The Scottish Episcopal Church and other denominations join together in prayer on Sunday at 7pm, as they have done throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

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

In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:

“‘Seeing is believing!’ The saying is one that we are all familiar with and it finds expression in music, film and everyday speech. In essence it means: To see is to believe. However, the reality of life is that we see so much that it becomes increasingly difficult to say we believe simply on the basis of what is before our eyes. The multiplicity of images and information that are presented to us threaten at times to overload the senses.

“The Apostle Paul offers us a way of seeing things differently. Instead of saying: ‘Seeing is believing!’, it is almost as if he reverses this and says: ‘Believing is seeing!’ Paul was very conscious of the challenges he faced and of the passing nature of what he saw around him. In facing the reality of this in his daily life, he is confident that he has found a way to live that is not dependent solely on what he sees. Rather, he affirms: ‘we walk by faith, not by sight’. (2 Corinthians 5: 7) Paul looks ‘not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen’, and by faith he ‘sees’, beyond the temporary, the way that God has marked out. (2 Corinthians 4: 18) In our daily lives, we seek to see the world through eyes of faith.”

We pray:

Everlasting God,
Whose way is known to those who live by faith,
Grant us that we might walk by faith
And so live for you
That our lives reflect the glory of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Whose way is known to those who live by faith,
Grant us the assurance that, as we walk by faith,
We are not alone
And that we walk in the company of your Son.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Whose way is known to those who live by faith,
Grant us the knowledge
That we walk in the company of your people
And in the community of your Spirit.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Whose way is known to those who live by faith,
Grant us that we might see
The complexity of this world
Through eyes enlightened by faith.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Whose way is known to those who live by faith,
Grant us to see, by faith,
The image of God
In each life shaped by your hand.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Whose way is known to those who live by faith,
Grant us that, at the last,
We will come into your presence
And share in the life everlasting.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Signed by:

Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
Rev. Dr David Miller, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Neil MacMillan, Moderator, Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Paul Whittle, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
Rev. Thomas R. Wilson, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rev. Ruth Turner, 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, 13mh dhen Ògmhios, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“B’ fheàrr leam fhaicinn na a chluinntinn.” Tha sinn uile air an abairt sin a chluinntinn, agus bidh e a’ nochdadh ann an ceòl, fiolm, agus còmhraidhean làitheil. ’S e brìgh na h-abairte: Ma chì thu, creididh tu. Ach chì sinn an t-uabhas ann am beatha ’s gum bi e a’ sìor-fhàs nas duilghe rudan a chreidsinn, ged a bhios iad ro ar shùilean. Tha cus mu thimcheall oirnn, agus thèid sinn tro chèile leis.

Tha beachd eile aig an Abstol Pòl. An àite a ràdh “B’ fheàrr leam fhaicinn na chluinntinn”, tha e ag ràdh: “b’ fheàrr leam chreidsinn na fhaicinn!” Bha Pòl eòlach gu leòr air na dùbhlanan a bha roimhe agus air cho caochlaideach ’s a bha a h-uile nì mu thimcheall air. Mar sin, lorg e dòigh a bhith beò nach robh an eismeil na rudan a chunnaic e le sùilean a chuirp. Seach sin, tha e ag ràdh, “tha sinn a’ coiseachd le creideamh, chan ann le sealladh” (2 Corintianaich 5: 7) Tha Pòl ag ràdh nach eil sinn “a coimhead air na rudan a tha rim faicinn, ach air na rudan nach eil rim faicinn; oir tha na rudan a chithear aimsireil, ach na rudan nach fhaicear sìorraidh.” (2 Corintianaich 4: 18). Nar beathannan làitheil, faiceamaid an saoghal tro shùilean a’ creideimh.

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè shìorraidh,
is ann tro chreideamh a dh’aithneachas sinn do shlighean.
Deònaich gun coiseachd sinn
le creideamh, gum biomaid beò a-rèir do thoile.
Deònaich gum bi do ghlòir air a foillseachadh nar beathannan.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè shìorraidh,
is ann tro chreideamh a dh’aithneachas sinn do shlighean.
Deònaich dhuinn misneachd nach eil sin nar n-aonar fhad ’s a choiseachas sinn le creideamh,
ach gu bheil sinn a’ coiseachd ri taobh do Mhic.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè shìorraidh,
is ann tro chreideamh a dh’aithneachas sinn do shlighean.
Deònaich dhuinn fios gu bheil sinn a’ coiseachd còmhla ri do shluagh
Agus ann an coimhearsnachd do Spioraid.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè shìorraidh,
is ann tro chreideamh a dh’aithneachas sinn do shlighean.
Deònaich gum faic sinn
ioma-fhillteachd an t-saoghail
tro shùilean air an soillseachadh le creideamh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè shìorraidh,
is ann tro chreideamh a dh’aithneachas sinn do shlighean.
Deònaich gum faic sinn, le creideamh,
ìomhaigh Dhè
anns gach beatha a shnaidh do làmh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè shìorraidh,
is ann tro chreideamh a dh’aithneachas sinn do shlighean.
Deònaich gun lorg sinn do làthaireachd
aig deireadh ar beathannan
agus pàirt a ghabhail ann am beatha sìorraidh.
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 Morair Uallas, Moderàtor Àrd-Sheanadh Eaglais na h-Alba
Am Fìor Urramach Leo Cushley, Àrd-Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn agus Dùn Èideann
An t-Urramach Oll. Daibhidh Miller, Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Niall MacMhaoilein, Moderàtor, an Eaglais Shaor
An t-Urramach Pòl Whittle, 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 Tòmas R. Wilson, Cathraiche, Caidreachas Co-thionalach ann an Alba
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Rùnaire na h-Alba, Feachd na Slàinte
An t-Urramach Rut Nic an Tuairneir, Àrd-Neach-Stiùiridh Roinn-Dùthcha, Eileanan Bhreatainn, Eaglais an Nàsaraich
Adwao Bittle, Comann nan Caraidean (Cuagairean)
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)