Prayer & Reading from Special Purposes Meeting_{Published 08 Feb 2023}

The reading and prayer below were read by Catriona Munro and Grant Henderson of CoSY Glasgow at the Special Purposes meeting of the Presbytery on 7 February.

Psalm 46

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,

    an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam

    and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

    the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;

    God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the Lord has done,

    the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease

    to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the shields with fire.

10 He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.’

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Loving God,

our refuge and our strength,

We give thanks that we can gather this evening as your church.

As we gather here tonight, we bring to you our brothers and sisters in Turkey and Syria who have been affected by the devastating earthquake.

We lift those affected up to you, and pray for comfort and strength for them at this time. We ask that they may know we stand with them in solidarity.

We thank you for all the continuing Good News across our Presbytery, and for the witness to you and service in your name that occurs daily throughout Glasgow, Scotland, and further afield.

As we gather, we pray for all those across our congregations, particularly as we navigate through this season of challenge and change.

Be with those in positions of responsibility; help them through times of challenge, enabling them to faithfully serve you in their roles.

Tonight, we think especially of, and commit to you, the congregations whose business we meet to discuss and determine.

Lord, we hold the staff and office bearers within our Presbytery before you now. We ask you to give them strength and encouragement, as they work to support our congregations to be people of the way.

We pray particularly for the Presbytery Mission Plan Creation Group and Mission Plan Implementation Group committee as they support congregations through the planning process.

We will not fear, though difficult decisions lie ahead.

We pray that we act not for ourselves, but for You, whose church we are and whom we seek to serve.

You, the Lord Almighty, are with us, present in all that is said tonight, and in all our conversations. We ask that our words may be peaceable and that our decisions may reflect Your will.

When the process is daunting and the future feels fragile, let us always remember that Your church will not fall, as long as we continue to meet in Your name.

Therefore, let frustration give over to calm.

Let anger resolve to peace,

and let disappointment instead be turned to hopefulness in You.

May we celebrate the opportunities ahead of us to come together,

just as we embrace coming together in Your name.

We will be still,

and know that you are God.

Amen