Led by Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Please note that the video feed will go live from around 9:45 am and will be switched off after the service.
A separate video feed of the choir is available here.
Services are not being recorded for publication later.

Welcome

This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us be glad and rejoice in it.

Amen

Gathering Prayer

Inclusive God, we gather together.
Welcoming God, we come to you.
Valuing God, we see our worth in you.
Challenging God, open our ears to your words,
open our minds to explore our ways,
open our hearts to receive all that you offer.
Loving God, we come to you.

Amen

Hymn: This is the day

This is the day [×2] that the Lord has made. [×2] We will rejoice [×2] and be glad in it. [×2] This is the day
that the Lord has made.
We will rejoice
and be glad in it.
This is the day [×2] that the Lord has made.

This is the day
when he rose again …

This is the day
when the Spirit came …

Leslie Garrett (b. 1943)
CCL31580

Confession

For the times I don’t live my best life, or even recognise what that might be:
I’m sorry, Lord; please forgive me.

For the times I have the sulks because I think my nose is out of joint,
and I’m too blinkered to see you in others:
I’m sorry, Lord; please forgive me.

Sometimes I just don’t understand your word;
when I haven’t the patience to work out what it really means:
I’m sorry, Lord; please forgive me.

For the times when I try and water down your Gospel
because I don’t like what it is saying to me:
I’m sorry, Lord; please forgive me.

Sometimes I judge others harshly, and try to stop them because I don’t agree with what they are doing– even though it may be for good:
I’m sorry, Lord; please forgive me.

Amen

Hymn: Be still, for the presence of the Lord

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
Holy One, is here.
Come, bow before hum now,
with reverence and fear.
In him no sin is found,
we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
Holy One, is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord,
is shining all around;
he burns with holy fire,
with splendour he is crowned.
How awesome is the sight,
our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord,
is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord,
is moving in this place,
he comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister his grace.
No work too hard for him,
in faith receive from him;
be still, for the power of the Lord,
is moving in this place.

Anonymous
CCL31580

Assurance of Forgiveness

Loving Lord God, you care so much for each one of us.
You are there for us whenever we turn to you.
When we are truly sorry, and intend to move forward, to live our best life,
you graciously forgive us all our sins.

We gratefully and humbly accept your forgiveness and peace.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

God of eternity, you are at the very heart of our lives; we adore you.
God of miracles, you add flavour to our world.
You are the salt that seasons us, you preserve all that is good and make us whole; we worship you.
God of humanity, you look on us with love and we cannot help but love you back; we bless you, Lord.

Amen

Bible Readings

James 5: 13–20

The prayer of faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you ill? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, ²⁰ remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

NIV®

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

Hymn: Majesty, worship his Majesty

Majesty, worship his Majesty;
unto Jesus be glory, honour and praise.
Majesty, kingdom, authority,
flows from his throne unto his own,
his anthem raise.
So exalt, lift up on high,
the name of Jesus,
magnify, come glorify,
Christ Jesus the King.
Majesty, worship his Majesty,
Jesus who died, now glorified,
King of all kings.

Jack W. Hayford (b. 1943)
CCL31580

Mark 9: 38–50

Whoever is not against us is for us

³⁸ ‘Teacher,’ said John, ‘we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.’

³⁹‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ‘For no-one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

Causing to stumble

⁴² ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung round their neck and they were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. ^44–45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^46–47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸ where

‘ “the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.”

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰ ‘Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.’

NIV®

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

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 Holy Spirit

Amen

Prayers and Intercessions

Led by Cheryl Montgomery

Followed by:

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

Notices

Membership Renewal Forms

Thank you to all those who have already returned their Membership Forms. If you have not yet returned your form please could you do so as soon as possible.

If you have not received a membership form and you would like one, please contact either myself or Mark Okor in the Church Office.

Thank you

Janet Trimnell (steward.cccmk@gmail.com)

2020 Memorial Quilt – on display in the Cloister

We are very fortunate that for the next three weeks we will have this wonderful community art work on display in the Cloister at Cornerstone.

The quilt is a memorial to the events that we lost in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was made by members of the community sewing group ‘Thread Thread Wine’.There is a folder of information near the quilt giving more information, including the personal stories behind each section.

Peter Cope

Harvest

Next Sunday, 3 October 2021 is Harvest Festival Sunday, when you will have the opportunity to give a Harvest Thanksgiving Gift – a special donation towards Cornerstone’s Mission of Hope.

More details on how to give your gift will be available in next week’s Notice Sheet. There will also be envelopes available for your use if you are able to be in church.

