Led by: Revd George Mwaura

Gathering Music

Greetings and Welcome

We come with joy to the house of the Lord,
where he welcomes us to leave behind the burdens we bear
and for a wee while to rest in his care.
Let us pause to give thanks and praise
through songs and prayers to our creator and sustainer.

Good morning, Church! God is good…
all the time.
and all the time,
God is good!

Hymn: All my hope on God is founded

All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.

God’s great goodness aye endureth
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
new-born worlds rise and adore.

Daily doth th’Almighty giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.

Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ his Son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.

Robert Bridges (1844–1930)
CCL31580

Opening Prayers

God of restoration, we come to you this morning in humility
and in need of your love and forgiveness for the mistakes of the last one week:
You are our stronghold and deliverer, and we trust only in you.
When your Son was tempted in the wilderness,
you helped him to overcome by your Spirit
and we pray for the same victory.

Mercifully forgive us.

When we get things wrong,
we place our trust in you, Lord.

When we feel lost and alone,
we place our trust in you, Lord.

When we are scared and hurting,
we place our trust in you, Lord.

When we face the unknown,
we place our trust in you, Lord,
relying on your endless love.

Amen

Kyrie

Assurance and Pardon

Friends, God is slow to anger and full of compassion.
He forgives all who humbly repent and trust in his Son as Saviour and Lord.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Christ our redeemer,
when you were tempted in the wilderness, you resisted the temptation to be of the world:
we praise and worship you.
When tempted by bread; you chose the word of God.
When tempted to be spectacular, you chose humility.
When tempted by riches and powers, you chose servanthood.
We are humbled and forever grateful for the example you set for us.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Genesis 2: 15–17 & 3: 1–7

Read by Kate Abrahams

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’

…

The Fall

¹Now the snake was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’

² The woman said to the snake, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.” ’

⁴ ‘You will not certainly die,’ the snake said to the woman. ⁵ ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

NIV®

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

Hymn: Forty days and forty nights

Forty days and forty nights
thou wast fasting in the wild:
Forty days and forty nights
tempted still, yet unbeguiled.

Sunbeams scorching all the day,
chilly dew-drops nightly shed,
prowling beasts about the way,
stones thy pillow, earth thy bed,

Let us thy endurance share
and from earthly greed abstain
with thee watching unto prayer,
with thee strong to suffer pain.

Then if evil om us press,
flesh or spirit to assail,
victor in the wilderness,
help us not to swerve or fail!

So shall peace divine be ours;
holier gladness ours shall be,
come to us angelic powers,
such as ministered to thee.

Keep, O keep us, Saviour dear,
ever constant by thy side,
that with thee we may appear
at the eternal Eastertide.

George Hunt Smyttan (1822–1870) and Francis Pott (1832–1909)
CCL31580

Matthew 4: 1–11

Read by Bob Collard

Jesus is Tested in the Wilderness

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’

⁴ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written:

‘ “He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”’

⁷ Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ⁹ ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”’

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

NIV®

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

All Age Reflections

Musical Response

Intercessory Prayers

Led by Rosemary Kearsey

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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.

Amen

Sharing Peace

Hymn: I need Thee every hour

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
no tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need Thee, O I need Thee! Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour! I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou near by;
temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.
I need Thee, O I need Thee! …

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
come quickly and abide, or life is vain.
I need Thee, O I need Thee! …

I need Thee every hour, teach me Thy will;
and Thy rich promises in me fulfil.
I need Thee, O I need Thee! …

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessèd Son!
I need Thee, O I need Thee! …

Annie Sherwood Hawkes (1835–1918)
CCL31580

Offertory Prayer

Creator God; we bring you only what is yours.
So, we pray that you will take these humble offerings
and use them to build your kingdom,
where peace and justice are known, and no one is excluded,
in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Notices

World Day of Prayer 2023

Friday, 3 March 2023 at 12.30 pm
at The Salvation Army, Ramsons Avenue, Conniburrow, MK14 7BA

The service has been written by women from Taiwan, and we will be joining with people throughout the world to pray for them. All are wlcome. Please com and join us. It would be great to see a good number from Cornerstone there. If you would like to take part in the service, please contact Rosemary Kearsey (rosemary.kearsey@btopenworld.com or 01908 373263 or 0776 8407576).

THE BIG BREW

Saturday, 4 March 2023

FairTrade fortnight begins at the end of February. To mark the fortnight at Cornerstone and to give us a chance to meet new residents in our neighbourhood, we have organised a Coffee Morning with Fair Trade stall on Saturday,4 March 2023 from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon at the Almere Apartments (the new tall building across from Sainsbury).

You can help: Cakes and other goodies are needed, with a list of their ingredients, and people are needed to help on the day, too. Cakes can be brought to church Reception on Friday, 3 March 2023 any time. To offer help on the day, please contact Joy Chapman, email cjoy.chapman9@gmail.com, or mobile 07854 762676.

This outreach is part of our Oasis of Hope Roadmap.

Cheryl Montgomery

Closing Hymn: Through all the changing scenes of life

Through all the changing scenes of life,
in trouble and in joy,
the praises of my God shall still
my heart and tongue employ.

O magnify the Lord with me,
with me exalt his name;
when in distress to him I called,
he to my rescue came.

The hosts of God encamp around
the dwellings of the just;
deliverance he affords to all
who on his succour trust.

O make but trial of his love,
experience will decide
how blest are they, and only they,
who in his truth confide!

Fear him, ye saints, and you will then
have nothing else to fear;
make you his service your delight,
your wants shall be his truth care.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
the God whom we adore,
be glory, as it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

Nahum Tate (1652–1715) and Nicholas Brady (1659–1726
Psalm 34
CCL31580

Sending out and Blessings

Go forth with the love of God surrounding you,
with the wisdom of the Spirit guiding you, and trusting in his protection,
and the blessings of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
rest and remain upon us all now and for ever.

Amen

Friends, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Amen