The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday 18 October in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, 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 their latest joint message, church leaders in Scotland said this week:
“Does God go with us? That is a question we might well ask at this time. Does God go with us as we journey through the latest stage of the challenge that we face personally and as a community? Does God go with us in the uncertainty of the times in which we live? If so, how do we know?
“Moses led the people out of Egypt and during the subsequent journey in the wilderness it seems that the persistent questions asked of him by the people of Israel can be summed up as follows: Does God go with us? If so, how do we know? In reply, the response of the Lord is this: ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest…and I know you by name.’ In return, Moses asks that he might see the glory of the Lord. In reply, the Lord offers to put him in ‘a cleft of the rock’ as a place of safety. (Exodus 33: 14, 17, 22) The words of a traditional hymn capture the image:
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
“Does God go with us? Yes, even on the hardest journey. If so, how do we know? We know because the Lord leads us to the place of safety.”
We pray:
Lord, lead us
To the place where you are known
And to the assurance of your presence.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, lead us
To the place of rest
And to the promise of renewal.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, lead us
To the place where the people made in your image gather
And their voices are heard.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, lead us
To the place where we are called by our name
And find acceptance in your sight.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, lead us
To the place where we are protected
And our safety is assured.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, lead us
To the place where your glory is revealed
And our lives are transformed in Christ.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
Rt Rev. Kevin Pearson, 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. Lindsey Sanderson, 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, 18mh dhen Dàmhair, ùrnaigh aig 7f
“An tèid Dia maille rinn? Sin a’ cheist a tha aig mòran an-diugh. An tèid Dia maille rinn, tro na dùbhlanan a tha romhainn uile, gu pearsanta agus mar choimhearsnachd? An tèid Dia maille rinn tro na làithean mì-chinnteach seo? Ma thèid, ciamar a bhios fios againn gun tèid?
“Treòraich Maois an sluagh às an Èipheit, agus tro bliadhnaichean an turais aca san fhàsach, b’ e an aon cheist a bha aig sluagh Israeil: An tèid Dia maille rinn? Ma thèid, ciamar a bhios againn gun tèid? Agus ’s e seo freagairt an Tighearna: “Thèid mo làthaireachd maille ribh, agus bheir mi fois dhuibh… agus is aithne dhomh sibh air ur n-ainm.” Agus ghuidh Maois air gun fhoillsich e dha a ghlòir, agus thuirt an Tighearna, “Feuch tha àite làimh rium, agus seasaidh tusa air carraig, agus nuair a bhios mo ghlòir a’ dol seachad, an sin cuiridh mi thu ann sgoltadh den charraig, agus còmhdaichidh mi lem làimh thu gus an tèid mi seachad.” (Ecsodus 33: 14 – 23). Mar a tha againn anns an laoidh:
Chreag a sgaoilteadh air mo sgàth,
Bi nad fhasgadh dhomh ’s nad stà!
“An tèid Dia maille rinn? Thèid, fiù ’s air an turas as dorra. Ma thèid, ciamar a bhios fios againn gun tèid? Bidh fios againn oir treòraichidh e sinn a dh’àite sàbhailte.”
Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:
A Thighearna, treòraich sinn
dhan àite far an aithneachar thu
agus do eòlas air do làthaireachd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, treòraich sinn
dhan àite far an lorgar fois
agus neart as ùr.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, treòraich sinn,
far an cruinnich an sluagh,
a chaidh an dealbhadh nad ìomhaigh fhèin,
agus far an cualar an guth.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, treòraich sinn
dhan àite far an aithnich thu ar n-ainmean fhèin
agus far an gabh thu rinn.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, treòraich sinn,
do fhasgadh daingean,
far an gabhamaid dìon.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
A Thighearna, treòraich sinn,
dhan àite far a bheil do ghlòir air a foillseachadh,
agus far am bi ar beathanan air an cruth-atharrachadh ann an Crìosd.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.
Soidhnichte:
An Ceart Urramach Coamhan Pearson, 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 Lindsey Sanderson, 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)