Scottish church leaders Holy Week statement

Churches in Scotland have welcome the Holy Week Statement on Covid-19 by the Leaders of Churches from across the nations of Britain and Ireland.

They state: "Within Scotland, as elsewhere, we are faced with a series of unprecedented challenges that are impacting upon every aspect of the fabric of our society. In the threat to life and livelihood being experienced by so many at this time, we are conscious of the need to remain open to the life of God and to the life of the world.

In the course of this Holy Week, we know that we shall hear the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' The experience of being abandoned and forsaken is not absent from the life of God lived out in this world.

Equally, we are conscious that our faith affirms that this experience does not mark the boundary of the love of God.

As we journey through this week, through Good Friday and on to the day of Resurrection, we pray:

Lord of Creation,

Be with us on this journey towards the healing of your world and people.

hold us when we feel alone,

carry us when we lose our strength

and heal us when we are afraid.

Let people of faith speak today with a voice of love,

The love shown to us through the power of the Spirit

and in the love and sacrifice of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Signed by:

Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, 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
Lt Col Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
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