Covenant Renewal with Holy Communion – Live Streamed – Sunday, 5 November 2023
Preacher: Revd George Mwaura
Celebrant: Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
Gathering Music
Welcome
Lord Jesus Christ, you call us together in faith and love.
Breathe again the new life of your Holy Spirit among us
that we may hear your holy word, pray in your name,
seek unity among Christians (and harmony with all men and women)
and live more fully the faith we profess.
All glory and honour be yours, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.
Amen
Hymn: Come, let us use the grace divine
Come, let us use the grace divine,
and all with one accord,
in a perpetual covenant join
ourselves to Christ the Lord:
Give up ourselves, through Jesus’ power,
his name to glorify;
and promise, in this sacred hour,
for God to live and die.
The covenant we this moment make
be ever kept in mind:
we will no more our God forsake,
or cast his words behind.
We never will throw off his fear
who hears our vow;
and if thou art well pleased to hear,
come down, and meet us now.
Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
let all our hearts receive,
present with thy celestial host
the peaceful answer give;
To each covenant the blood apply,
which takes our sins away;
and register our names on high,
and keep us to that day.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788))
CCL31580
Prayers of Repentance
We confess to you, living God,
our failure to live as brothers and sisters.
We confess to you, loving God,
that we have not loved you as you have loved us.
We confess to you, gracious God,
that we have doubted your word and failed to obey its teaching.
We confess to you, merciful God,
our desire to own you and contain you within our doctrines and theologies.
We confess to you, almighty God
that we do not acknowledge you as Lord of all the earth.
Jesus said:
‘Let me give you a new commandment: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples when they see the love you have for each other.’
Gracious God, thank you for your assurance of forgiveness, now and always.
Amen
Prayer of the Week
Holy God, generations know your promises, your covenant of love.
Lord of all, every promise made, you remain faithful to fulfil,
for your ways are holy and your name is holly; all honour and glory belong to you.
So hold us and let your love surround us.
Draw us to your side, and as we wait, we will rise up like an eagle,
and we will soar with you as your spirt leads us on in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Bible Readings
Genesis 9: 1–11
Read by Veronica Fernandes
God’s Covenant with Noah
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4‘But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
6 ‘Whoever sheds human blood,
by humans shall their blood be shed;
for in the image of God
has God made mankind.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.’
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 ‘I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you – the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you – every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.’
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Mark 6: 7–12
Read by Brian Halstead
Jesus Sends out the Twelve
… 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.
8 These were his instructions: ‘Take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’
12 They went out and preached that people should repent.
NIV®
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.
Meditation
By Revd George Mwaura
[Some verses of this hymn may be sung during the Meditation:Hymn: Bind us together
Bind us together, Lord,
bind us together with cords
that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord,
bind us together,
bind us together with love.
There is only one God,
there is only one King.
There is only one Body,
that is why we sing:
Bind us together, Lord, …
Made for the glory of God,
purchased by his precious Son,
born with the right to be free,
for Jesus the victory has won.
Bind us together, Lord, …
You are the family of God,
you are the promise divine,
you are God’s chosen desire,
you are the glorious new wine.
Bind us together, Lord, …
Bob Gillman (b. 1946)
CCL31580]
Choral Response
Affirmation of Faith
We believe in the Creator,
the maker of all things.
We believe in the Son,
the redeemer of our broken world.
We believe in the Spirit,
the sacred wind that binds all things together in the family of God.
Creator Father, beloved Son and living Spirit.
Amen
Prayers and Intercessions
Led by Cheryl Montgomery
The Peace
Peace to you from God, who is our Father.
Peace from Jesus Christ, who is our peace.
Peace from the Holy Spirit, who gives us life.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Welcome to New Members
By Revd George Mwaura
We Are the Living Stones
[During the hymn the Congregation is invited to come forward to collect a pebble from the basket and place it before the altar.]Hymn: Come to the Living Stone (1 Peter 2: 4–9)
Come unto him, to the living stone,
chosen by God, and of great worth to him.
Come unto him, to the living stone,
chosen by God, and of great worth to him.
to offer spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God.
Come unto him, to the living stone,
chosen by God, and of great worth to him.
Come unto him, to the living stone,
chosen by God, and of great worth to him.
who has faith in it will not be put to shame!
Come unto him, to the living stone,
chosen by God, and of great worth to him.
he called you out of darkness into his marvellous light!
Come unto him, to the living stone,
chosen by God, and of great worth to him.
