A separate video feed of the choir will be available here during the service.

Preacher and President:
Revd Geoffrey Clarke, Moderator: East Midlands Synod of URC
Ministers:
Revd George Mwaura
Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Introit

Welcome

Let us come before the Lord today, lifting our hearts in praise.
May we be ready to follow him with ‘Hosanna!’ on our lips and love for him in our hearts.

[Silence]

Prayer of Praise and Adoration

Risen today!
No longer bound, no longer held,
we sing today our songs of praise with all creation:

[Women] Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
you have stepped from death to life and we proclaim your glory!
With the Church across the ages and the faithful of all places we worship and adore you.

[Men] Yours is the victory, yours the life made new.
In you the life God longs to share becomes far more than possibility;
the sin that stifles us is undone; the death that haunts us no longer rules.

[Women] All our brokenness, all that crushes life among us finds its answer in you.

[Men] All that undoes creation, all that snatches hope and joy away,
meet the power of God this day.
That power is the work of love and mercy
tumbling from the tomb that could not hold you.
That power is the way of the cross become salvation’s dawn.

[All] All is made new, begun again, restored.
Nothing, now, can separate us from the love you have revealed.
Eagerly, we greet you.

[Women] Joyfully, we praise you.

[Men] Humbly, we give to you ourselves

[All] All glory, praise, and honour to you we bring.

Amen

Neil Thorogood
(from Cities of Sanctuary, URC Prayer Handbook 2023.
© The United Reformed Church 2023.)

Hymn: Jesus Christ is risen today

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia,
our triumphant holy day, Alleluia,
who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia,
suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia.

Hymns of praise the let us sing, Alleluia,
unto Christ, our heavenly king, Alleluia,
who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia,
sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia.

But the pains that he endured Alleluia,
our salvation have procured; Alleluia,
now above the sky he’s King, Alleluia,
where the angels ever sing Alleluia.

Lyra Davidica (1708) and others
CCL31580

The Confession

Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death.
We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death.
We overlook the poor and the hungry, and pass by those who mourn;
we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed, and indifferent to calls for peace;
we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made.

[Silence]

Forgive us, God of mercy.
Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new,
that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Heavenly Father, help us to recognise Jesus as the one who comes in your name,
as the one who blesses and saves us.
As we explore your Word this morning,
may we offer true praise and adoration in our worship,
may we be open to learn more about your ways,
and may we resolve to walk the road with Jesus every day.

Amen

The Gloria

Version by George Salazar

Ministry of the Word

Colossians 3: 1–4

Read by Richard May-Miller

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

¹ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

NIV®

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John 20: 1–18

Read by Cheryl Montgomery

The Empty Tomb

¹ Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped round Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’

‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ ¹⁴ At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’

She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).

¹⁷ Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.

NIV®

This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.

Sermon

By Revd Geoffrey Clarke, Moderator, URC East Midlands Synod

Hymn: Good Christians all, rejoice and sing!

Good Christians all, rejoice and sing!
Now is the triumph of our King.
To all the world glad news we bring:
Alleluia.

The Lord of Life is risen for ay:
bring flowers of song to strew his way;
let all the earth rejoice and say
Alleluia.

Praise we in songs of victory
that Love, that Life, which cannot die,
and sing with hearts uplifted high
Alleluia.

Thy name we bless, O risen Lord,
and sing today with one accord
the life laid down, the life restored:
Alleluia.

C.A. Aldington (1872–1955)
CCL31580

An Affirmation of Faith

Let us declare our faith.

We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us with power from on high.

We believe in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen

Intercessions

Led by Glynne Gordon-Carter

The Peace

The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples and said, ‘Peace be with you.’
Then were they glad when they saw the Lord.
Alleluia

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace,

Hymn: Lord enthroned in heavenly splendour

Lord enthroned in heavenly splendour
first-begotten from the dead,
thou alone, our strong defender,
liftest up thy people’s head.
Alleluia, alleluia,
Jesus true and living bread.

Here our humble homage pay we,
here in loving reverence bow;
here for faith’s discernment pray we,
lest we fail to know thee now.
Alleluia, alleluia,
thou art here, we ask not how.

