Join with us in prayer this Sunday evening

This Sunday, 26 July, Christians across Scotland will be joining together in prayer at 7pm in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the lockdown and the phased easing of restrictions, 14 Christian churches and organisations across the country, including the Church of Scotland, have issued a joint letter and a prayer written specially for each week.

Scottish Christians have been answering the call by taking time to pray at the same hour each week. Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, encourages us to join him in praying on Sunday.

"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."

Scottish Christian leaders statement

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

In a recent conversation, a minister suggested that ‘we Christians have no immunity from the struggles and suffering of a broken world.'

He's right.

But this is also true; that God is with us, no matter what we're facing. The God we worship is not an absentee landlord, a disinterested bystander. Indeed Christian faith is built on the truth that the very opposite is true - that God is with us. Immanuel.

By prayer and practice, the Church is called to give expression to this key aspect of our belief system. When the Church prays for the world and when the Church cares for the world, the Church makes clear that God is with us in the world.

That's been true throughout the pandemic and remains true as we begin to plot our course forward, considering what ‘building back better' might look like. May it be that we remain on our knees before God, the better to know and trust Him.

Prayer for Sunday 26 July

We pray:

Most High God, you are far above us and beyond our knowing. And yet in Jesus you came among us and you are here.

With glad and grateful hearts, we praise you.

Ever faithful God, when waves threaten to overwhelm us and when fire is burning all around us, still you are with us. There is no point at which you run for cover or leave us to manage on our own.

With glad and grateful hearts, we praise you.

Guiding God, you are a lamp for our feet, a light for our path. In uncertain times, with so much that is unknown and unknowable, go before us, we pray, that being attentive to your voice we might sense your leading.

With glad and grateful hearts, we praise you.

Eternal God, there is much that is transient in our experience; we ourselves flourish as flowers and then are gone. But You, Lord, are without beginning or end; the same yesterday, today and forever. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on you and to lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven which shall not be subject to decay or destruction.

With glad and grateful hearts, we praise you.

Loving God, in all things we marvel at your goodness and long only to see you more clearly and to know you more nearly. Put salt on our lips, then, that we might thirst for you more.

With glad and grateful hearts, we praise you.

In Christ's name, AMEN.

Signatories

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)