Preacher:      Revd George Mwaura
Celebrant:     Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Welcome

Gathering Prayer

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.

Amen

Service of the Palms

This morning begins the Great Week of the Christian Year.
During Lent we have been preparing by works of love and self-sacrifice
for the celebration of the Lord’s death and resurrection.
With Christians throughout the world, we come together this week
to call to mind, and to express in word and action,
the centre of the Easter mystery: our Lord’s Passover from death to life.
Christ entered in triumph into the Holy City to complete his work as Messiah:
to suffer, to die and to rise to new life.
Today we commit ourselves to walk the way of the cross,
so that, sharing his sufferings, we may be united with him in his risen life.

The Blessing of the Palms

Sovereign God, we thank you for these branches (and crosses) of palm.
By your blessing may they be for us signs of the victory of your Son.
May we who carry them in his name ever hail him as our Messiah,
and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen

The Procession

Let us praise Jesus our Messiah,
as did the crowds who welcomed him to Jerusalem.

Let us proceed in peace.
In the name of Christ.

Amen

[We process with the palms around the Cloister of the Church singing:]

Hymn: Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in Excelsis

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in Excelsis (repeat …)

Taizé
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Let us pray.

Merciful God, as we enter this holy week and gather at your house of prayer,
turn our hearts again to Jerusalem, to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
that, united with Christ and all the faithful,
we may one day enter in triumph the city not made with hands,
the new Jerusalem, eternal in the heavens, where, with you and the Holy Spirit,
Christ lives in glory for ever.

Amen

Confession

The crowd honoured Jesus.
For the times we, as a crowd, don’t honour you, when we don’t even want to be in the crowd:
forgive us, gentle Jesus.

Forgive us, we beseech you, O Lord.

For the times we don’t mark Christian festivals the way we should.
When we don’t recognise you as Son of David, when we go along with the crowd,
perhaps not even knowing why: forgive us, gentle Jesus.

Forgive us, we beseech you, O Lord.

For the times we aren’t ready to do what you ask,
when we don’t want to share with others,
when we try to go it alone: forgive us, gentle Jesus.

Forgive us, we beseech you, O Lord.

Amen

Gracious God, you always know our hearts,
even if sometimes we feel lost in our wrongdoing, lost in the crowd,
you are always there – to pick us up and put us back on the right track,
to teach us to improvise even when we feel bogged down,
to bring new life and forgiveness in your wings.
So, we can truly rejoice in travelling with you.

Amen

Hymn: Hosanna, loud Hosanna

Hosanna, loud Hosanna,
the little children sang;
through city street and temple
their joyful welcome rang.
They shouted out their praises
to Christ, the children’s friend,
who welcomes all with blessing,
whose love will never end.

From Olivet they followed,
a large exultant crowd,
the victor palm-branch waving,
and chanting clear and loud;
bright angels joined the chorus,
beyond the cloudless sky:
‘Hosanna in the highest!
Glory to God on high!’

‘Hosanna in the highest!’
that ancient song we sing,
for Christ is our Redeemer,
the Lord of heaven, our King.
O may we ever praise him
with heart and life and voice,
and in his living presence
eternally rejoice.

Jennette Threlfall (1821–1818) alt.
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Prayer of the Week

Living God, we come before you in humility,
seeking your guidance and comfort in the midst of the challenges our world faces.
As we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on this day,
we are reminded of his sacrifice and the hope that it brings.
In the midst of uncertainty, we trust in your divine providence
and surrender our worries and fears to you.
Fill us with hope and gratitude, knowing that your presence is with us always.
Bless this Palm Sunday and guide us as we journey towards Easter,
rejoicing in the hope of your resurrection. In Jesus’ MIGHTY name, we pray.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Psalm 118: 1–2 & 19–29

Read by Chibby Chima-Okoro

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures for ever.
² Let Israel say:
‘His love endures for ever.’

…

¹⁹ Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
²¹ I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

²² The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
²³ the Lord has done this,
and it is marvellous in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

²⁵  Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
²⁷ The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures for ever.

NIV®

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

Mark 11: 1–11

Read by Bob Collard

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, ² saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.” ’

⁴ They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5some people standing there asked, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ ⁶ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. ⁷ When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

‘Hosanna!’

‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’

¹⁰ ‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’

‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

NIV®

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

Meditation

By Revd George Mwaura

[Silent reflection]

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in the Creator:
the maker of all things

We believe in the Son:
the redeemer of our broken world

We believe in the Spirit:
The sacred wind that binds all things together in the family of God.

Creator Father, beloved Son and living Spirit.

Amen

Prayers and Intercessions

Led by Don Head

The Peace

Christ is our peace. He has reconciled us to God in one body by the cross.
We meet in his name and share his peace.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.
and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Hymn: You are the King of glory

You are the King of glory,
you are the Prince of Peace,
you are the Lord of heaven and earth,
you’re the sun of righteousness,
angels bow down before you,
worship and adore – for
you have the words of eternal life;
you are Jesus Christ the Lord.

