Led by Revd George Mwaura

Gathering Music

Call to Worship

In these final days of waiting, we gather with Mary’s wonder in our hearts.
Our souls magnify the Lord, and our spirits rejoice in God our Saviour.

The Mighty One has done great things, and holy is God’s name.
Let us worship with joy, for Emmanuel, God with us, draws near.

Let us prepare our hearts and minds
to welcome the Christ Child in all the ways he comes to us this day.

Greetings and Welcome

Lighting the Fourth Candle

God of Advent and all seasons, as we light this fourth candle,
we ask that you bring peace to our hearts and minds.
May your peace, which passes all understanding, guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
We ask for peace in our world, an end to conflict and strife.
May your peace reign in the hearts of all people.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Hymn: O little town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by.
Yet, in the dark streets shineth
the everlasting Light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to men on earth;
for Christ is born of Mary;
and, gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.

How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming;
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend on us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell:
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel.

Phillips Brooks (1835–1893)
CCL31580

Thanksgiving and Prayer of Confession

Loving God, as we approach the celebration of Jesus’ birth,
we give thanks for the promise you made so long ago in the little town of Bethlehem.
You are the great ruler whose origins are from the distant past.
We are thankful for the peace and strength you bring to your people through your Son.
We give thanks for Mary’s courageous faith
and her willingness to be a part of your plan to save humanity.
May we have her courage and faith as we seek to follow you.
We are thankful for the joy that Elizabeth and Mary shared when they were together,
and for the joy that Jesus brings to our lives.
May our hearts leap for joy as we celebrate Jesus’ birth.

But Lord, we confess that we often look for strength and power in the wrong places.
We look to the mighty and powerful rather than to you,
the ruler whose origins are from the distant past.
We confess that we often lack the courage and faith of Mary.
We are afraid to follow you and to be a part of your plan.
We confess that we do not always share in the joy of those around us.
We can be selfish and focused on our own problems rather than rejoicing with those who rejoice.
Forgive us for our sins.
Help us to look to you for strength and power, to have courageous faith,
to share in the joy of those around us, and to put our hope in you
as we ask in the name of the child born among us and whose return we await.

Amen

[Silence]

Kyrie

Prayer of the Week

Holy God,
Give us the courage to be ourselves, as we prepare for Christ’s second coming,
so that, like the Magi, we can take a different path, seek help from unlikely places,
and, like all of the people who have followed the star, own and love our part in Christ’s story.
Help us to be ourselves, as we prepare.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Micah 5: 2–5a

Read by Stuart Kean

² ‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.’

³ Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labour bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.

⁴ He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.

⁵ And he will be our peace
when the Assyrians invade our land
and march through our fortresses.

NIV®

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

Hymn: Go, tell it on the mountain

Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching
o’er wandering flocks by night,
behold from out of heaven
there shone a holy light.

Go, tell it on the mountain, …

And lo, when they had seen it,
they all bowed down and prayed,
they travelled on together
to where the Babe was laid.

Go, tell it on the mountain, …

When I was a seeker,
I sought both night and day:
I sked my Lord o help me
and he showed me the way.

Go, tell it on the mountain, …

He made me a watchman
upon the city wall,
and if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.

Go, tell it on the mountain, …

Traditional
CCL31580

Luke 1: 39–45

Read by Adrian Boynton

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!’

NIV®

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

Young Church

Reflections

Music

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in one God,
the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit,
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Amen

Prayers and Intercessions

Led by Maggie Kean

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

Hymn: See him lying on a bed of straw

See him lying on a bed of straw:
a draughty stable with an open door;
Mary cradling the babe she bore
the Prince of Glory is his name.

O now carry me to Bethlehem
to see the Lord appear to men!
Just as poor as was the stable then,
the Prince of Glory when he came.

Star of silver sweep across the skies,
show where Jesus in the manger lies;
shepherds swiftly from your stupor rise
to see the Saviour of the World.

O now carry me to Bethlehem …

Angels, sing the song that you began,
bring God’s glory to the heart of man;
Sing that Bethl’ems little baby can
be salvation to the soul.

O now carry me to Bethlehem …

Mine are riches, from your poverty,
from your innocence, eternity;
mine forgiveness by your death for me,
child of sorrow for my joy.

O now carry me to Bethlehem …

Michael Perry (1942–1996)
CCL31580

The Peace

Now may the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

The Lord be with all of you
and also with you.

Notices

Cornerstone Christmas Charity Appeal 2024

Last reminder!!

Our Christmas Charity Appeal closes at the end of December – so not long left now to make your donation! It has raised the amazing total of over £133,000 for local and international charities over the past twelve years. This year we are supporting Advantage Africa, MK:Act, Tools for Self Reliance and Milton Keynes Christian Foundation’s Urban Farm. Further details are available in Reception. As well as donating by cash or cheque using the envelopes provided, the bank details for paying on-line are:

Account name: Cornerstone Christmas Appeal,
Sort code: 23 05 80 (Metro Bank),
Account number: 54451911

Please write your name as payment reference.

Thank you so much for your generosity for these very worthwhile causes.

Cornerstone Appeal Committee

Lighting the Dome for a loved one

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to ‘Lighting the Dome’ this Christmas season. So far we have raised the wonderful total of £915, and not all the money is in yet! There are still a small number of dates left if you’d like to sign up on the list in Reception. This money is being raised for much needed church funds. Thank you again!

Offering Envelopes for 2025

If you would like a set of offering envelopes for next year, please let me know. If you are currently using envelopes, you are already on the list to receive a set for next year, but I need to know if there is anyone else who would like a set for 2025.

Janet Trimnell, steward.cccmk@gmail.com

A Concert for Peace

7.00 pm Sunday, 19 January 2025

As part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Churches Together in Milton Keynes is presenting this Concert for Peace, featuring two beautiful works: ‘Requiem’ by Sir John Rutter and the popular ‘Armed Man’ by Sir Karl Jenkins. The Cornerstone Chamber Choir, Orchestra and Soloists are directed by Adrian Boynton, with Guest Muezzin Arif Master.

Tickets at £22 and £15 (under 18years £5) are available from: boyntonmusic@btinternet.com; 07961 348697; https://tinyurl.com/2x8ymxv8 (fees apply); cornerstonemusicmk.co.uk. In aid of St Mark’s Meals and SieveMK Gateway.

Offertory

Hymn: Joy to the world

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing!

Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns!
Your sweetest songs employ
while fields and streams and hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
CCL31580

Blessings

Just as Mary and Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem in hope,
may your path be lit with the hope and joy that comes from anticipating the return of the Lord.
Go out and walk your path with faith and courage, just as the Holy Family did so long ago,
and the blessings of God Almighty, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be yours this season and for ever.

Amen

Dismissal

Church, go in peace to serve and love the Lord.
In the name of Christ, we will.

Amen