Scottish Church Leaders have joined together to produce a Christmas Message video.
Two minutes of a topical take on the Christmas story.
4th Sunday in Advent
Prayer @ 7pm Print version
The words of the angel to Mary bring this assurance: ‘The Lord is with you.’ (Luke 1: 28) The words are clear and unequivocal: ‘The Lord is with you.’
Nevertheless, Mary is ‘perplexed’ and clearly fearful as she tries to comprehend the words spoken to her. The message of the angel that she is to become the bearer of the Christ-child leads her to ask: ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ In response, the angel speaks of the promise of the Spirit and Mary affirms and embraces the promise: ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ (Luke 1: 26-38) It is as if Mary hears and embraces the first words spoken to her: ‘The Lord is with you.’
As we come near to the point where the promise of the Advent season is fulfilled in the birth of the Christ-child, we are conscious of the renewed challenges we face within the communities of which we are a part. In the face of this, each one of us longs to know the assurance of the promise: ‘The Lord is with you.’ In the perplexities and challenges of the times, and to each one of us, the words of assurance are spoken. The Lord is with us and we are invited to embrace the promise of the Christ-child who is to come.
We pray:
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We give thanks that the promise of the Advent season
Will soon be fulfilled in the birth of the Christ-child.
May we embrace the promise and share in the hope it brings.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We pray for the lonely and the perplexed;
For the anxious and the fearful.
Be near to them as you are to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We pray for the families and communities of which we are a part
And for our Nation.
Sustain us in these times and renew us in times to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, draw near to us
And to all who long to hear your Word.
We give thanks that, in all things, you are with us
And we embrace once more the promise of the Christ-child.
May the light of Christ shine in the darkness and bring hope to the world.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
3rd Sunday in Advent
Prayer @ 7pm
At this time, we find ourselves deeply conscious of the challenges that we still face and yet also of the hope that lies on the horizon. It is as if we have journeyed through a time of darkness and deep uncertainty with no seeming end in sight. Then, even as darkness seemed set to engulf us once more, a light has dawned and has brought hope to the world and to the community of all peoples.
In the past we have prayed:
Lord, we pray for scientists and researchers;
For those seeking to understand the challenge we face;
For those creating potential vaccines;
For those advising decision-makers.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Notwithstanding the challenges we still face, we give thanks to God for those who have created the vaccines that have the potential to restore life to the communities of which we are all a part.
As we continue on in our Advent journey, we hear of a witness who has come ‘to testify to the light’. The light is not yet with us but the messenger comes to bear witness to the ‘true light’ of God that will soon break into our world. (John 1: 6-9) Even now, the light breaks on the horizon for the light of God is coming into our world once more. We pray:
Lord, we are your people who have journeyed in darkness
And who long to see your light once more.
We are those who have journeyed through hard times
And who long to see life and community renewed.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, we give thanks for scientists and researchers
And for those who have created the vaccines that give hope to the world.
We pray for the just sharing of these precious gifts
And for the renewal of life in every nation.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, we are those who journey on
Towards the horizon where light shall surely break.
We journey in times where we are distanced
And trust that in time the distance shall be overcome.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, we pray for those who care for the living
And for the dying.
We pray for the bereaved and for the bereft
And ask that you would draw near to them in your compassion.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Lord, we are those who have heard
O the true light that is coming into the world.
We ask that we might become your messengers
And bear witness to Jesus Christ, the light of God that is to come.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
The Methodist Conference has declared 2020/2021 a year of prayer so that our Church-wide commitments to evangelism, church growth, church at the margins, and pioneering and church planting will flow from a deep, contemplative orientation to God’s grace and love.
Be part of this movement of prayer as we ask the Holy Spirit to help us be a growing, evangelistic, inclusive, justice-seeking Church of gospel people.
As part of this call to join a movement of prayer Rev Mark Slaney, Chair of the Methodist Church in Scotland (Scotland District / Shetland District) is releasing the first in a short series of ‘how to’ videos aimed at helping you develop and deepen your practice of prayer.
