The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday 20 September in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those joining together in prayer will also light candles. English and  Gaelic versions of the prayer are available below.

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 message, church leaders in Scotland said:

“At present, we are experiencing an extended exit from lockdown to which there is no immediate end in sight. Allied to this, there are now increased restrictions on our movement. Taken together with our collective memory of the last six months, there is an uncertainty as to the direction to be taken. The impact of this on our personal and collective well-being is a matter of concern within Church and community.

“In the Book of Exodus, the people of Israel, personally and collectively, find themselves in a place of wilderness in which the future direction to be taken is unclear. Their collective memory might well suggest to them that they ought to go backwards instead of forwards. To add to their frustration, they find themselves bereft of sustenance in a place that seems deserted and devoid of hope. It is in this moment that ‘the glory of the Lord’ is revealed and the promise of the ‘bread from heaven’ is fulfilled. (Exodus 16: 2-15) It is in the times of our desert experience that we cry out: ‘Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, Feed me till my want is o’er.’ It is in such times that we wait upon the response of the Lord.”

We pray:

God who provides,
Hear the cry of your people in their distress
And answer them in the desert places.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
Guide your people in barren lands
And hold us safe when we are weak.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
May we receive your gracious gifts in the morning
And in the evening discover those gifts renewed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
Give direction to us when we were are lost
And renew our purpose when we are uncertain.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
Renew the faith of your people
And equip us to serve you in the place that you have called us to.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
On this day, may we receive bread from heaven
And know the glory of the Lord revealed.
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, 20mh dhen t-Sultain, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“Tha cuingealachadh a’ ghlasadh-sluaigh a’ fuasgladh mean air mhean, ach chan eil fhios againn cuin an tig e gu crìoch.  Tha sinn uile mì-chinnteach mun rathad a tha romhainn, agus bidh sin na adhbhar iomgain uile nar n-eaglaisean agus nar coimhearsnachdan.

“Ann an Leabhar Ecsoduis, bha sluagh Israeil ann am fàsach, ann an àite doirbh, gun fhios aca mun t-slighe air adhart.  Bha cuid aca dhen bheachd gum bi e cho math dhaibh a’ dol air ais dhan Eiphit.  Nas miosa buileach cha robh biadh gu leòr aca, agus bha iad uile gu lèor gun dòchas san fhàsach.  Aig a’ mhòmaid sin, chaidh glòir an Tighearna fhoillseachadh dhaibh, agus fhuair iad “aran o nèamh”, mar a gheall Dia (Ecsodus 16: 2 – 15).  Is ann nuair tha sinn fhèin san fhàsach gu bheil sinn ag èigheach, ann am faclan an laoidh Chuimriche, “Aran nèamhaidh, aran nèamhaidh/ Beathaich mi gu crìoch mo latha.”  Ann an amannan mar sin, bidh sinn a’ feitheamh air freagairt an Tighearna.”

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè an fhreastail,
èist ri gaoir do shluaigh ann an àm am feuma,
agus thoir dhaibh freagairt san fhàsach.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè an fhreastail,
stiùir do shluagh a tha ann am fearann fàsach,
agus glèidh sinn nad làimh nuair a tha sinn lag.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè an fhreastail,
deònaich dhuinn do thìodlacan gràsmhor sa mhadainn,
agus deònaich gun lorg sinn a-rithist iad air an oidhche.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè an fhreastail,
thoir dhuinn treòrachadh nuair a thèid sinn air seachran,
agus cinnt agus spionnadh nuair a tha sinn fo theagamh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè an fhreastail,
deònaich creideamh as ùr dod shluagh,
gus am bi an comas againn seirbheis a dhèanamh dhut anns an àite far a bheil thu gar treòrachadh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè an fhreastail,
Tabhair dhuinn an-diugh aran o nèamh,
agus tabhair dhuinn eòlas air do 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)