This Sunday, 7 March, 2021, Christians across Scotland – and beyond – will once again join together in prayer and reflection at 7pm in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

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As in previous weeks, 15 Christian churches and organisations, including the Church of Scotland, have co-signed a letter calling for prayer.

Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, has been taking part in the weekly prayers and is encouraging all of us to join him.

“There are some things which make sense for a certain period of time but which come to a natural conclusion – such as clapping for carers during the spring lockdown. Prayer isn’t one of them,” Dr Fair said.

“The Apostle Paul encourages us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and Jesus himself offers parables where persistence in prayer is lauded.

“It can be hard to keep going when there’s no end in sight; much easier when the finishing line comes into view. In the case of the pandemic, it still feels as if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.

“All the more reason then for God’s people to continue faithfully in prayer. And even better when we can pray across the whole of the Church, unrestricted by denominational divides.

“If Sunday at 7pm is in your diary, keep it there. Thank you. If it hadn’t been, it would be great to have you involved. It matters that we pray.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/_VqadO6wCfg

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

“During these past months we have become used, or not as the case may be, to living within much more circumscribed and defined spaces. As a consequence, we might well have become more conscious of the locality in which we live.

“Undoubtedly, the spaces that we inhabit and the places in which we live shape us and mould us. Equally, there are particular places and spaces that we associate with significant events and experiences. Space and place are woven into the rhythm of life.

“In each of the four Gospels there are accounts of the cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem. In the Gospel of John, Jesus journeys to that particular space within that particular locality. (John 2: 13-22) He does so because it is the time of the Passover and the journey he makes is one made in the company of the many thousands who came to Jerusalem at that time.

“What does Jesus find?

“He finds that the Temple space has become a “market-place” inhabited by sellers and ‘money-changers’.

“Those who object to his cleansing of the Temple demand to know: ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’

“In reply, Jesus speaks prophetically of the destruction of ‘this temple’, by which he means himself, and of being raised ‘in three days’.

“In this sign, we see the presence of God embodied in the life of Jesus, and his life, located in a particular place and time, opening our horizons to the God who meets us in the place where we are today.”

We pray:

God of Space and Time, 
Meet us in the place where we are today. 
Meet us in the place where we are 
And transform us by the presence of your Son. 
In this place, may we encounter the One who embodies your love. 
Lord, in your mercy, 
Hear our prayer.

God of Space and Time, 
Meet us in the place where we are today. 
Meet us at the break of day 
And be with us in all that lies before us. 
In the place in which we live, may we see life renewed. 
Lord, in your mercy, 
Hear our prayer.

God of Space and Time, 
Meet us in the place where we are today. 
Meet us in the place of suffering 
And bring your healing presence among us. 
In the place of suffering, enable us to reach out to those beside us. 
Lord, in your mercy, 
Hear our prayer.

God of Space and Time, 
Meet us in the place where we are today. 
Meet us in the place of sorrow 
And bring your light into our darkness. 
In the place of sorrow, may we become bearers of your light. 
Lord, in your mercy, 
Hear our prayer.

God of Space and Time, 
Meet us in the place where we are today. 
Meet us in the rhythm of life 
And renew hope within us. 
In the community in which we live, may we bear witness to the God of hope. 
Lord, in your mercy, 
Hear our prayer.

God of Space and Time, 
Meet us in the place where we are today. 
Meet us at the close of day 
And be with us through the night. 
Keep us safe and bring us to the dawn of a new day.
Lord, in your mercy, 
Hear our prayer.

This Sunday (14 February), as more than one million people in Scotland have received their first dose of the Covid vaccine, Christians across the country – and further afield – will once again join together in prayer and reflection at 7pm in response to the pandemic.

As with previous weeks during lockdown, 15 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.

“There are some things which make sense for a certain period of time but which come to a natural conclusion – such as clapping for carers during the spring lockdown. Prayer isn’t one of them,” Dr Fair said.

“The Apostle Paul encourages us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and Jesus himself offers parables where persistence in prayer is lauded.

“It can be hard to keep going when there’s no end in sight; much easier when the finishing line comes into view. In the case of the pandemic, it still feels as if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.

“All the more reason then for God’s people to continue faithfully in prayer. And even better when we can pray across the whole of the Church, unrestricted by denominational divides.

“If Sunday at 7pm is in your diary, keep it there. Thank you. If it hadn’t been, it would be great to have you involved. It matters that we pray.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/VP6U4IFBHK0

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

“In the Gospel of Mark, we find the disciples of Jesus journeying with him and experiencing something which they struggle to comprehend and express. Jesus takes Peter, James and John to ‘a high mountain’ and there he is ‘transfigured before them’ in the company of Elijah and Moses. How do the disciples respond? Peter, as ever, makes an attempt to respond but truly he ‘did not know what to say, for they were terrified’. (Mark 9: 2-9)

“In the midst of all we face at this time, we are confronted by that for which nothing has truly prepared us as a society. As the experience of lockdown continues, we are learning a great deal about the strengths and weaknesses of our society. As we do so, we are coming to understand that the future will not simply be a reversion to the ‘normal’ of the past.

“As the disciples struggle to comprehend what they see before their eyes, they are overshadowed by the presence of God and hear the words of affirmation: ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him!’ Then, in an instant: ‘when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus’.