Video One: What’s in a name? is now on YouTube
2nd Sunday in Advent. Prayer @ 7pm
‘Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.’ God speaks and the word spoken is a word of comfort to the people of God. The word is spoken to those who feel that they are powerless and to those who are wearied and exhausted by all that they have endured. Thereafter, the words of Isaiah take us out into the wilderness and, if we listen with open hearts, we will find ourselves in that place and hear a voice crying out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Even in the wilderness, we are called to prepare so that, in times to come, we might see the presence of God renewed in our midst. (Isaiah 40: 1-11)
The words are taken up again in the beginning of the Gospel of Mark as a messenger announces the coming of Jesus Christ. In every age, and in every time, the words resonate if we listen with open hearts. (Mark 1: 1-8) God speaks and the word spoken is a word of comfort for our age and our times. We embrace and hold fast to the word spoken to us through our Saviour Jesus Christ. We pray:
Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us words of comfort.
Speak that we might hear
And, as we do so, find comfort and strength renewed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us as we read the signs of the times.
Speak, that we might understand the times,
And know, even now, your presence restored in our midst.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us in the wilderness.
Speak, even in the hard places,
And teach us to mark out the places where you have met with us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to us that we might learn of the rough ground made level.
Speak of the rugged places made plain
And of the time when we shall hear it proclaimed again that the Lord is coming!
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In this season of Advent,
Speak to the lonely and to the bereaved.
Speak to the anxious and to the fearful
And carry us as the shepherd carries the lamb, even Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
We come now to a significant place in the long journey that we have made over these past months and the place we have come to is where the season of Advent begins. The season speaks of Hope and, though it begins with a recognition that we still face the darkness, brings with it the promise of light. The 1st Sunday in Advent will, in years past, have echoed to the singing of ancient and inspiring words:
O come, O come, Immanuel / and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here / until the Son of God appear.
The words express the longing of the people of God to know the coming of God amongst them. In anticipation of this promise being fulfilled, the people of God sing out:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you O Israel.
In our hearts, the promise still resonates and so we awaitthe coming of God. Indeed, we may say that the season of Advent is a season of waiting and anticipation and one that yields the promise of God: ‘From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.’ (Isaiah 64: 4)
We wait and we pray:
God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where the promise is renewed.
Even in the darkness,
We look for the light of your presence to be revealed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where hope is renewed.
Even in the midst of all that we have faced in times past,
We trust in the hope that does not disappoint.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where we must wait for a time.
Even though we have waited in times past,
We gladly do so again trusting that our waiting shall yield the coming of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place of anticipation.
Even though we do not yet see,
We anticipate the good gift that you will offer.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of the Advent promise,
We come on our journey to the place where we resolve to journey on.
Even though we have travelled through hard times,
We go forward, trusting in the promise:
Immanuel, shall come to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
The imagery of the shepherd is woven into our understanding of the way in which the living God cares for us: ‘I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flocks when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep.’ (Ezekiel 34: 11-12) These words speak to us and resonate in the depths of our soul. They do so because they speak to our longing to know that, in all we face, God watches over us and searches for us when we are lost. The words speak to us, especially in difficult times, and resonate profoundly in days of darkness.
The times in which we live are difficult indeed and dark for many. At such a time as this, we still ourselves and listen for the voice of the One who calls us by our name. The Shepherd calls us by our name, even in the darkest of times, and comes to journey with us. The Shepherd journeys until, in God’s good time, the darkness yields to the promise of the One who comes to reign as King forever.
We pray:
Good Shepherd,
Speak to us at this time
And hear us when we call to you.
Answer our call
And come to journey with us.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Good Shepherd,
Search for us when we are lost
And gather us safely into your presence.
Speak to the depths of our fears
And still our anxious hearts.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Good Shepherd,
Stand with us in the midst of these times
And do not forsake us.
Search for the lonely and the anxious
And embrace them in your love.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Good Shepherd,
Strengthen us when we stumble
And renew us when we are weak.
Stand with all who are made in your image
And who reflect your goodness.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Good Shepherd,
Support us when we suffer
And bring healing when we are wounded.
Strengthen us that we might strengthen others
And be with them in all we face together.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Good Shepherd,
Speak once more to our hearts
And offer us vision and hope for days to come.
