Scottish churches issue joint call to prayer for Sunday

This Sunday (20 September), Christians across Scotland will join together in a prayer at 7pm in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As with previous weeks during lockdown and the phased easing of restrictions, 14 Christian churches and organisations across the country, including the Church of Scotland, have co-signed the letter calling for prayer.

Scottish Christians have been continuing to answer the call to pray at the same time each week, and Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, has been taking part alongside them.

"I'm delighted to have read that in the last couple of months online searches for ‘prayer' have increased dramatically," Dr Fair said.

"But reading about what prayer is and how to do it is 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, which is also available in Gaelic, reads:

"At present, we are experiencing an extended exit from Lockdown to which there is no immediate end in sight. Allied to this, there are now increased restrictions on our movement. Taken together with our collective memory of the last six months, there is an uncertainty as to the direction to be taken. The impact of this on our personal and collective well-being is a matter of concern within Church and community."

We pray:

God who provides,
Hear the cry of your people in their distress
And answer them in the desert places.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
Guide your people in barren lands
And hold us safe when we are weak.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
May we receive your gracious gifts in the morning
And in the evening discover those gifts renewed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
Give direction to us when we were are lost
And renew our purpose when we are uncertain.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
Renew the faith of your people
And equip us to serve you in the place that you have called us to.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who provides,
On this day, may we receive bread from heaven
And know the glory of the Lord revealed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

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)

Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)