Led by Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Gathering Music

Welcome

In the name of Christ, we welcome you.
We have been called out of darkness into God’s marvellous light.
Grace and peace be with you
and also with you.

Gathering Prayer

My dear friends, we are gathered here in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who is present among us.
As the gospels relate, the sick came to him for healing;
moreover, he loves us so much that he died for our sake.
Through the apostle James, he has commanded us:

Are there any who are sick among you?
Let them send for the priests of the Church, and let the priests pray over them,
anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer of faith will save the sick persons, and the Lord will raise them up;
and if they have committed any sins, their sins will be forgiven them.

Let us therefore commend one another to the grace and power of Christ,
that he may heal us and show us his mercy.

Amen

Hymn: O Christ, the Healer, we have come

O Christ, the Healer, we have come
to pray for health, to plead for friends
How can we fail to be restored,
when reached by love that never ends.

From every ailment flesh endures
our bodies clamour to be freed;
yet in our hearts we would confess
that wholeness is our deepest need.

How strong, O Lord, are our desires,
how weak our knowledge of ourselves!
Release in us those healing truths
unconscious pride resists or shelves.

In conflicts that destroy our health
we diagnose the world’s disease;
our common life declares our ills:
is there no cure, O Christ, for these?

Grant that we all, made one in faith,
in your community may find
the wholeness that, enriching us,
shall reach the whole of humankind.

F. Pratt Green (1903–2000)
CCL31580

Prayers of Penitence

The gospel calls us to turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.
As we offer ourselves to him in penitence and faith, we renew our confidence and trust in his mercy.

Cast your burden upon the Lord
and he will sustain you.

In returning and rest
you shall be saved.

In quietness and trust
shall be your strength.

[Silence]

You raise the dead to life in the Spirit:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

You bring pardon and peace to the sinner:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

You bring light to those in darkness.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Kyrie (ancient version)

God, the Father of mercies, has reconciled the world to himself
through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ,
not holding our sins against us, but sending his Holy Spirit to shed abroad his love among us.
By the ministry of reconciliation entrusted by Christ to his Church,
receive his pardon and peace to stand before him in his strength alone, this day and for evermore.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Heavenly Father, you anointed your Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit
and with power to bring to us the blessings of your kingdom.
Anoint your Church with the same Holy Spirit,
that we who share in his suffering and victory may bear witness to the gospel of salvation;
through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Jeremiah 30: 12–17

Read by Nerys Steeds

¹² ‘This is what the Lord says:

‘ “Your wound is incurable,
your injury beyond healing.
¹³ There is no-one to plead your cause,
no remedy for your sore,
no healing for you.
¹⁴ All your allies have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy would
and punished you as would the cruel,
because your guilt is so great
and your sins so many.
¹⁵ Why do you cry out over your wound,
your pain that has no cure?
Because of your great guilt and many sins
I have done these things to you.

¹⁶ ‘ “But all who devour you will be devoured;
all your enemies will go into exile.
Those who plunder you will be plundered;
all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
¹⁷ But I will restore you to health
and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord,
“because you are called an outcast,
Zion for whom no-one cares.”</span

NIV®

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

Matthew 9: 27–35

Read by Peter Steeds

Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David!’

²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ they replied.

²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you’; ³⁰ and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, ‘See that no-one knows about this.’ ³¹ But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

³²While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. ³³ And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.’

³⁴But the Pharisees said, ‘It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.’

The Workers Are Few

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and illness.

NIV®

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

Meditation

By Krou Assoua LLM

[Silence]

Choral Response

Prayers of Intercession

God the Father, your will for all people is health and salvation.
We praise and bless you, Lord.

God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly.
We praise and bless you, Lord.

God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temple of your presence.
We praise and bless you, Lord.

Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have our being.
We praise and bless you, Lord.

Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured or disabled, that they may be made whole.
Hear us, Lord of life.

Grant to all who are lonely, anxious or depressed a knowledge of your will
and an awareness of your presence.
Hear us, Lord of life.

Grant to all who minister to those who are suffering wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience.
Hear us, Lord of life.

Mend broken relationships, and restore to those in distress soundness of mind and serenity of spirit.
Hear us, Lord of life.

Sustain and support those who seek your guidance
and lift up all who are brought low by the trials of this life.
Hear us, Lord of life.

Grant to the dying peace and a holy death,
and uphold by the grace and consolation of your Holy Spirit those who are bereaved.
Hear us, Lord of life.

Restore to wholeness whatever is broken by human sin, in our lives, in our nation, and in the world.
Hear us, Lord of life.

You are the Lord who does mighty wonders.
You have declared your power among the peoples.

With you, Lord, is the well of life
and in your light do we see light.

Hear us, Lord of life,
heal us, and make us whole.

As our Saviour taught us, we pray:

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

O Lord our God, accept the fervent prayers of your people;
in the multitude of your mercies look with compassion upon us
and all who turn to you for help; for you are gracious, O lover of souls,
and to you we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Amen

The Peace

God has made us one in Christ.
He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come,
has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts.

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

Let us share with one another a sign of peace.

