We are reminded of the precious gift of life given by God 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 19 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:

“The past months have reminded us of the precious nature of human life and of our dependence, in part, on others for the sustaining of life. As we acknowledge this to be so, we recognise that ultimately the gift of life is a gift given by God. Our ultimate dependence is on the giver of this gift. In this, we are reminded of the fragile nature of life and of creation of God and of the need to care for all that is gifted to us.

“In the midst of the life we share, God creates, through Christ and by the Spirit, a community in which we are affirmed as children of God. Within this community we are invited to name the living God, share in the inheritance of Christ and to receive the Spirit of God. (Romans 8: 12-25) As the children of God, who have received the gift of God, we pray:

We praise you, living God
And cry: ‘Abba’, Father!
For you are the One who creates life
And loves all that your hand has made.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We praise you, living Christ
And confess that Jesus is Lord!
For you are the crucified and risen One
Through whom we have peace with God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We praise you, Spirit of the living God
And thank you that we are adopted as children of God.
For you are the One who shares in all our struggles
And inspires in us hope.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
And worship and glorify your name.
We cry: ‘Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.’
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. 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, 19mh dhen Iuchar, ùrnaigh aig 7f

Anns na mìosan a chaidh seachad, tha sinn air luach prìseil na beatha agus ar neisimileachd air daoine eile fhaicinn. Nuair a dh’aithneachas sinn an luach seo, aithnichidh sinn mar an ceudna gur tìodhlac Dhè a th’ ann an tìodhlac na beatha. Tha sinn uile gu lèir eisimileach air an Aon a thug an tìodhlac sin dhuinn. Agus tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh air cho brisg ’s a tha beatha agus ’s a tha an cruinne-cè air fad, agus gu bheil dleastanas oirnn an aire a thoirt air na
tìodhlacan a thug an Tighearna dhuinn.
Tha Dia a’ cruthachadh, tro Chrìosd agus leis an Spiorad, coimhearsnachd anns a bheil sinn dearbhte nar clann do Dhia. Anns a’ choimhearsnachd seo, tha sinn a’ dlùthachadh ris an Tighearna bheò, a’ gabhail ri oighreachd Chrìosd agus Spiorad Dhè (Ròmanaich 8: 12 – 25). Mar chlann Dhè, a fhuair tìodhlac Dhè, dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

Tha sinn gad mholadh, a Dhè Bheò,
ag èigheach, “Abba! Athair!”
Oir is tu an t-Aon a dhealbhas beatha,
aig a bheil gaol air gach rud a chruthaich thu le do làimh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

Tha sinn gad mholadh, a Chrìosd Bheò,
agus ag aideachadh gur e Ìosa an Tighearna!
Oir chaidh do cheusadh, agus dh’èirich thu a-rithist,
agus trobhad-sa tha sinn rèite ri Dia.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

Tha sinn gad mholadh, Spioraid an Dhè Bheò,
a’ togail taing dhut airson ar n-uchd-mhacachd mar chlann Dhè.
Oir tha thu maille rinn anns gach càs,
a’ tabhairt dhuinn dòchas.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

Tha sinn gad mholadh a Dhè, Athair, Mac agus Spiorad Naomh,
tha sinn a’ moladh agus a’ glòrachadh d’ainme naoimh.
Tha sinn ag èigheach: “Is naomh, naomh, naomh an Tighearna, Dia a’
chumhachd agus an neirt.
Tha nèamh is talamh làn ded ghlòir.”
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)