‘Children are God’s Gifts and Blessings’
Led by: Revd Hannah Akibo-Betts

Gathering Music

Welcome and Greetings

Opening Words and Prayer

By Revd Hannah Akibo-Betts

Psalm 112

¹ Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands.

² Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures for ever.
⁴ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
⁵ Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶ Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered for ever.
⁷ They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
⁸ Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
⁹ They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures for ever;
their horn will be lifted high in honour.

¹⁰ The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

NIV®

All Age Confession with Actions

Led by Revd Hannah Akibo-Betts

Hymn: Lord, speak to me, that I may speak

Lord, speak to me, that I may speak
in living echoes of thy tone;
as thou hast sought, so let me seek
thy erring children lost and lone.

O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
the wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

O strengthen me, that, while I stand
firm on the rock, and strong in thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
to wrestlers with the troubled sea.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
the precious things thou dost impart;
and wing my words, that they may reach
the hidden depths of many a heart.

O give thine own sweet rest to me,
that I may speak with soothing power
a word in season, as from thee,
to weary ones in needful hour.

O use me Lord, use even me,
just as thou wilt, and when, and where,
Until thy blessèd face I see,
thy rest, thy joy, thy glory share.

Frances R. Havergal (1836–1879)
CCL31580

Bible Readings

Jeremiah 1: 4–10

The Call of Jeremiah

⁴ The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁵ ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’

⁶ ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’

⁷ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am too young.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord.

⁹ Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘I have put my words in your mouth. ¹⁰ See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.’

NIV®

Message to Young People and Church

Hymn: There is a river that flows from God above

There is a river that flows from God above;
there is a fountain that’s filled with his great love.

Come to the waters; there is a great supply;
there is a river that never shall run dry.

Wash me with water, and then I shall be clean;
white as the new snow, if you remove my sin.

Come to the waters; …

Plunged in the water, the tomb of our rebirth,
so may we rise up to share in Christ’s new life.

Come to the waters; …

All who are thirsty, now hear God as he calls;
come to the Lord’s side, his life pours out doe all.

Come to the waters; …

Safe in the new Ark, the Church of Christ our Lord,
praise God for water, his sign to save the world.

v.1 traditional;
vv. 2–5 Robert B. Kelly
CCL31580

Hebrews 13: 1–3, 5–10 & 15–17

Concluding Exhortations

¹ Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. ² Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. ³ Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are ill-treated as if you yourselves were suffering.

[…] ⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

‘Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.’

⁶ So we say with confidence,

‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?’

⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. ¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

[…]

¹⁵ Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. ¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

¹⁷ Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

NIV®

Message to Young People and Church

Prayers

Blessing of Young People

By Revd Hannah Akibo-Betts

Notices

Cornerstone Youth: Sunday School summer break

Sunday School in church is taking a break for the month of August, restarting on Sunday 4 September 2022. During August, activity packs for children to use during services will be available.

The Ministerial Leadership Team

Bank Holiday Monday, 29 August 2022

Please note that Mass will not be celebrated at Christ the Cornerstone on Bank Holiday Monday, 29 August 2022.

Bible Study with Revd Hannah Akibo-Betts: ‘The Gifts of the Spirit’

Our Wednesday evening Bible studies with Revd Hannah Akibo-Betts will resume on Wednesday, 14 September 2022. Further details will be sent to registered participants in due course.

Offering

‘God loves a cheerful giver’

Thanks to your generous giving we can be an Oasis of Hope to Milton Keynes. Please keep supporting our mission!

If you are at our worship service in the church building and would like to make an offering, please place your offering in the basket at the door to the worship area. If you can’t find it, please ask the stewards.

There are many different ways to give: online, telephone banking or by cheque. For more information how to give please visit the Cornerstone website (www.cornerstonemk.co.uk) or contact: steward.cccmk@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support. It is much appreciated.

Hymn: Now thank we all our God

Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom this world rejoices;
who from our mother’s arms
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessèd peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

Martin Rinkart (1586–1649)
tr. Catherine Winkworth
CCL31580

Prayer of the Week

Lord, we thank you for the gift of children and young people. They are our heritage from you.
We pray and ask for your blessings on them as they return to their education
at nursery, school, college, university or apprenticeship.
We thank you for their parents, guardians, grandparents, teachers, lecturers, neighbours, friends,
and all who care for them.
We pray that you will keep them safe
and that sufficient resources will be devoted to their learning and well being.
Let the weak be listened to; the strong be considerate
and bridge the gaps of inequalities in their places of learning, in Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen

Blessing

Dismissal

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

Amen