NB If you have details of the Metro Bank Account and intend to use it to make your Harvest Gift, please can you include your name and mark it ‘Harvest’.

Thank you

Janet Trimnell (steward.cccmk@gmail.com)

Thank you

We would like to thank all Cornerstone members for the messages and prayers which have supported us so much over the last few weeks on the loss of our beloved sister/sisters-in-law.

Maggie & Walter Greaves

Church Flowers – Opportunity

Come and join the arrangers! Grab the opportunity to explore your creative side! If you don’t think you have one, try; you might be surprised!

Flower arranging is now done on Saturday morning.

It has been a real joy to have been in charge of the flowers at Cornerstone since 2007, but it is now time for someone else to take the lead. Ratna Devi will now be in charge ; she has arranged many of the Worship Area arrangements in recent months. I will still be involved, so you could still speak to me at services or Ratna at services, leave a message at the Cornerstone Flowers pigeonhole in Reception or email ratnadevi25@aol.com.

Donations are always welcome. Some people donate simply because they enjoy seeing the arrangements weekly, while others pay towards the flowers for special events like birthdays and anniversaries or any other event. If you’d like your special event to be mentioned in the Notice Sheet, please do let us know. Since 2007 there has been no call on church funds for flowers.

Katherine Wheldon

Austin Hampton

Dear everyone,

Thank you so much for your love, thoughts and prayers following Austin’s death. You have reminded us that it is indeed love that makes the world go round! A Thanksgiving Service for Austin will take place at Cornerstone on Tuesday, 29 September 2021 at 2.15 pm. The service will also be live-streamed. (Further details of the link will follow shortly.) There is likely to be a large number of people attending the service, so if you would like to come in person, please could you let us know by dropping us an email at cathwar19@gmail.com, so we can get an idea of numbers. We kindly ask you to wear a mask during the service, as you would for a normal Sunday service.

If you would like to share your memories of Austin with us and to make a donation to the charities we have chosen, please go to Tributes & Donations (love2donate.co.uk). (You’ll find Austin’s space by typing in his name)

With warm wishes,

Cathy, Ben and Tim Hampton

Information about how to get to Austin’s Commemoration Services

Milton Keynes Crematorium

See The Crematorium and Cemeteries in Milton Keynes – Milton Keynes Council (milton-keynes.gov.uk). Currently there are roadworks on the intersection between Dansteed Way and Watling Street. Dansteed Way looks closed, but it is still open to people driving to the Crematorium.

The Church of Christ the Cornerstone

Address: 300 Saxon Gate West, Central Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes MK9 2ES

https://cornerstonemk.co.uk/  Contact Us | Event Venue Hire Milton Keynes | Cornerstone Events MK

Coming in by Road

To the Crematorium from the M1:

• Leave the M1 at Junction 14.
• Take the A509 towards Milton Keynes.
• At the next roundabout turn right, still on the A509 to Central Milton Keynes (H5, Portway).
• Stay on this road beyond its junction with the A5.
• At Loughton Roundabout turn right on to V4 Watling Street.
• At the next roundabout turn left into Dansteed Way.

Countdown to COP26

Resources for Green Christians

Have a look at the resources for Christians concerned about the environment on the Green Christian website: https://greenchristian.org.uk/. This includes theological reflections, prayers and ideas for practical action specifically focused on COP26: https://greenchristian.org.uk/cop-26-glasgow-2021/.

Performance of Haydn’s Creation for the climate

Make a note in your diary! As part of our reflections on climate change there will be a performance of Haydn’s Creation by the Cornerstone Chamber Choir led by Adrian Boynton on Sunday, 7 November 2021. As well as an opportunity for prayer and reflection on our relationship to creation, this concert will be a chance to bring people outside Cornerstone into the church to share our concern and love for God’s world.

Offering

Thank you
to everyone who has continued giving through our regular schemes during these past months.
Your generosity has been amazing and much appreciated.
We couldn’t have carried on without you.

We have various ways in which you can continue to give your offering in support of the Church.

For details please contact the Stewardship Secretary, Janet Trimnell, at steward.cccmk@gmail.com

Full details are also available on our website at: www.cornerstonemk.co.uk/giving.

Final Prayer

Lord God, bless us and keep us.
And may we be a blessing to others in all we think and say and do.

Go gently and joyfully in a spirit of truth, as witnesses of God’s love.

May God watch over you,
Jesus walk with you,
and the Spirit give you courage.

Go forth and give new life!
Thanks be to God!

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

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

Mavis Ford (© 1978)
CCL31580

Benediction

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
And the blessing of God almighty
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
be among you and remain with you always.

Dismissal

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