Opening Prayer (Very Rev Dr Bill McDonald)

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 5: 8, 10)

Almighty and everlasting God, you have been in all ages the refuge and strength of your people. One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

We who follow where many have gone before would worship and adore you, declaring your faithfulness and showing forth your praise.

King of saints, you have shown your wonderful love and power in the lives and deaths of your servants. Grant that we like them may have grace to glorify you, loving you whom they have loved, and finding the peace they have found.

May we dwell with them and with you for ever, in the gladness of your glorious presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught has taught us to pray saying, Our Father…

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession (Rev Professor Norman Drummond)

O God our loving heavenly Father

We thank you that you are closest to us when we are most in need of you and so it is to you that we turn at this time of sadness and earthly parting as we give thanks for the life and many contributions of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

In the quietness of our hearts, we call to mind his several qualities which made him the person that he was in this life – his calmness and steadiness under fire, his wisdom and patience in the face of difficulty and uncertainty, his ability to deeply connect with people of all ages and backgrounds not least the young in whom he placed such hope and future confidence, his loyalty and devotion to Her Majesty The Queen and their Family of several generations and his unstinting courage and commitment to those things in life and science which really do matter and which will last.

In our mind’s eye we gratefully remember Prince Philip leading the way in several fields as well as ‘a step behind’ supporting The Queen in all her years of service to Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom and far beyond and not least to the Commonwealth of Nations. For all of his exceptional private and public service we give you thanks.

We pray for The Queen and all members of the Royal Family, those who knew and loved Prince Philip best and who will miss him most. In your loving kindness sustain them all and all those who mourn at this time.

Guide us all we pray to more deeply share in the quiet unassuming Christian faith which was his to the end that one day in your time we shall indeed be reunited with those whom we have known and loved and have gone on before us.

And for those of us who remain may your grace and mercy and peace surround and strengthen us all, enabling each of us to love you more dearly and to follow you more nearly.

May we in our turn walk in the footsteps of those who have inspired us because they knew you and were loved by you with your perfect love which casts out all fear.

In the abiding strength and comfort of your Holy Spirit, we make these our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, our constant companion on this voyage through life until we meet again. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession (Very Rev Dr Susan Brown)

We give you thanks, Lord God, for each and every new day.
We give thanks to you as the Creator and as the giver of life.
We praise you that through Jesus, your Son, that life becomes eternal –
Through his Easter activity and his promise of life forever more,
and through faith in him.
We give you thanks for the people who enrich our lives,
They too are gifts from you.
For their friendship, their love, their companionship, we praise you.
And in a world where too many are isolated
We bring to you those for whom friendship and love
Are luxuries they don’t have.
We hold before you those fleeing their native countries
For safer ground
And who are left to feel unwelcome.

We pray for those whose lives have been turned upside down
Through warring, through violence, through grief.
We bring to you the governments of the nations of this world
and we pray, in your name Lord Jesus,
that they may know wisdom
and seek peace and justice above all else;
caring for all those who are their citizens
across nations and across borders.

We hold before you all who grieve
And we think particularly at this time,
Of the Royal Family
And of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, whose loss is so great
And who faces a gap in her life that can never be filled.
For all who mourn:
For all who mourn long-standing relationships
And relationships that were unable to be formed, we pray.
We hold each one before you
Asking Lord God, for your peace, your comfort,
For your strength, and for your courage.

We offer you the families of this world;
Those who have lost children unborn,
Those who have lost young people and adults, parents and friends.
Envelop all of them in your love this day and always.
These prayers we offer, Creator God,
Holding onto the promise of your constant presence with us
Throughout all eternity.
In the name of Christ. Amen