Hymn: Lord, we come to ask your healing

Lord, we come to ask your healing,
teach us of love;
all unspoken shame revealing,
teach us of love.
Take our selfish thoughts and actions,
petty feuds, divisive factions,
hear us now to you appealing,
teach us of love.

Soothe away our pain and sorrow,
hold us in love;
grace we cannot buy or borrow,
hold us in love.
though we see but dark and danger,
though we spurn both friend and stranger,
though we often dread tomorrow,
hold us in love.

When the bread is raised and broken,
fill us with love;
words of consecration spoken,
fill us with love.
As our grateful prayers continue,
make the faith that we have in you
more than just an empty token,
fill us with love.

Help us live for one another,
bind us in love;
stranger, neighbour, father, mother-
bind us in love.
All are equal at your table,
through your Spirit make us able
to embrace as sister, brother,
bind us in love.

Jean Holloway (b. 1939)
CCL31580

Laying on of Hands and Anointing

Blessed are you, sovereign God, gentle and merciful, creator of heaven and earth.
Your Word brought light out of darkness, and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.

When we turned away from you in sin,
your anointed Son took our nature and entered our suffering
to bring your healing to those in weakness and distress.
He broke the power of evil and set us free from sin and death
that we might become partakers of his glory.

His apostles anointed the sick in your name, bringing wholeness and joy to a broken world.
By your grace renewed each day you continue the gifts of healing in your Church
that your people may praise your name for ever.
By the power of your Spirit may your blessing rest on those
who are anointed with this oil in your name;
may they be made whole in body, mind and spirit.

Hear the prayer we offer for all your people.
Remember in your mercy those for whom we pray: heal the sick, raise the fallen,
strengthen the fainthearted and enfold in your love the fearful and those who have no hope.
In the fullness of time complete your gracious work.

Reconcile all things in Christ and make them new, that we may be restored in your image,
renewed in your love, and serve you as sons and daughters in your kingdom.
Through your anointed Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit we lift our voices of thanks and praise:

Blessed be God, our strength and our salvation, now and for ever.

Amen

Notices

World Book Day

World Book Day is coming up soon. To celebrate, there are a range of adult and children’s books on a table in the Cornerstone Bookshop at a special price of only £1 each.

Bob Collard

Training for Readers and Intercessors

Philip Allsop (who represents Fr Francis) has made a very kind offer of training for readers and intercessors. The Catholic cluster organise such training every now and again and have two excellent people to do the training. Philip is happy to hold their next training at Cornerstone and open it up to any of our readers and intercessors. It has been scheduled for 7.30–9.00 pm on Monday, 18 March 2024 in the Worship Area.

If you are interested in honing your reading skills or would like to get some training to become a reader, please let me or June know.

Brian Halstead, brianhalstead@hotmail.co.uk

Connect with our Creator and God’s creation during Lent

Lent gives us the opportunity to reflect on the practice of fasting and commit to giving up something that brings a real benefit to nature and helps address climate change. A Rocha has produced a set of ideas and resources that we can use as a church, as families or as individuals. Take time to pray, reflect and consider these options – pick one or two or however many you’d like, for example, try to ‘Go plastic free’. Even if you can’t become totally plastic-free, make it your goal to at least reduce your use of plastic. Check the suggestions with tips here. https://arocha.org.uk/connect-with-our-creator-and-gods-creation-during-lent/.

You might also like to take a look at the Christian Aid Count your Blessings Lent resource, which has a social justice and ecological focus: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-01/count-your-blessings-2024-v1.1.pdf.

Eco Church Core Group

Catering Assistant Required

The role of catering assistant is to assist the Catering Coordinator in maintaining kitchen and café standards. The catering assistant will also be responsible for hygiene and cleanliness within the café. They will also take over the Catering Coordinator’s duties to cover holiday and sickness. Catering assistants are also responsible for carrying out food preparation tasks, such as washing and preparing food for the day, as well as operate machinery. Working hours are 16 hours per week.

Ideal catering assistant candidates will:

• Have previous experience working in a catering environment.
• Have Level 2 food hygiene certificate.
• Be attentive and proactive with the ability to respond quickly to needs of the customers.
• Be organised and keep calm under pressure.
• Be able to operate as part of a team, working alongside and help support volunteers.
• Have a knowledge of allergens.
• Be available to help with events as required.

Simon Lowson

Hymn: We cannot measure how you heal

The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds,
are present as if meant to last.

But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside,
the memories that haunt the mind.

Your hands, though bloodied on the cross,
survive to heal and hold and warn,
to carry all through death to life
and cradle children yet unborn.

So some have come who need your help
and some have come to make amends,
as hands which shaped and saved the world
are present in the touch of friends.

Lord, let your Spirit meet us here
to mend the body, mind and soul,
to disentangle peace from pain
and make your broken people whole.

John L. Bell and Graham Maude (1989)
CCL31580

Offering

Choral Music

Sending Out

God who said: ‘Let light shine out of darkness’
has caused his light to shine within us
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels
to show that the power belongs to God.

Blessing

May God the holy and undivided Trinity preserve you in body, mind and spirit,
and bring you safe to that heavenly country where peace and harmony reign;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.

Amen

Dismissal

Go in the joy and peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

Amen