Though the lowliest form doth veil thee
as of old in Bethlehem,
here as there thine angels hail thee,
branch and flower of Jesse’s stem.
Alleluia, alleluia,
we in worship join with them.

Paschal Lamb, thine offering, finished
once for all when thou wast slain,
in its fulness undiminished
shall for evermore remain,
Alleluia, alleluia,
cleansing souls from every stain.

Life-imparting heavenly manna,
stricken rock with streaming side,
heaven and earth with loud hosanna
worship thee, the Lamb who died,
Alleluia, alleluia,
risen, ascended, glorified.

George Bourne (1840–1925)
CCL31580

The Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is truly right and our greatest joy
to give you thanks and praise. …
…Therefore, we praise you,
joining our voices with angels and archangels
and with all the faithful of every time and place,
who forever sing to the glory of your name:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna in the highest.

You are holy, O God of majesty …

… Let us proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ has died, Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.
Christ has died, Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.

Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us …

… Through Christ, all glory and honour are yours, almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit in the holy church, now and for ever,

Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.

Amen

Breaking of the Bread

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.

Amen

Post Communion Prayer

Dear Father in heaven, you have been our host at the table of your Son.
May his life, his death and his resurrection strengthen us now in our lives.

Your Word is greater than our anxieties,
your hope is stronger than our despondency,
your presence is more certain than our doubts.
Lead us that we may become the image of your creation which waits for you.

Amen

Notices

Milton Keynes Food Bank

MK Food Bank continues to face an increasing demand for food from families who are struggling with the increasing cost of living. Cornerstone is a collecting point for donations of food. Please help the Food Bank by bringing donations of food and leaving them in the cupboard in Reception.

These are some of the items that are most needed:

• Tinned meat and fish
• Long-life milk
• Fruit juice and squash
• Cooking oil
• Jams, peanut butter, chocolate spread
• Dry or tinned pasta
• Pasta sauce
• Biscuits
• Tinned fruit
• Tinned vegetables (but not baked beans, which are currently over-stocked)
• Dried rice (500g)
• Rice pudding and custard
• Tea and coffee
• Tinned soup
• Savoury snacks and cereal bars

Visit the Food Bank website: https://mkfoodbank.org.uk/ to find out more about the Food Bank and how you can help.

Eco Church Activities

The Cloister Gardens

It’s Spring and time to look after our Cloister Gardens. We would like them to be as beautiful and wildlife-friendly as possible. After church at coffee on 16 & 23 April 2023 we shall be seeking ideas and volunteers to help. After 30 years the plants are looking tired and in need of refreshment! Please join in.

Climate change

How are you doing with your lifestyle changes in response to climate change? No action is too small to make a difference! We will be adding pledges to our Coat of Responsibility – you could add yours and we’ll all help with encouragement. The Coat will be on display from the week after Easter.

Cheryl Montgomery

Advance notice: We’re going on a picnic

Campbell Park – Saturday, 15 July 2023

Come to Campbell Park for a nature walk of about an hour and  then stick around for a Cornerstone bring and share picnic. More details to come.

Cheryl Montgomery

Prayer leaflets

Prayer leaflets for daily prayers from Easter to the Coronation. These will be available from the Cornerstone Shop at £1.50 a copy.

Don Head

Offering Prayer

Let us pray.

God of all grace, we thank you for the gifts you have given us:
our lives, our talents, our goods.
We offer our gifts in return so that you may use them and us for your purpose in this world.

Amen

Hymn: Thine be the glory

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won;
angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay:
Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.

Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting:
Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of Life;
life is naught without thee: aid us in our strife;
make us more than conquerors through thy deathless love;
bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above:
Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.

French, 19th century, Edmond Budry (1854–1932}
tr. Richard Hoyle (1875–1939)
CCL31580

The Blessing

Risen with Christ, may we accept the challenge to work in God’s way.
Risen with Christ, may we be living proof that God’s love will never die.

Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always

Amen

The Dismissal

Abide in Christ’s Peace, loving and serving God!
In the name of Christ.

Amen