Go before us Shepherd King
And lead us into the future that you hold in your hands.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Signed by:
‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ In the Gospel of Matthew, these words are spoken to the servants who have wisely used the talents entrusted to them. In our reading of the Parable of the Talents, we remember that the meaning of the word ‘talent’ has subtly changed. Originally, the reference is to a measure of weight and we learn from this that the weight of money entrusted to the servants is considerable indeed. In our contemporary reading, we are more apt to think of ‘talent’ in terms of gift and ability, and we read and mark this subtle distinction carefully. (Matthew 25: 14-30)
In these unprecedented times, we are conscious of the very considerable investment that has been made in sustaining the community and society of which we are a part. In facing the challenges that are before us, we are again conscious of the work of those who seek, on a daily basis, to renew the health and well-being of our community and society. We act with them and pray for them. Indeed, we are all called to use that which has been entrusted to us to serve and bear witness to the love, grace and mercy of God. We do so trusting that, at the last, we shall hear the words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’
We pray:
Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for the gift of life entrusted to us
And for the knowledge that we are made in your image.
In these times, may we bear witness to the gift you have given to us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for the gift of family and of friendship
And for the companions who join us on the way.
In the community in which we share, renew the ties that bind us together.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for those who serve within our community and society
And who, by their work, sustain our common life.
In these times, strengthen and renew them in all they do,
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you that you call us to serve and to bear witness
To your love, grace and mercy.
In the community of the faithful, may we never forget this calling.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you for all those who through their talent,
And by their research, give hope to the world.
In these times, may we share generously the fruit of that hope.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Faithful God
And giver of all good gifts,
We thank you that you reveal your life to us
In the community of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In the life to come, may we hear: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
Prayer @ 7pm
The season of Remembrance invites us, at one and the same time, to look back and to look forward. As we look back, we recall those who have gone before us and, on a broader scale, the human tragedies that have scarred our world. The tragedy of human conflict continues to scar the lives of so many at this time and so our act of remembrance has an immediate resonance in present times. As we look forward, we affirm the living hope that is founded in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In affirming this hope, we resolve to live our lives shaped by that hope and so our resolve has an immediate resonance in present times. Remembrance of the past and hope for the future shape our lives in the present.
In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear of what it is to live as those who pray ‘thy Kingdom come’ and who anticipate the coming of the Kingdom. Jesus said: ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.’ (5: 43-45 a)) In these challenging times, we are invited to embrace the teaching of Jesus anew and to live in the present as those whose lives are shaped by ‘the life of the world to come’. We pray:
Living God,
We come before you
To look back and to remember.
In our remembrance,
We give thanks for the lives of those who have gone before us
And who have shaped the world in the light of your Kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
We come before you
To look forward and to affirm
The hope founded in the resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ.
May we journey hopefully in these times
And live lives shaped in the light of your Kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
We come before you
To remember those whose lives have been scarred
By past conflicts.
Grant to us grace to live as peacemakers
And strength to break down the barriers of division.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
We come before you
As we journey forward
And face the challenges of our times.
Grant to us that we may live
As those whose lives are shaped by the life of the world to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
CALL TO PRAYER: SUNDAY 1st November 2020 Prayer @ 7pm
As we enter into the season of Remembrance, we are especially conscious of those whose lives have shaped our lives, but who are no longer with us. In one sense, their absence serves to highlight the significance of all that they have given to us. Equally, we recall those who have shaped the life of our Church and of our community and the faith that they have passed on to our generation. The hymn writer captures well the thanksgiving of the Church at this time:
For all the saints, who from their labours rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The vision unveiled in the Book of Revelation sees the ‘great multitude…from every nation’ gathered before the throne of God ‘and before the Lamb’. For those who have endured, the Lamb ‘will be their shepherd…and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’. (Revelation 7: 9-17) Our faith invites us to embrace that vision and, in turn, to share the vision with others. In this season of Remembrance, we share the promise of the enduring presence and healing of God. We pray:
Living God,
We come to your presence
And we are conscious that we do not come alone.
We come in the company of the saints of God
And the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
We come to your presence
And we remember those who have given life and nurture to us.
We remember those who are no longer with us
And we give thanks for their lives.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
We come to your presence
And we pray for those who have suffered loss at this time.
We ask that they will know the presence
Of the One who will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
We come to your presence
And hear again the promise of your enduring presence.
We ask for ourselves, and for others,
That we might know the promise of healing of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
We come to your presence
And we recall the hymns of faith that echo in our hearts.
We lift up our hearts and anticipate the praise of heaven;
Offered to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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. Lindsey Sanderson, 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)