Leader: Revd Sarah Eden-Jones
Preacher: Revd George Mwaura

Gathering Music

Welcome and Opening Prayer

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46: 1 NIV®

I lift up my eyes to the mountains –where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121: 1–2 NIV®

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
and also with you.

Hymn: O God, our help in ages past

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home.

Under the shadow of thy throne
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thy arm alone,
and our defence is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.

A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone,
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our while troubles last,
and our eternal home.

Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
CCL31580

Confession

Jesus says, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
So let us turn away from sin and turn to Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

The Collect

God, our refuge and strength, bring near the day when wars shall cease and poverty and pain shall end, that earth may know the peace of heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Video: Why Remembrance?

Song: Make me a channel of your peace

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord.
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness only light,
and where there’s sadness ever joy.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek …

Make me a channel of your peace.
It is pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

Sebastian Temple (1928–1970)
from a prayer of St Francis of Assisi (c. 1183–1226)
CCL31580

[The children and young people go out to their groups.]

Ministry of the Word

Joshua 24: 1–3a & 14–25

Read by Robin Kyd

The covenant renewed at Shechem

¹ Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.

² Joshua said to all the people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River Euphrates and worshipped other gods. ³ But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants.

[…]

¹⁴ ‘Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshipped beyond the River Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’

¹⁶ Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we travelled. ¹⁸ And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.’

¹⁹ Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.’

²¹ But the people said to Joshua, ‘No! We will serve the Lord.’

²² Then Joshua said, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.’

‘Yes, we are witnesses,’ they replied.

²³ ‘Now then,’ said Joshua, ‘throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.’

²⁴ And the people said to Joshua, ‘We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.’

²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.

NIV®

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

Matthew 25: 1–13

Read by Pat Kyd

The parable of the ten virgins

¹ ‘At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ ‘At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!”

⁷ ‘Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”

⁹ ‘“No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.”

¹⁰ ‘But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ ‘Later the others also came. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us!”

¹² ‘But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.”

¹³ ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

NIV®

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

Sermon

By Revd George Mwaura

The Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen

Intercessions

Led by Cheryl Montgomery

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 Peace

Jesus said: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.’

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

Offertory Hymn:
Dear Lord and Father of mankind

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence praise,
in deeper reverence praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us like them without a word
rise up and follow thee,
rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love,
interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all pour strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace,
the beauty of thy peace.

Breath through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm,
O still small voice of calm.

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)
CCL31580

Offertory Prayer

Gracious God, accept these gifts, and with them our lives, to be used in your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Notices

Barbara Smih’s Funeral and Memorial Service

Thursday, 12 November 2026

Barbara Elizabeth Ann Smith’s funeral will take place on 12 November 2026, with a private burial. This will be followed by a Memorial Service at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone at 3.15 pm. Afterwards, the family warmly invites all who are able to join them for refreshments in the Guildhall.

Revd George Mwaura

Come and celebrate God’s creation and the new life God brings

Sunday, 15 November 2026 after the Morning Service outside the Guildhall

We have 200 daffodil bulbs and we would like to invite everyone in church to plant a bulb in shared pots after the service on Sunday, 15 November 2926. We want to celebrate God’s creation and the hope of the new life we find in Jesus. Each bulb should come into bloom in time for our Easter celebrations! Everything will be provided outside the Guildhall. Please join us in this act of celebration and hope.

Cornerstone Eco Church Group

Church Congregational Meeting

Sunday, 22 November 2026

Our next Church Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, 22 November 2026 immediately after Sunday Morning Service, in the Worship Area. All are welcome.

Thanksgiving Service for Colin Ballard

12.30 pm Monday, 23 November 2026 at Cornerstone

A Thanksgiving Service for Colin will be held at 12.30 pm on Monday, 23 November2026 at the church. All are welcome. This will be followed by a burial at Wolverton Cemetery.

Cornerstone Contemporary Worship Band

We are hoping to start a Contemporary Worship Band to introduce different styles to our worship during services. If you play a musical instrument or enjoy singing contemporary worship songs we would love to hear from you! Please contact Revd Lara Deen. Mobile: 07808 855478; Email : lara.deen@cornerstonemk.co.uk.

Revd Lara Deen

Bible Study Group

Next week the Bible Study Group will meet on Tuesday (10 November 2026) at 1.30 pm in church. We are studying the book of Genesis. All are welcome. For more information contact Revd Lara Deen.

Act of Remembrance (at 11.00 am)

Let us remember before God those who have died for their country in war,
those whom we know and whose memory we treasure,
and all who have lived and died in the service of humanity.

Exhortation

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.
We will remember them.

The Last Post

[Two Minutes Silence]

Reveille

Kohima Epitaph

When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.

Commemoration

Ever-living God, we remember those whom you have gathered from the storm of war
into the peace of your presence;
may that same peace calm our fears, bring justice to all peoples
and establish harmony among the nations; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Act of Commitment

Let us pledge ourselves anew to the service of God and our fellow men and women:
that we may help, encourage and comfort others,
and support those working for the relief of the needy and for the peace and welfare of the nations.

Lord God our Father,
we pledge ourselves to serve you and all humankind, in the cause of peace,
for the relief of want and suffering, and for the praise of your name.

Guide us by your Spirit:
give us wisdom;
give us courage;
give us hope;
and keep us faithful now and always.

Amen

Hymn: Crown him with many crowns

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon the throne;
hark, how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
those wounds yet visible above
in beauty glorified:
no angel in the sky
can fully bear the sight,
but downward bends his burning eye
at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of peace,
whose power a sceptre sways
from pole to pole that, wars may cease
and all be prayer and praise;
his reign shall know no end
and round his pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of years,
the Potentate of time,
creator of the rolling spheres,
ineffably sublime:
all hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me;
thy praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.

Matthew Bridges (1800–1894)
Revelation 19: 12
CCL31580

Blessing

God grant to the living grace, to the departed rest,
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth and all people, unity, peace and concord,
and to us and all God’s servants, life everlasting.
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always

Amen

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

Amen