A prayer for radical change: Peter Gardner

As the Church of Scotland continues its challenging work on the three-year radical action plan which was approved by this year's General Assembly, we call on those from across the Church to join together in prayer.

The final prayer is written by Rev Peter Gardner, the Kirk's pioneer minister to the Glasgow arts community, who also works with his wife Heidi as part of the Gardner & Gardner artistic duo.

God,
who was, and is, and is to come,
Unchanging One,
who makes all things new.

Your love for us is a mystery!
It amazes us that You have called us by name,
to be Your people, wherever we are.
You have given to us places for shelter and for us to share,
people around us to love and be loved by.
You have poured such blessings into our hands,
the gifts of Your generous love.
We praise and thank You,

Jesus, forgive us
if we have received Your gifts,
and have held them too tightly,
afraid that change and growth might be the same.
If we have thought rock, that which was only sand.
If we have declared permanent,
that which is other than You, Unchanging One.

Holy Spirit,
enable us to hold lightly
to the property, processes and plans that we have inherited.
Free our imaginations,
to rejoice in a Church that embodies Your love for all.
Liberate us with the radical belief
that You are making Your Church new.

Each week, from late September until late November, new prayers written by people from across the Church of Scotland and our partners will be shared. Please feel free to change and adapt these prayers to suit your own context. There are more prayer resources available on the Prayer section of our website.