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

Gathering Music

Welcome

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed. Hallelujah! Alleluia!

This is the season of Easter:
the celebration of resurrection, the festival of hope, the promise of new beginnings, the dance of faith,
the song of joy, the music of gladness, the hymn of love.
Let us worship our life-giving God!

[Silence]

Risen Lord, in the stillness and wonder of this moment,
we hardly dare to believe that you are indeed alive!
Yet our hearts are filling with faith, hope and love, and our souls are beginning to believe!
Wonderful Lord, we fall on our knees with thanksgiving.

Amen

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

Confession

We shout our alleluias;
yet, within us, there are burdens of guilt and regret;
there are words spoken and deeds done that ought not to have been;
there are tasks of discipleship left undone; there is love not given, a smile not offered;
there is rejection, denial, betrayal.
On this Easter Day, we confess our failings and in resurrection life and light seek forgiveness.
Risen Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen

Kyrie

[Ancient version]

Assurance of Forgiveness

Risen Christ, wipe away our fears and our tears.
Cleanse us, renew us, refresh us, release us from all that we have confessed
and let us walk with you our resurrection God, knowing that our sins are forgiven.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Risen Lord, on this glorious morning,
we stand in awe like those first witnesses at the empty tomb.
Just as the women discovered the stone rolled away,
roll away the stones of doubt and fear from our hearts.
Let the truth of your Resurrection power our lives with purpose and hope.
We rejoice that in you, we too shall be made alive.
For you reign until all enemies are under your feet, and death itself is destroyed.

Hallelujah! Amen

The Peruvian Gloria

Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Father. [×2]
To him be glory for ever. [×2] Alleluia, amen. Alleluia, amen.
Alleluia amen, alleluia amen.

Glory to God, glory to God,
Son of the Father. [×2]
To him be glory for ever.…

Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Spirit. [×2]
To him be glory for ever.…

Ministry of the Word

1 Corinthians 15: 20–26

Read by Kudakwashe Matare

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. ²⁴ Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

NIV®

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

Hymn: The day of resurrection!

The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad;
the Passover of gladness,
the Passover of God;
from death to life eternal,
from earth unto the sky,
our God has brought us over
with hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil,
that we may see aright
the Lord in rays eternal
of resurrection-light;
and, listening to his accents,
may hear so calm and plain
his own ‘All hail’, and, hearing,
may raise the victor strain.

Now let the heavens be joyful,
and earth her song begin,
the round world keep high triumph,
and all that is therein;
let all things seen and unseen
their notes of gladness blend,
for Christ the Lord is risen,
our joy that hath no end.

St John of Damascus (d. c. 754)
tr. J.M. Neale (1818–1866)
CCL31580

Luke 24: 1–12

Read by Adrian Boynton

Jesus has risen

¹ On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”’ ⁸ Then they remembered his words.

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

NIV®

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

Sermon

By Revd George Mwaura

Choral response

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 Hply Spirit.

Amen

Prayers and Intercessions

Led by Grace Hunting

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 God be always with you.
and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Hymn: Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord,
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to His name.

Jesus is Lord of all the earth.
He is the King of creation.

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord,
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to His name.

Spread the good news o’er all the earth.
Jesus has died and has risen.

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord,
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to His name.

We have been crucified with Christ.
Now we shall live for ever.

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord,
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to His name.

God has proclaimed the just reward:
Life for all men, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord,
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to His name.

Come, let us praise the living God,
Joyfully sing to our Saviour.

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord,
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to His name.

Donald Fishel (b. 1950)
CCL31580

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.

It is through our neighbours and creation that we see the rising of Christ. Creator of our earth, we celebrate the shifting of seasons.
As the earth sheds its snow, it begins to drink in the warm rains and creation comes alive once again.
And so, in this spirit of brightness and life, we celebrate.
We celebrate the risen Christ in our midst.

We celebrate the table in which we can join with friends and strangers, loved ones and enemies.
Through this meal, which has stood the test of time, we covenant to love you, God.
We covenant to love as Jesus loved us – loving our neighbours as ourselves.
Through a simple meal of grain and grape, we, your children, unite.
With angels and archangels and with all your people on earth and in heaven,
we continue to celebrate and proclaim your glorious name saying together:

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.

It was Jesus who introduced this meal to his followers.
On the night of his betrayal, he was at supper with friends when took a simple portion of bread.
He blessed it and broke it and shared it with the disciples.
He urged them: Remember me.

Afterwards, Jesus took the cup.
During his blessing, Jesus reminded them how he would go to the ends of the earth in his love for them.

Today, we celebrate this earth-shaking love of Jesus –
a love that sent him to the cross and a love that lives eternally with us,
encouraging us to live a resurrected life.

Merciful Lord, send down your Holy Spirit
that these gifts of bread and wine may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Unite us with him for ever and bring us with the whole creation to your eternal kingdom

Amen

Now we pray together the prayer Jesus taught his disciples:

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

Invitation

On this day, we celebrate the risen Christ
On this day, we celebrate resurrection in our lives.
On this day, we embrace the grace which reaches from the tomb.
On this day, we embrace faith by committing to love in action.
On this day, we shout Hallelujah!
On this day we shout, Christ is risen!
Alleluia!

The Bread of Life and the Cup of the Covenant:
Gifts to unite the Body of Christ; we eat with gratitude!

Amen

Post Communion Prayer

Lord, 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.
Send us into the world resurrected, refreshed and ready to share Christ’s unconditional love.

Amen

Notices

Prayers for the City of Milton Keynes

12.30 pm every Friday, beginning on Friday, 9 May 2025

Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you …. Pray to the Lord for it.

On his last visit to Cornerstone, Bishop Steven encouraged us to pray together for the life of the Church of Christ the Cornerstone in the centre of our city, as we work together to develop our discipleship, to be an oasis of hope, and to be a Christian force serving the community in which we are placed.

Starting on Friday, 9 May 2025 we shall be holding a weekly prayer meeting in the Chapel every Friday at 12.30 pm, lasting no longer than thirty minutes. Please come and pray with us. These prayer sessions are open to everyone, so please pass this information to any of your family, friends and colleagues who would be able to pop into Cornerstone on a Friday lunchtime. If anyone would like more information, please contact me by email: robin_kyd@yahoo.co.uk.

Robin Kyd

Report of the Episcopal Visitation September 2024

Copies of the Report to the Bishop of Oxford are available in electronic form. If you would like a copy, please send me a request by email: robin_kyd@yahoo.co.uk. In particular you might wish to read the Recommendations as they are printed in the report.

Robin Kyd

Offering

[During the Offering the Cornerstone Choir will sing.]

Final Prayer

From this Easter festival,
we go forth to live resurrection:
In the name of the God
who makes us,
in the name of the Christ
who makes us free,
in the name of the Spirit
who makes us one.

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!

Like the woman who ran to share the Good News of the empty tomb,
let us go forth with joy.

Like the travellers walking on the Emmaus Road,
let us go forth with opened eyes.

Like the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit,
let us go forth with peace.

Like Thomas, filled with doubt,
let us go forth with faith.

Like fishers pulling heavy nets,
let us go forth with abundant life.

Amen

Hymn: Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son

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

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

Amen