NEWS

Church of Scotland congregations are being encouraged to participate in a special day of prayer in November.

The ‘Together We Pray’ initiative is aimed at supporting an ongoing life of prayer – both personal and collective – and a range of resources has been planned to underpin the project.

A national day of prayer on November 3 is just one key feature of Together We Pray. This year its focus will be on praying for the way ahead for the Church of Scotland.

Urging congregations to take part, the Moderator, the Rt Rev Susan Brown said: “The power of prayer should never be underestimated and I would encourage individuals, groups and congregations to nurture a habit of prayer and especially to set aside some time on November 3 to focus on the life, work and witness of the Church of Scotland in particular.

“Where is God leading us as a Church? What do we need for the journey and are there things we should leave behind? Let’s listen for God’s voice and act on what we hear.”

The Moderator has prepared a prayer for the Church (see page 5 of this month’s issue), and a few key points for prayer have also been suggested by the Council of Assembly. The prayer point suggestions include:

• Pray for your own congregation and for neighbouring congregations - those which are part of the Church of Scotland or which belong to other denominations.

• Pray for places where there is fragility and loss, and for God to be present in our vulnerability. Pray for places where there is growth and for places where new initiatives must be tried. Pray for risktakers and pioneers. Pray for places where difficult decisions may need to be made.

• Pray for our communities: local schools, healthcare practices, hospitals and care homes; for Councillors, community leaders, MPs and MSPs. Give thanks for the gifts that have been given to your community. Pray for change especially where there are inequalities to be challenged.

• Pray for our Church: for our members, congregations, presbyteries, General Assembly and national councils and committees. The 2018 General Assembly asked the Council of Assembly to work with others in producing a Radical Action Plan. Please pray for this challenging work. Pray that we might hear God.

• Pray that in all that challenges us, we would live as a people of hope

Resources to support the whole initiative include a Guide for the National Day of Prayer, an online prayer diary, a new Conversations In Prayer downloadable booklet and extracts from the new edition of Pray Now – Together We Pray which will be available online before the book’s launch on November 3 (see the Church of Scotland website at www.churchofscotland.org.uk for resources and more detail).