As the anniversary of lockdown approaches on Tuesday next week, the Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday, 21 March, as they have done on Sundays throughout the year of the coronavirus pandemic. 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:

“On the anniversary of the first lockdown on the 23rd of March, we will undoubtedly reflect on all that has happened in the past year and acknowledge the profound impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had upon us personally and communally. There is not one of us who has not felt the impact of these times in one way or another. Above all else, we shall acknowledge the loss of life and recognise that behind each number recorded there lies a person whose life is known to God and who is mourned by those who have loved them. In their passing, we are the poorer. In the remembrance of a life given by God, we are the richer.

“The Letter to the Hebrews records that: ‘In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears’. (Hebrews 5: 7) Jesus is called to take the place of the one who offers prayers on behalf of us all, and does so with ‘cries and tears’ because he himself has ‘suffered’. (Hebrews 5: 5-10) He shares in the suffering of the world and brings the suffering of the world before God. In all our reflections at this time, we remember the One who prayed for us in ‘the days of his flesh’ and who, even now, lives to pray for us once more.”

We pray:

Living God, in whose image we are made,
Hear us we ask, through your Son who prays for us.
Hear us, as we recall all we have endured as community and Nation
In the year that has passed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, who knows us in all our suffering,
Hear us we ask, through your Son who prays for us.
Hear us, as we reflect across the Nation
And remember those who have suffered the deepest loss.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, whose name is Love,
Hear us we ask, through your Son who prays for us.
Hear us, as we reach out our hand to those who suffer still
And stand with them in the face of all that is to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, who gives good gifts to all Creation,
Hear us we ask, through your Son who prays for us.
Hear us, as we give thanks for those who, in hospital and in care home,
Have cared for the dying and the sick.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, who inspires Hope,
Hear us we ask, through your Son who prays for us.
Hear us, as we acknowledge and give thanks for all who have created the vaccines
That give hope to the peoples of all Nations.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God, who gives Light to the World, even in the face of Darkness,
Hear us we ask, through your Son who prays for us.
Hear us, as we bow in the presence of the One who,
In the days of his flesh, shed tears for us.
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. Donnie G. MacDonald, Moderator, Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Paul Whittle, 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. Claire Fender, 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, 21mh dhen Mhàrt, ùrnaigh aig 7f

Tha bliadhna air dol seachad on deach sinn fo ghlasaibh, agus gun teagamh bidh sinn a’ smaoineachadh air na rudan a thachair thairis air a’ bhliadhna agus am buaidh a tha air a bhith oirnn an luib galar COVID-19. Chan eil gin againn nach d’fhiosraich buaidh a’ ghalair ann an dòigh air choreigin. Anns a’ phrìomh àite, bidh sinn a’ smaoineachadh orra-san uile a chaill am beatha, agus am bròn a thuit air luchd an gràidh. Air cùlaibh na h-àireamhan a chì sinn air na naidheachdan tha daoine a bha aithnichte do Dhia agus a tha air an caoidh le luchd an dàimh.

Tha Litir nan Eabhraidheach ag ràdh, “Fad nan làithean a bha e san fheòil, às dèidh dha ùrnaighean is ìmpidhean a thairgsinn suas, le caoineadh cruaidh is deòir, ris-san a b’ urrainn a shàbhaladh on bhàs, chaidh èisteachd ris na ùmhlachd.” (Eabhraidhich 5: 7) Tha Ìosa a’ dèanamh eadar-ghuidhe às ar leth, “le caoineadh cruaidh is deòir” oir dh’fhulaing e fhèin. (Eabhraidhich 5: 5 – 10). Tha e a’ com-pàirteachadh ann am fulangasan an t-saoghail, agus a’ toirt fulangasan an t-saoghail fa chomhair Dhè. Nar meòrachaidhean aig an àm seo, tha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh an Tì a rinn ùrnaigh às ar leth “fad nan làithean a bha e san fheòil”, agus a tha fhathast ag ùrnaigh às ar leth an-diugh.

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè bheò, a chruthaich sinn nad ìomhaigh fhèin,
èist rinn an-diugh, trod Mhac a tha ag ùrnaigh às ar leth.
Èist rinn, agus sinn a’ cuimhneachadh air na rudan a ghiùlain sinn thairis air a’ bhliadhna seo chaidh,
mar choimhearsnachd agus mar dhùthaich.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò, tha thu eòlach air ar fulangas.
Èist rinn an-diugh, trod Mhac a tha ag ùrnaigh às ar leth.
Èist rinn, agus sinn a’ meòrachadh agus a’ cuimhneachadh air feadh na dùthcha air ar nàbaidhean a tha a’ fulang.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò, is gràdh thu.
Èist rinn an-diugh, trod Mhac a tha ag ùrnaigh às ar leth.
Èist rinn, agus sinn a’ cumail taic ris an fheadhainn a tha fhathast a’ fulang,
agus a’ giùlain còmhla riutha nan eallach a th’ orra.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò, a bheireas rudan matha dod Chruthachadh gu lèir,
èist rinn an-diugh, trod Mhac a tha ag ùrnaigh às ar leth.
Èist rinn, agus sinn a’ toirt taing airson na feadhna a fhrithealas do na tha tinn agus dlùth don bhàs ann an ospadalan agus taighean-cùraim.
A Dhè, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò, a Dhè an Dòchais,
èist rinn an-diugh, trod Mhac a tha ag ùrnaigh às ar leth.
Èist rinn agus sinn a’ toirt taing airson an luchd-rannsachaidh a chruthaich na banachdaichean
a bheireas dòchas don t-saoghal gu lèir.
A Dhè, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheo, a bheireas Solas don t-saoghal, fiù ’s anns an dorchadas,
èist rinn an-diugh, trod Mhac a tha ag ùrnaigh às ar leth.
Èist rinn, agus sinn a’ cromadh sìos ann an làthaireachd an Tì a rinn ùrnaigh air ar son, le caoineadh cruaidh agus deòir,
fad nan làithean a bha e san fheòil.
A Dhè, 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 Pòl Whittle, Moderàtor, Eaglais Ath-Leasaichte Aonaichte (Alba)
An t-Urramach Dòmhnall G. Dòmhnallach, Moderàtor, an Eaglais Shaor
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 Claire Fender, 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)