Brett Kavanaugh replaces Justice Kennedy as a US Supreme Court judge, and is expected to keep the position for decades. He was one of the lead writers of the report that led to Bill Clinton’s impeachment, and was a White House lawyer and adviser under the George W Bush administration. A devout Catholic, Kavanaugh is expected to establish conservative control of the court as he becomes Trump's second appointment to the nation's highest judicial body. The Supreme Court’s decisions have a profound impact on American society. It is often the final word on highly contentious laws. Disputes involving abortion, immigration, gay rights, voting rights and transgender troops could all be ruled on soon. Kavanaugh is expected to cast conservative votes in all of them. He is against abortion and supports the right to bear arms including semi-automatic weapons. Historically he has ruled against regulations regarding air pollution and climate change.

For 4 years from 2010 – 2013 churches throughout Scotland and from many different backgrounds took part in The StAnd – praying for the nation in a whole variety of ways on 30 November - St Andrew’s Day – on whichever day in the week that fell. This included large multi-church gatherings initially in Edinburgh and then in Glasgow.

This didn’t happen in 2014, mainly because of the prayer focus on the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow that summer and the Independence Referendum that September and its aftermath. In 2015 and 2016 the focus was on the UK and Scottish Parliament elections and then the ‘Brexit’ Referendum – we seemed to be in a constant season of elections and referendums!

In 2018, as we enter the final phase of the Brexit negotiations with all the challenges and uncertainties swirling around this crucial time, there is a growing sense that once God’s people need to come together in prayer for the nation on St Andrew’s Day – Friday 30th November.

The publicity is spreading, church leaders are giving their support, and churches are starting to respond and decide how they will take part. There is no set programme for the day – we are simply asking churches in every community to be involved in some way, in the same way they took part in the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ day of prayer just before the 2014 Referendum:

 Individuals and groups of friends praying in homes.
 Churches opening for parts of the day for anyone to come in and pray – at the start of the day before work, for the morning, over lunch and for the afternoon.
 Churches in a community sharing the day with at least one open each hour in a ‘rota’ so that there is somewhere folk can join others in prayer at any time.
 Evening praise and prayer events – ideally with several churches in a community coming together.

2018 is a year when the Church in Scotland, to an extent not experienced for many years, has started to respond to the prayer of Jesus in John 17….’that they would be one as we are one’… Over 200 churches supported the Central Scotland Celebration of Hope in the Falkirk Stadium in June. Between 15 and 25 churches in each city worked together to take the Gospel onto the streets of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh as The Turning – Scotland was launched in August missions. In both cases God’s favour and blessing was experienced (Ps 133) – and there was a harvest!

The Church is at its most powerful and effective when we unite in common purpose, whether that be through serving our communities through Foodbanks or Street Pastors, or in intercession for the nation. The Church – the family of God in the town, in the city - can bring change. We can’t do this on our own – we need each other!

At Pray for Scotland, our prayer is that God’s people will gather in every community on 30 November, united ‘As One!’ in prayer for every aspect of our nation – but especially for a fresh outpouring of God’s glory and power, pouring His light into the darkness and transforming our communities.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” [2 Chron 7:14]

To build up a picture of what’s happening during the day – please do email us with your church’s plans at admin@prayforscotland or add the details to our Facebook page.

Alistair Barton
Director, Pray for Scotland