ sìor atharrachadh. Bidh rudan a’ tachairt, agus cha bhi fhios againn, ma dh’fhaoidte fad àm fada, an robh iad cudromach, no na bha iad a’ ciallachadh. Chan eil iad fhathast soilleir dar tuigsinn. Cha deach eachdraidh ar latha a sgrìobhadh fhathast, chan eil e againn ri leughadh. Ach bidh làithean a’ ghalair a’ dealbhadh eachdraidh ar latha ann an dòighean nach gabh an tuigsinn fhathast.
“Bha turas sluagh Israeil mu leughas sinn ann an Leabhar Ecsoduis gan toirt a dh’iomadh àite agus tachartas a bha cudromach. Nam measg, bha an turas do shliabh Shinai far an d’fhuair iad àitheantan an Tighearna, na deich àitheantan a tha aig cridhe sgeulachd Leabhar Ecsoduis. Tha am pàirt seo dhen sgeulachd a’ tòiseachadh le cuimhneachadh gur e an Tighearna, Dia an t-sluaigh, a shaor iad. An dèidh sin, thig na h-àitheantan, a’ dealbhadh òrdugh beatha coimhearsnachd Israeil. (Ecsodus 20: 1 – 4, 7 – 9, 12 – 20). Anns na làithean doirbh seo, cuimhneachamaid gur e an Tigheara ar Dia a shaoras sinn, agus a dheònaicheas dhuinn beatha agus dòchas gum blàthaich ar coimhearsnachdan a-rithist.”
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Thighearna ar Dia,
Tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh gur tusa an Tì a tha romhainn air an t-slighe.
Mar a rinn thu siubhal maille rinn anns na làithean a dh’fhalbh,
dèan siubhal maille rinn an-diugh,
bith maille rinn, do shluagh, anns gach càs.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna ar Dia,
Tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh gur tusa an Tì a dheònaicheas beatha
dhaibh uile a ghairmeas ort.
Tha sinn a’ gairm ort a-nis,
le earbsa gum freagair thu sinn aig àm do thoile fhèin.
A Thighearna, na do throcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna ar Dia,
Tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh gur tusa an Tì a labhras ri do shluagh
agus a dheònaicheas dhaibh facal na beatha.
Labhair rinn an-diugh led fhacal,
deònaich dhuinn beatha agus dòchas as ùr.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna ar Dia,
Tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh gu bheil thu tròcaireach agus gràsmhor,
agus gu bheil thu làn gràidh.
Deònaich dhuinn tuigse agus comas gus faclan comhfhurtachd a labhair,
agus gliocas gus faclan dòchais a labhair.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna ar Dia,
Tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh gu bheil do Mhac a’ toirt dhuinn cuireadh gràdh a thoirt dhut,
le cridhe agus anam agus inntinn,
agus ar coimhearsnaich a ghràdhachadh mar sinn fhèin.
Deònaich dhuinn gràs gus sin a dhèanamh anns na làithean seo.
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 Lindsey Sanderson, 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)