The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday, 29 November, as the season of Advent begins, 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.

In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:

“We come now to a significant place in the long journey that we have made over these past months and the place we have come to is where the season of Advent begins. The season speaks of Hope and, though it begins with a recognition that we still face the darkness, brings with it the promise of light. The 1st Sunday in Advent will, in years past, have echoed to the singing of ancient and inspiring words:

O come, O come, Immanuel / and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here / until the Son of God appear.

“The words express the longing of the people of God to know the coming of God amongst them. In anticipation of this promise being fulfilled, the people of God sing out:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you O Israel.

“In our hearts, the promise still resonates and so we await the coming of God. Indeed, we may say that the season of Advent is a season of waiting and anticipation and one that yields the promise of God: ‘From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.’ (Isaiah 64: 4)”

We wait and we pray:

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where the promise is renewed.
Even in the darkness,
We look for the light of your presence to be revealed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where hope is renewed.
Even in the midst of all that we have faced in times past,
We trust in the hope that does not disappoint.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where we must wait for a time.
Even though we have waited in times past,
We gladly do so again trusting that our waiting shall yield the coming of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place of anticipation.
Even though we do not yet see,
We anticipate the good gift that you will offer.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where we resolve to journey on. .
Even though we have travelled through hard times,
We go forward, trusting in the promise: Immanuel, shall come to us.
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, 29mh dhen t-Samhain, ùrnaigh aig 7f

Às dèidh mìosan fada doirbh, tha sinn air Àm na h-Aidbheinne a ruigsinn. ’S e àm dòchasach a th’ ann, agus ged a tha e a’ toiseachadh leis an tuigse gu bheil sinn fhathast air ar cuirteachadh le dorchadas, tha e a’ toirt dhuinn gealladh gun tig solas. Ann am bliadhnaichean eile, bhiodh an laoidh seo air a sheinn anns na h-eaglaisean air Latha na Sàbaid seo, aig tòiseach Àm na h-Aidbheinne:

O thig, o thig Imanuel,
’s saoraich sluagh Israeil,
a tha fo bhruid is tha fo bhròn,
gus an nochd Mac Dhè nan còir.

Chualas anns na faclan sin miann sluagh Dhè airson teachd Dhè nam measg. Agus a’ coimhead air adhart ri coileanadh a’ gheallaidh sin, bidh iad a’ seinn:

Bi aoibh! Bi aoibh! Oir thig Imanuel
a shaoradh sluagh Israeil.

Tha gealladh teachd Dhè fhathast a’ fantainn nar cridheachan. Gu dearbh, faodaidh a ràdh gur e àm feitheamh a th’ ann an Àm na h-Aidhbheinne, àm anns a bheil sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri coileanadh gealladh Dhè: “Oir riamh cha chuala daoine, cha d’ fhairich iad len cluais, cha mhò a chunnaic sùil, dia eile ach thusa, a nì a leithid airson an tì a dh’fheitheas air.” (Isaiah 64: 4).

Feithimid, agus deànamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè a thug dhuinn gealladh do Theachd,
tha sinn air àite a ruigsinn air an t-slighe
far am faigh sinn do ghealladh as ùr.
Fiù ’s anns an dorchadas,
siridh sinn solas do làthaireachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a thug dhuinn gealladh do Theachd,
tha sinn air àite a ruigsinn air an t-slighe
far am faigh sinn dòchas as ùr.|
Fiù ’s a-measg gach teanntachd agus càs a bha nar n-aghaidh,
tha earbsa againn ann an dòchas a tha uile gu lèir seasmhach.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a thug dhuinn gealladh do Theachd,
tha sinn air àite a ruigsinn air an t-slighe
far a bheil againn ri feitheamh fad grèis.
Bha againn ri feitheamh ann an làithean a dh’fhalbh, agus nì sinn a-rithist e, làn dòchas Teachd Dhè.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a thug dhuinn gealladh do Theachd,
tha sinn air àite a ruigsinn ar an t-slighe
far a bheil sinn gad fheitheamh le dòchas.
Ged nach eil sinn gad fhaicinn,
tha sinn a’ feitheamh air do thìodhlac.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè a thug dhuinn gealladh do Theachd,
tha sinn air àite a ruigsinn air an t-slighe
far a rùnaicheas sinn gun tèid sinn air adhart
Ged is rathad doirbh e,
tha sinn a’ dol air adhart, le earbsa nad ghealladh:
gun tig Imanuel dhuinn.
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)