Holy Communion
The Thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this bread to offer,
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life.
Blessed be God for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this wine to offer,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become our spiritual drink.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
It is right to praise you, Father, Lord of all creation;
in your love you made us for yourself.
When we turned away you did not reject us, but came to meet us in your Son.
You embraced us as your children and welcomed us to sit and eat with you.
In Christ you shared our life that we might live in him and he in us.
He opened his arms of love upon the cross and made for all the perfect sacrifice for sin.
On the night he was betrayed, at supper with his friends he took bread, and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to them, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his body is the bread of life.
At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine, he gave you thanks, and said:
Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins; do this in remembrance of me.
Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his blood is shed for all.
As we proclaim his death and celebrate his rising in glory, send your Holy Spirit
that this bread and this wine may be to us the body and blood of your dear Son.
As we eat and drink these holy gifts make us one in Christ, our risen Lord.
With your whole Church throughout the world, we offer you this sacrifice of praise
and lift our voice to join the eternal song of heaven:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
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 Communion
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.
We take this bread and remember:
Choir
The bread we share is a gift from God.
The bread we break is the body of Christ.
We take this cup and remember:
Choir
The cup we share is a gift from God.
The wine we take is the blood of Christ.
Post Communion Prayer
Eternal Father, we thank you for nourishing us with these heavenly gifts:
may our communion strengthen us in faith, build us up in hope,
and make us grow in love; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Notices
Covenant Renewal: Fellowship and Bring and Share Lunch
12.00 noon this Sunday (5 November 2023) in the Guildhall
At 12.00 noon we have Fellowship and Bring and Share Lunch in the Guildhall to which our Roman Catholic colleagues are invited. The time has been fixed for 12.00 noon, after coffee following the Sunday Morning Service, so that those not attending the Morning Service will be able to join in.
This is a very special opportunity to share fellowship with all our diverse Cornerstone Christian community. During Fellowship the Act of Covenant Renewal will be read.
Menopause Café
Community Learning MK is working with the Menopause Café network to provide monthly sessions at Cornerstone Café. These sessions are on the second Wednesday of each month between 5.00 pm and 7.00 pm, and the next Menopause Café is this Wednesday (8 November 2023. The Menopause Café is open to all, where people gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss menopause matters. More information is available on the Milton Keynes City Council website at https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/events/menopause-cafe. Please pass this information to anyone you know who might benefit from this.
Advent Bible Study
There will be at least three Advent Bible Study groups this year, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, beginning in the week of 27 November 2023. We will be using some of the Methodist study materials called ‘Out of the Ordinary’. You can have a look at https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/advent-and-christmas-resources
If you would like to take part, contact Mark in the Office or Stuart Kean or Pat Kyd.
Poppies for Remembrance
Both red and white poppies are available at the front desk in Reception. They are both used as symbols of remembrance for victims of war, and hope for a peaceful future.
Red poppies are produced for the Royal British Legion and show of support for the Armed Forces community https://www.britishlegion.org.uk.
White poppies are produced for the Peace Pledge Union to challenge war and militarism https://www.ppu.org.uk.
David Chapman
Cornerstone Church Christmas Cards
We have a Church Christmas card designed by the artist Yvonne Bell, one of our volunteer Receptionists. The text inside the card reads ‘The gift of love. The gift of peace. The gift of happiness. May all of these be yours at Christmas’
Packs of 5 cards are £3.99 per pack, with all proceeds going to the maintenance of the church building. Those purchasing these cards may have the equivalent number of 2nd class stamps at a 10% discount.
Bob Collard
Fair Trade Stall and Open Coffee Morning
Sunday, 26 November, after 10.00 am service until 1.00 pm in the Guildhall
We will be inviting our neighbours from the new city-centre flats to join us. There will be a short presentation in our Ecochurch series on the continuing importance of Fair Trade and an opportunity to buy Fair Trade Christmas gifts, cards and treats. Please bring contributions of cake or biscuits to the Guildhall before the service or make contact with other offers of help.
Joy Chapman 07854 762676, cjoy.chapman9@gmail.com
Offering
Hymn: Take my life, and let it be
Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let the move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet, and let the be
swift and purposeful for thee.
Take my voice, and let it sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it thine,
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
Frances R. Havergal (1836–1879)
CCL31580
Blessing
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
may the Lord’s face shine on you, and be gracious to you;
may the Lord’s face turn towards you and give you peace.
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you today and always
Amen
Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ,
Amen