The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer on Sunday at 7pm, as they have done throughout 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:

“In the Gospel of John, the ‘new commandment’ to ‘love one another’ transforms the idea of a ‘commandment’. In fulfilling the ‘new commandment’, we are called to give of ourselves in order that we might follow the pattern and example of Jesus. We love because we have first of all been loved and to do so is a mark that we are a disciple of Jesus. (John 13: 34-35)

“The ‘commandment’ to ‘love one another’ is taken up again in the Gospel and we see that the love of Jesus expressed to us is a love that flows from God: ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.’ As an illustration of the ‘commandment’, Jesus says: ‘No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ To be loved by God, though Jesus, is to be changed by the experience of being loved. As we are embraced and affirmed, we are changed and called a ‘friend’ of the One who has loved us and given his life for us. (John 15: 9-17)

“In our fragile world, we are called to follow the pattern of Jesus and to love because we ourselves have first been loved.”

We pray:

Living God,
You call us to love because we have first of all been loved.
May we know that love abides in you
And is expressed in your love for the world.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
You call us to love because we have first of all been loved.
May we know the depth of your love
In the contemplation of the life and death and resurrection of your Son.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
You call us to love because we have first of all been loved.
May we hear the call to live by a new commandment
And so bear the mark of a disciple.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
You call us to love because we have first of all been loved.
May we know what it is to be embraced and affirmed
And called a friend of the One who has given his life for us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
You call us to love because we have first of all been loved.
May we, who have been embraced and affirmed,
Reach out to the lonely that they might know true friendship.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
You call us to love because we have first of all been loved.
May we know the abiding presence of your love
In the life we share in the community of the Risen and Ascended 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. 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, 9 dhen Chèitean, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“Ann an Soisgeul Eòin tha sinn a faighinn àithe ùr, “gun gràdhaich sinn a chèile”, àithne ùr ann an cruth gu tur ùr. Ann a bhith a’ co-lionadh na h-àithne ùire, tha sinn air ar gairm gus eisimpleir Ìosa a leantainn. “Tha sinne a’ gràdhachadh a chionn ’s gun do gràdhaich esan sinne an toiseach” (1 Eòin 4: 19), agus mar sin, aithnichidh na h-uile fur sinn a dheisciobail-sa, ma bhios gràdh againn dha chèile (Eòin 13: 34 – 35).

“Chì sinn an àithne ùr seo air a foillseachadh anns an t-Soisgeul, oir chì sinn gu bheil gràdh Ìosa dhuinn a’ sruthadh a-nuas o Dhia: “Mar a tha an t-Athair air mise a ghràdhachadh, mar sin ghràdhaich mise sibhse.” Gus an fhìrinn seo a dhearbhadh, thuirt Ìosa, “Gràdh nas motha na seo chan eil aig neach sam bith, gun leig duine a bheatha sìos airson a charaidean.” Tha sinn air ar n-atharrachadh aig an ìre as doimhne tro eòlas air a’ ghràdh seo, agus tha an Tì a leig sìos a bheatha air ar son a’ cur “caraid” oirnn (Eòin 15: 9 – 17).

“Anns an t-saoghal mhì-chinnteach againn, tha sinn air ar gairm gus eisimpleir Ìosa a leantainn, a’ gràdhachadh ar coimhearsnaich oir bha sinn air ar gràdhachadh an toiseach.”

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè bheò,
Tha thu gar gairm gus ar coimhearsnaich a ghràdhachadh,
oir ghràdhaich thu sinne an toiseach.
Deònaich dhuinn eòlas air do ghràdh,
a tha air fhoillseachadh trod ghràdh airson an t-saoghail.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha thu gar gairm gus ar coimhearsnaich a ghràdhachadh,
oir ghràdhaich thu sinne an toiseach.
Deònaich dhuinn eòlas air doimhneachd do ghràidh,
tro mheòrachadh air beatha, bàs agus aiseirigh do Mhic.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheo,
Tha thu gar gairm gus ar coimhearsnaich a ghràdhachadh,
oir ghràdhaich thu sinne an toiseach.
Deònaich gun cluinn sinn d’àithne ùr,
agus gun lean sinn gu dìleas e, mar do dheisciobail.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha thu gar gairm gus ar coimhearsnaich a ghràdhachadh,
oir ghràdhaich thu sinne an toiseach.
Deònaich dhuinn eòlas air dearbhadh agus comhfhurtachd do ghràidh, agus gum bi sinne nar caraidean don Tì a leig sìos a bheatha air ar son.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha thu gar gairm gus ar coimhearsnaich a ghràdhachadh,
oir ghràdhaich thu sinne an toiseach.
Treòraich sinn gus gràdh fhoillseachadh dhan fheadhann a tha aonranach, gus am faigh iad eòlas air fìor chàirdeas.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha thu gar gairm gus ar coimhearsnaich a ghràdhachadh,
oir ghràdhaich thu sinne an toiseach.
Deònaich dhuinne agus do ar coimhearsnaich làthaireachd leantainneach do ghràidh.
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 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)