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, will also light candles. The prayer is available below in both English and Gaelic.
In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:
“As we journey from where we have been in past months to where we will be in times to come, we are beginning to recover some of the parts of our shared life that had been lost to us for a time. Within shared communal settings and within the community of God’s people, one of the things that we are recovering is the experience of song and the bonding that the shared experience of singing brings to us. Within the community of God’s people, we are gradually beginning to recover the shared expression of worship through the singing of ‘psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’. (Ephesians 5: 19)
“In recovering that which had been lost, we rediscover a dimension of our shared experience that is integral to our worship of God. As the Spirit inspires us, we renew our thanksgiving ‘to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’. As we do so, we share more fully in the life that God gifts to us through Christ and by the Spirit.”
We pray:
God our Father,
As we journey from where we have been
To where we will be,
Fill us with your Spirit
That we might truly worship you
And praise your holy name.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
As we journey from where we have been
To where we will be,
Inspire us within the community of God’s people
To lift up our hearts
And to renew our praise.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
As we journey from where we have been
To where we will be,
Renew us as we renew our praise
With Psalms and hymns
And all the songs of God’s people.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
As we journey from where we have been
To where we will be,
Help us to recover that which has been lost
And to rediscover all that unites us
As those who are made in your image.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
As we journey from where we have been
To where we will be,
We give thanks to you
For all your gifts to us
Through Christ and by your Spirit.
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, 15mh dhen Lùnastal, ùrnaigh aig 7f
Fhad ’s a shiubhaileas sinn on àite far an robh sinn dhan àite far a bheil sinn a’ dol, tha ar coimhearsnachdan a’ tighinn còmhla a-rithist, beag air bheag. Beag air bheag, tha sinn a’ seinn còmhla a-rithist, a’ neartachadh an dàimh eadarainn agus a’ moladh an Tighearna còmhla ri chèile. Beag air bheag, tha sinn a’ seinn a-chum cliù an Tighearna a-rithist, ga mholadh “ann an sailm is laoidhean is òrain spioradail” (Ephèsianaich 5: 19).
Tha sinn ag aithneachadh gur pàirt bunaiteach ar n-adhraidh a th’ ann an seinn maille ri ar bràithrean agus peathraichean ann an Crìosd. Air ar brosnachadh leis an Spiorad, tha sinn a’ toirt taing as ùr “do Dhia an t-Athair, ann an ainm ar Tighearna Iosa Crìosd” (Ephèsianaich 5: 20). Agus le sin a dhèanamh, tha sinn a’ com-pàirteachadh ann an tiodhlac na beatha, beatha na lànachd, a tha Dia a’ toirt dhuinn tro Chrìosd agus leis an Spiorad.
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
Fhad ’s a shiubhaileas sinn
on àite far an robh sinn
dhan àite far am bi sinn,
lìon sinn led Spiorad,
gus an dèan sinn adhradh ann an spiorad agus ann am fìrinn,
a’ moladh d’ainme naoimh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
Fhad ’s a shiubhaileas sinn on àite far an robh sinn
dhan àite far am bi sinn,
brosnaich sinn, maille ri ar coimhearsnaich,
gus ar cridheachan a thogail
agus gus moladh a thoirt dhut as ùr.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
Fhad ’s a shiubhaileas sinn on àite far an robh sinn
dhan àite far am bi sinn,
ath-nuadhaich sinn, gus an ath-nuadhaich sinne ar n-adhradh
le Sailm agus laoidhean
agus òrain a-chum do chliù, a Dhè.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
Fhad ’s a shiubhaileas sinn on àite far an robh sinn
dhan àite far am bi sinn,
deònaich gun lorg sinn a-rithist na chaill sinn
agus gun lorg sinn a-rithist na rudan a dh’aontaicheas sinn uile,
sinne a chaidh ar dealbhadh nad ìomhagh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
Fhad ’s a shiubhaileas sinn on àite far an robh sinn
dhan àite far am bi sinn,
tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhut
airson do thiodhlacan gu lèir,
tro Chrìosd agus led Spiorad.
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)