The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday, 6 December, the second Sunday in Advent. Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, will also light candles.

In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:

“‘Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.’ God speaks and the word spoken is a word of comfort to the people of God. The word is spoken to those who feel that they are powerless and to those who are wearied and exhausted by all that they have endured. Thereafter, the words of Isaiah take us out into the wilderness and, if we listen with open hearts, we will find ourselves in that place and hear a voice crying out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Even in the wilderness, we are called to prepare so that, in times to come, we might see the presence of God renewed in our midst. (Isaiah 40: 1-11)

“The words are taken up again in the beginning of the Gospel of Mark as a messenger announces the coming of Jesus Christ. In every age, and in every time, the words resonate if we listen with open hearts. (Mark 1: 1-8) God speaks and the word spoken is a word of comfort for our age and our times. We embrace and hold fast to the word spoken to us through our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

We pray:

Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us words of comfort.
Speak that we might hear
And, as we do so, find comfort and strength renewed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us as we read the signs of the times.
Speak, that we might understand the times,
And know, even now, your presence restored in our midst.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us in the wilderness.
Speak, even in the hard places,
And teach us to mark out the places where you have met with us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us that we might learn of the rough ground made level.
Speak of the rugged places made plain
And of the time when we shall hear it proclaimed again that the Lord is coming!
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to the lonely and to the bereaved.
Speak to the anxious and to the fearful
And carry us as the shepherd carries the lamb, even Jesus Christ our Lord.
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. 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, 22mh dhen Dùbhlachd, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“Thugaibh comhfhurtachd, thugaibh comhfhurtachd dom shluagh-sa, deir ur Dia.” Labhair Dia, agus thug am facal a labhair e comhfhurtachd do shluagh Dhè. Tha am facal air a labhair dhan fheadhainn a tha gun chumhachd, dhan fheadhainn a tha sàraichte agus claoidhte. Mar sin, tha faclan Isaiah gar toirt a-mach dhan fhàsach, agus ma dh’èisteas sinn le cridheachan fosgailte, cluinnidh sinn guth an tì a ghlaodhas anns an fhàsach: “Ullaichibh slighe an Tighearna ; rèitichibh anns an dìthreabh slighe àrd dar Dia-ne.” Fiù ’s anns an fhàsach, tha sinn air ar gairm gus ullachadh a dhèanamh, gus am faiceamaid làthaireachd Dhè air ath-nuadhachadh nar measg. (Isaiah 40: 1 – 11).

Tha na faclan sin air an togail a-rithist aig toiseach Soisegul Mharcuis, le teachdaire a’ foillseachadh teachd Ìosa Crìosd. Anns gach linn, agus anns gach ginealach, cluinnear an guth, ma dh’èisteas sinn le cridheachan fosgailte.
(Marcus 1: 1- 8). Labhair Dia agus b’e am facal a labhair e comhfhurtachd dhuinn nar latha agus nar linn. Teannaidh sinn dlùth ris an fhacal a labhair e dhuinn tro ar Slànaighear Ìosa Crìosd.

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè bheò,
an-diugh, ann an Àm na h-Aidhbheinne,
labhair rinn le comhfhurtachd,
labhair rinn gus an cluinneamaid,
agus gus an lorgamaid comhfhurtachd agus neart as ùr.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair.
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
an-diugh, ann an Àm na h-Aidbheinne,
labhair rinn, agus sinn a’ feuchainn ri comharraidhean nan aimsir a thuigsinn.
Labhair rinn, gus an tuigeamaid iad,
agus gum faigheamaid eòlas, fiù ’s ann an laithean doirbh, air do làthaireachd
air ath-nuadhachadh nar measg.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
an-diugh, ann an Àm na h-Aidbheinne,
labhair rinn san fhàsach,
labhair rinn ann an àiteachan cruaidh,
agus cuir nar cuimhne na h-amannan anns an do choinnich thu rinn.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
an-diugh, ann an Àm na h-Aidbheinne.
labhair rinn gun ionnsachamaid mu na glinn air an àrdachadh,
mu na slèibhtean agus na cnuic air an ìsleachadh airson ullachadh do shlighe,
agus gum foillseachamaid teachd an Tighearna a-rithist!
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
an-diugh, aig Àm na h-Aidhbheinne,
labhair riutha a tha aonaranach agus fo bhròn.
labhair riutha a tha fo chùram agus fo eagal,
agus treòraich sinn, mar a threòraicheas am buachaille, Ìosa Crìosd ar
Tighearna, a threud.
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 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)