• Press Release – Nigerian Air Crash

    PRESS RELEASE

    Prayers will be said at St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow this week remembering those who have died in Sunday’s plane crash in Nigeria.

    People in the Cathedral are directly affected, as Nigerian members of the congregation are discovering today that they know friends who have lost family members in the tragedy.

    Speaking after the disaster, Nigerian priest, based at St Mary’s, the Rev Chukwuemeka Iwuagwu said, “Our hearts go out from Glasgow to Nigeria and our thoughts and our prayers are with those who have lost family and friends. We are saddened by this loss of life. Nigerians at St Mary’s Cathedral are remembering all those affected and offer support to all Nigerians in Scotland at this time.”

    “We grieve with all who suffer and weep with those who are sad. We are fortunate to have friends from the Christian Community here in Scotland who can share our grief”.

    The Provost of St Mary’s, the Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth added, “Nigerian Glaswegians offer so much vibrant life to our community here at St Mary’s. Just last week, many celebrated Pentecost day in colourful Nigerian national dress. As we celebrated together a week ago, so we mourn together in the face of sudden tragedy.”

    St Mary’s Cathedral belongs to the Scottish Episcopal Church and has an international congregation drawn from all around the world, many of them from Nigeria.

4 responses to “How shall we pray for our elected representatives?”

  1. Meg Rosenfeld Avatar
    Meg Rosenfeld

    I’m reminded of a remark which Senator Dianne Feinstein (D- California–which happens to be my home state and political party) made regarding our current President, to the effect that it would be better if we could help him to be a good president than if we merely got rid of him. Oh, my, did that ever provoke angry outpourings! At the time, I was attending a parish retreat, so it seemed appropriate to mention during a group discussion that this nice elderly Jewish lady was actually quoting Scripture and saying that “God desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live.” This didn’t go over very well, but there you are. God bless our elected politicians, indeed.

  2. Gordon Avatar
    Gordon

    Amen. We don’t usually pray for the Queen, but we often pray for politicians and leaders. Good challenge about MEPs and those who make international government – EU, Council of Europe, UN etc – work.

  3. Kathleen Jowitt Avatar

    Amen. I’m wondering whether this point works in reverse, as well: “If collectively, as a people, we had been more thankful for the EU, would we have prayed more for its welfare?”

    If, collectively, as a people, we had prayed more for the welfare of the EU, would we have been more thankful for it? Might we have felt more like a part of it? It’s difficult to know the answer to either formulation.

  4. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    this Sunday I was the lay intercessor at morning Eucharist at our church. In preparing the prayers, I looked at the last ones I had done, in Mid November, and used this one virtually unchanged as it seemed as relevant now as then.

    “In our country, political leaders are struggling to agree terms for our exit from the European Union. Our politics seem ever more polarised and confrontational, and it seems that any possible outcome could cause further strife and division.

    Almighty Father, we pray for all who have important decisions to make, and especially for our own country at this time.

    Guide the decisions of those who govern so that they may strive for justice, freedom, peace and the common good.

    Give those of us who are governed wisdom, love and courage, and the resilience to find ways to grow and flourish, whatever the future may bring.

    Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

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