The shaping of our identity is explored in 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 12 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:

“Our human experience is shaped, in part, by our past and by our present situation. Our identity is shaped, in part, by all that we have inherited and by how we affirm and are affirmed in our present situation. Over time, our experience and our identity are shaped by a multiplicity of influences. As the people of God, our experience and our identity are shaped by the community created by Jesus Christ and sustained and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Within that community, where the Spirit of God dwells, we find that our experience and our identity are shaped, not only by past and present, but, by the future. As we face the future, we hear the words of Scripture within the community of the people of God: ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ (Romans 8: 1 (NRSV)) Whatever the past has been and whatever the challenges of the present are, we are liberated to face the future with the assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of God.”

We pray:

Living God, you are our Creator and our Maker.
You have made us in your image
And sustained us in past days.
Guard us and keep us as we remember those days.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, you are our Redeemer and our Deliverer.
You reconcile all things through Christ Jesus,
The image of the invisible God.
Hold our lives in your safe keeping at this present time.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, you are the giver of the gift of the Spirit.
You breathe into us the very breath of life
And renew us by your Holy Spirit.
Lead us into the future, through Christ and by your Spirit.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, as you have been with us in past days,
Be with us today and in all the days to come.
Grant that we may face the future
Assured that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Signed by:

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
Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal 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, 12mh dhen Iuchar, ùrnaigh aig 7f

Tha ar n-eòlas air an t-saoghal agus air ar beatha dealbhaichte gu mòr leis ar n-eachdraidh agus na tha sinn a’ faicinn mu thimcheall oirnn.  Tro bhliadhnaichean ar beathannan, bheir iomadh rud buaidh air ar fèin-àithne agus air ar n-eòlas, eadar dualchas agus tachartasan agus suidheachadhan de gach seòrsa.  Agus mar sluagh Dhè, tha fèin-àithne agus eòlas againn stèidhichte air a’ choimhearsnachd a chruthaich Ìosa Crìosd, glèidhte agus ath-nuadhaichte tron Spiorad Naomh.  Anns a’ choimhearsnachd sin, le stiùireadh Spiorad Dhè, chì sinn nach eil ar fèin-àithe agus ar n-eòlas stèidhichte a-mhàin air na thachair an-dè agus na tha a’ tachairt an-diugh, ach air ar dòchas san àm ri teachd mar an ceudna.  Cluinnidh sinn, mar phobal an Tighearna, faclan Sgriobtair ag ràdh, “Mar sin, chan eil dìteadh sam bith a-nis ann dhaibhsan a th’ ann an Crìosd Ìosa” (Ròmanaich 8: 1).  Ge brith na rudan a thachair anns na làithean a dh’fhalbh, ge brith na dùbhlain againn an-diugh, faodaidh sinn cumail oirnn le cinnt nach eil rud sam bith an comas air ar sgaradh o ghaol Dhè.

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè Bheò, is tusa Ùghdar na Cruinne,
rinn thu sinn nad ìomhaigh fhèin
agus ghlèidh thu sinn anns na làithean a dh’fhalbh.
Glèidh sinn agus dìon sinn, mar a rinn thu riamh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè Bheò, is tusa ar Fear-saoraidh agus ar Fear-slànachaidh.
Tha thu a’ rèiteachadh a h-uile nì tro Ìosa Crìosd,
ìomhaigh an Dè neo-fhaicsinnich.
Glèidh ar beathannan agus dìon sinn an-diugh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè Bheò, thug thu dhuinn tìodhlac do Spioraid.
Bheir thu dhuinn anail na beatha fhèin,
agus bidh thu gar n-ath-nuadhachadh le do Spiorad.
Treòraich sinn tron àm ri teachd, le Crìosd agus le do Spiorad.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè Bheò, bha thu maille rinn anns na làithean a dh’fhalbh,
bi maille rinn an-diugh, agus anns gach latha a tha ri teachd.
Deònaich gun faod sinn cumail oirnn
le cinnt nach eil rud sam bith an comas air ar sgaradh o ghaol Dhè.
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)