“As we journey into the future, we do so in the company of the One who transforms our present and who invites us to share in the promise of the coming Kingdom of God.”

We pray:

Living God,
Speak to us in the place where we are today
And make your presence known.
Speak to us the words of affirmation
That we may know that we are loved by you.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
Speak to us in the place where we are today;
Even in the face of darkness.
Speak into the uncertainty of our times
And reassure us that you hold the future.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
Speak to us in the place where we are today
And bring hope for days to come.
Speak words of comfort and of healing
And words of compassion for those who mourn.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
Speak to us in the place where we are today,
That we might speak a word for our times.
Speak into the future that lies before us
And grant us grace as we seek to live out that future.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
Speak to us in the place where we are today,
That we might hear again your voice.
Speak to us on the highest heights, and in the deepest depths,
And may we know, and be known by, the One whom you love.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And who ask that your promise will be fulfilled.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

This Sunday (7 February), Christians across the country – and further afield – will once again join together in prayer and reflection at 7pm in response to the pandemic.

As with previous weeks during lockdown, 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.

“There are some things which make sense for a certain period of time but which come to a natural conclusion – such as clapping for carers during the spring lockdown. Prayer isn’t one of them,” Dr Fair said.

“The Apostle Paul encourages us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and Jesus himself offers parables where persistence in prayer is lauded.

“It can be hard to keep going when there’s no end in sight; much easier when the finishing line comes into view. In the case of the pandemic, it still feels as if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.

“All the more reason then for God’s people to continue faithfully in prayer. And even better when we can pray across the whole of the Church, unrestricted by denominational divides.

“If Sunday at 7pm is in your diary, keep it there. Thank you. If it hadn’t been, it would be great to have you involved. It matters that we pray.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/MtvrxrZqqBo

This week’s letter accompanying the prayer, which is also available in Gaelic (a copy of which will be available to read here soon) states:

“At this time, we are those who wait. In common with every member of our community and our nation, we are those who wait for the renewal of life within the families and communities of which we are a part. The time of waiting has now exceeded anything we might have imagined as we began the first lockdown, and as we wait many have grown weary.

“The prophet Isaiah speaks to a people who have waited and whose time of waiting has exceeded anything they might have imagined. (Isaiah 40: 21-31) During the time of waiting, the people of Israel have grown weary. To those people, the word of the Lord comes through the prophet and they are given a vision of ‘the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth’ who ‘does not faint or grow weary’.

“Even in the longest times, the word of the Lord speaks to those who have come to the end of their strength with the assurance that:

“We are those who wait and our waiting is not in vain.”

We pray:

Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And we confess that we have grown weary.
Speak to us we ask and hear our cry.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And who have come to the end of our own strength.
Lift up the weary and strengthen the powerless.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And who have heard your Word echo in our hearts.
Grant us grace for this time and faith to believe your promise.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
And who ask that your promise will be fulfilled.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Everlasting God,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
We are those who wait
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Amen

This Sunday (31 January), as the UK records 100,000 deaths from Covid-19, Christians across the country – and further afield – will once again join together in prayer and reflection at 7pm in response to the pandemic.

As with previous weeks during lockdown, 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.

“There are some things which make sense for a certain period of time but which come to a natural conclusion – such as clapping for carers during the spring lockdown. Prayer isn’t one of them,” Dr Fair said.

“The Apostle Paul encourages us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and Jesus himself offers parables where persistence in prayer is lauded.

“It can be hard to keep going when there’s no end in sight; much easier when the finishing line comes into view. In the case of the pandemic, it still feels as if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.

“All the more reason then for God’s people to continue faithfully in prayer. And even better when we can pray across the whole of the Church, unrestricted by denominational divides.

“If Sunday at 7pm is in your diary, keep it there. Thank you. If it hadn’t been, it would be great to have you involved. It matters that we pray.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/PwzgZO2Ji_U?=1

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

“The remembering of the past is an integral part of what it is to be human. In our remembering, we recall the persons and the events that have shaped us and made us who we are. In the act of remembering, we often seek to make sense of and come to terms with the past. In the depths of our remembering, we acknowledge and lament loss.

“At this particular time, we are profoundly conscious of the depth of loss within the communities and nation of which we are a part.

“In the Book of Psalms, the Psalmist affirms that God ‘remembers’ and that, in particular, God remembers the covenant made with the people of God. The One who forges a relationship with the people of God, is the One who remembers the covenant forever. (Psalm 111: 5)

“In our remembering, we recall the One who remembers us and does not forget all that we endure in these hard times.”

We pray:

God who remembers,
Be with us in our remembering this day.
Be with us on the journey
That takes us from the past
And into the future that lies before us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who remembers,
Be with us in our remembering this day.
Be with as we recall those who have shaped us
And the events that have made us.
Grant to us grace and healing in all we recall.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who remembers,
Be with us in our remembering this day.
Be with us in sorrow and in loss
And come beside all who mourn this day.
Come beside us and do not leave us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who remembers,
Be with us in our remembering this day.
Be with those who serve in hospitals and in homes
And who, by their medical and nursing skills,
Provide comfort and hope to those who suffer.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

God who remembers,
Be with us in our remembering this day.
Be with us as community and nation
And strengthen us in all we endure.
Even in the darkness, may we find your light renewed through Jesus Christ.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.