Hosanna to the Son of David!
Hosanna to the King of Kings!
Glory in the highest heaven,
for Jesus the Messiah reigns.

You are the one who conquered,
sin and death and pain.
You triumphed over Satan’s power
you rose to life again.
Now Lord you reign in glory
every knee shall bow – for
you have the name above all names;
you are Jesus Christ the Lord.

Hosanna to the Son of David! …

You are the King of glory,
you are God’s chosen Son,
you are the heir of everything,
you’re the Ever Living One.
Now we bow down before you,
worship and adore – for
you are exalted to God’s right hand,
you are Jesus Christ the Lord.

Hosanna to the Son of David! …

Mavis Ford (v.1), Loxley & Mavis Ford (vv.2 & 3) (1978)
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Holy Communion

The Thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this bread to offer,
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life.

Blessed be God for ever.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this wine to offer,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become our spiritual drink.

Blessed be God for ever.

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.

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

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

Almighty God, good Father to us all, your face is turned towards your world.
In love you gave us Jesus your Son to rescue us from sin and death.
Your Word goes out to call us home to the city where angels sing your praise.

We join with them in heaven’s song:

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.

We bless the name of Jesus, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh,
whose brokenness and suffering makes love real,
who on the night in which he was betrayed took bread,
gave thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying,

Take, eat. This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

After supper he took the cup saying,

Drink from this, all of you, this is my blood given for you.
Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me.

This is the mystery of our faith.

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

Therefore, as we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we acknowledge brokenness as a path to truth.
We long for the bread of tomorrow: eternally broken and so able to nourish.
We long for the new wine of the kingdom: continuously poured out that thirst may be quenched.

Send your Spirit on us now,
that by these gifts we may feed on Christ with opened eyes and hearts on fire.
May we and all who share this food offer ourselves to live for you
and be welcomed at your feast in heaven, where all creation worships you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and 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

The Communion

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

Prayer after Communion

Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.

Faithful God, may we who share this banquet
glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
our salvation, life and hope,
who reigns as Lord now and for ever.

Amen

Notices

Connect with our Creator and God’s creation during Lent

Lent gives us the opportunity to reflect on the practice of fasting and commit to giving up something that brings a real benefit to nature and helps address climate change. A Rocha has produced a set of ideas and resources that we can use as a church, as families or as individuals. Take time to pray, reflect and consider these options – pick one or two or however many you’d like, for example, try to ‘Go plastic free’. Even if you can’t become totally plastic-free, make it your goal to at least reduce your use of plastic. Check the suggestions with tips here. https://arocha.org.uk/connect-with-our-creator-and-gods-creation-during-lent/.

You might also like to take a look at the Christian Aid Count your Blessings Lent resource, which has a social justice and ecological focus: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-01/count-your-blessings-2024-v1.1.pdf.

Eco Church Core Group

Learn more about Eco Church

Visit to St James Church, New Bradwell: 10.30 am – 1.00 pm Saturday, 13 April

The Church of Christ the Cornerstone is a Bronze award Eco Church and is a member of the Milton Keynes Eco Church Network. The Network meets occasionally to discuss progress, challenges, and topics of mutual interest to Milton Keynes churches on their respective Eco Church journeys. The next Network meeting will be held at 10.30am – 1.00pm on Saturday, 13 April 2024 at St James Church, New Bradwell, which has achieved a Bronze award. Please do make a note of this visit in your diaries and please click on the Eventbrite link to book a place which will let us know if you want to attend: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/milton-keynes-eco-church-network-visit-to-st-james-church-new-bradwell-mk13-0da-tickets-815652567787.

For further information contact Stuart Kean, Eco Church Core Group

Offering Prayer

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

Final Prayer

Go with us, good Lord, on our journey to the cross and beyond.
Help us to pass on our enthusiasm to others.
Keep us faithful to Jesus, our Saviour and friend.
Stir up our praise as we look forward to Easter Day.

Amen

Hymn: Jesus is Lord! Creation’s voice proclaims it

Jesus is Lord! Creation’s voice proclaims it,
for by his power each tree and flower was planned and made.
Jesus is Lord! The universe declares it;
sun, moon and stars in heaven cry: Jesus is Lord!
Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord!
praise him with Halleluias, for Jesus is Lord!

Jesus is Lord! Yet from his throne eternal
in flesh he came to die in pain on Calvary’s tree.
Jesus is Lord! From him all life proceeding,
yet gave his life a ransom, thus setting us free:
Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord!
praise him with Halleluias, for Jesus is Lord!

Jesus is Lord! O’er sin the mighty conqueror,
from death he rose; and all his foes shall own his name.
Jesus is Lord! God sends his Holy Spirit
to show by works of power that Jesus is Lord:
Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord!
praise him with Halleluias, for Jesus is Lord!
Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord!
praise him with Halleluias, for Jesus is Lord!

David J. Mansell (b. 1936)
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Blessing

Jesus Christ, the Holy One, the chosen one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Enter the gates of our hearts and give us vision for the road ahead,
making us caring companion to each other.
And the blessing of God almighty
the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit be with you and remain with you always.

Amen

Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ,

Amen