Scottish churches join together in call for prayer on Sunday

Church groups across Scotland are asking Christians once more to join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday evening.

Across the country people have answered the call to pray at the same time each week in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair said: "I'm delighted to have read that in the last couple of months google searches for ‘prayer' have increased dramatically.

"But reading about what prayer is and how to do it is the only the start of it. After that it's time to actually pray!

"And what better than to join with brothers and sisters from across the nation at 7pm on Sunday to pray our way through this ongoing crisis. I commend it to you and look forward to being with you, in Spirit, on Sunday evening."

This week's letter accompanying the prayer, which is also available in Gaelic, states:

"In the Gospel of John (17: 1-11), Jesus prays for his disciples in anticipation of the time when he will no longer be with them. What is it that he prays for? Jesus asks the Father to ‘protect' his friends. Whilst he was with them, Jesus protected and shielded the disciples and later in his prayer he prays for each one of us. The ascended Lord Jesus continues to pray for us and assures us that his presence will be renewed through the gift of the Holy Spirit."

We pray:

Living God and gracious Father,
Protect and shield us.
Living God, protect and shield
All whom we love,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Living God, your Son now sits in your presence
And shares in your glory and honour.
We thank you for the promise
That his presence shall be renewed for us,
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Living God, we thank you that Jesus prayed for us
And that he continues to intercede for us.
We thank you that he continues to pray
For us and for our protection,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Living God, we pray for the life of the world
We thankyou for all those who,in these days,
Strive to protect and shield us.
Renew them in heart and soul, andmind and strength,Through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Living God, renew us we pray and renew the life of the world.
For you so lovedthe world thatyou gave your Son
That we might share in the life of the world to come.
Hear our prayer, now and always,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Signed by:

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

Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal 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)

Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)