Presiding:
The Right Revd Dr Steven Croft
Bishop of Oxford

Preacher:
Revd Ian Suttie
District Ecumenical Officer,
Northampton Methodist District

Confirming Ministers:
Revd Dr Mary Cotes, Baptist
Revd Edson Dube, Methodist
Revd George Mwaura, United Reformed Church

Candidates from
Watling Valley Ecumenical Partnership
Walton Churches Partnership.
Woughton Ecumenical Partnership
Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership
Church of Christ the Cornerstone

Revd Paul Oxley
Area Dean of Milton Keynes

Revd Alison Drury
Acting Chaplain

Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
Incumbent, Christ the Cornerstone

Cornerstone Choir
Adrian Boynton, Director

Processional Anthem

The Bible and clergy process into the Worship Area.

Welcome

Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Welcome to the house of God
We have come from all the corners of the earth.

Welcome to the hospitality of God
We come as we are; we bring, our life, our stories, our journey.

Welcome brothers and sisters
We are the rainbow people of God

Welcome chosen people
May God our companion bind us in his love.

Silence

Opening Prayer

Beloved God,
You send out Your Spirit to touch the hearts of all people, so that they may believe in You and in Jesus whom You sent.
Look kindly on all the candidates as they have come today to renew their baptismal vows and be confirmed.
Deepen their faith in the Gospel and help them to serve you in faith and love, and grow into the full stature of your Son, Jesus Christ.
We pray that You will continue to guide them and sustain them in their journey ahead. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Hymn: Bind us together, Lord

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

Prayers of Penitence

Revd Paul Oxley

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ that whoever believes in Him should not die but have eternal life.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God’s commandments, and to live in love and peace with all people:

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy, forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may act justly, love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.

Kyrie (Missa de Angelis)

Cornerstone Choir

Assurance of Forgiveness

The Right Revd Dr Steven Croft

God forgive you;
Christ renew you,
and the Spirit enable you
to grow in love.

Silence

Holy and eternal God,
by the power of your Spirit you continually give to your faithful people new life.
Guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may serve you in faithful love,
and grow to the full stature of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen

Ministry of the Word

Revelation 1: 4 – 8

Read by Norah Magaya, ZMU Cornerstone Chapter

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

Pues Si Vivimos

Mexican folk song

Pues si vivimos, para El vivimos
When we are living, it is in Christ Jesus,

y si morimos para El morimos.
And when we’re dying, it is in the Lord.

Sea que vivamos o que muramos,
Both in our living and in our dying,

Somos del Señor, somos del Señor.
We belong to God, we belong to God.

John 6: 1 – 15

Read by Zoe Littlecott-Prado

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John:
Glory to you, O Lord.

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

The Sermon

Revd Ian Suttie

Choral Response

Fix You—by Coldplay

… When you try your best, but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need.
When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse

… And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

… Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

… And high up above, or down below
When you’re too in love to let it go.
But if you never try, you’ll never know.
Just what you’re worth

… Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

… Tears stream down your face.
When you lose something you cannot replace.
Tears stream down your face, and I

… Tears stream down your face.
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes.
Tears stream down your face, and I

… Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Songwriters: Christopher Anthony John Martin / Guy Rupert Berryman / William Champion / Jonathan Mark Buckland
Fix You lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Mgb Ltd.
CCL31580

The Vows

Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

The candidates stand, along with those wishing to renew their baptismal vows
and the Minister asks to all the candidates on behalf of all the confirming ministers

Have you been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?
I have.

Are you ready with your own mouth and from your own heart to affirm your faith in Jesus Christ?
I am.

The Minister addresses the whole congregation:

Faith is the gift of God to his people. In baptism the Lord is adding to our number those whom he is calling.

People of God, will you welcome these candidates and uphold them in their life in Christ?
With the help of God, we will.

The Decision

A large candle is lit.

Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered death on the cross and rose again from the dead for our salvation.
Baptism is the outward sign by which we receive for ourselves what he has done for us:
we are united with him in his death;
we are granted the forgiveness of sins;
we are raised with Christ to new life in the Spirit.
Those of you who have come to affirm your baptismal faith or to be confirmed must with your own mouths and from your own heart declare your allegiance to Christ and your rejection of all that is evil.
Therefore, I ask these questions:

Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?
I reject them.

Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?
I renounce them.

Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?
I repent of them.

Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?
I turn to Christ.

Do you submit to Christ as Lord?
I submit to Christ.

Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth & the life?
I come to Christ.

May God who has given you the desire to follow Christ give you strength to continue in the Way.
Amen.

Hymn: Make me a channel of your peace

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord.
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness only light,
and where there’s sadness ever joy.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek …

Make me a channel of your peace.
It is pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life

Sebastian Temple (1928–1970)
from a prayer of St Francis of Assisi (c. 1183–1226)
CCL31580

Profession of Faith

Revd George Mwaura

Brothers and sisters, I ask you to profess together with these candidates the faith of the Church.

Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe and trust in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?
I believe and trust in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?
I believe and trust in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

The Confirmations

The Right Revd Dr Steven Croft

The Bishop stands before the candidates to be confirmed and invite them to stand and says:

Our help is in the name of the Lord
who has made heaven and earth.

Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and for ever. Amen.

Beloved in Christ,
at your baptism you were received into God’s family, the Church.
You have grown in the knowledge and love of our Lord.
You have heard Christ saying to you, as he said to his first disciples, “Follow me”.

You are now to be confirmed as members of a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
God’s own people,
sent forth as Christ’s servants and witnesses into the world.
For all this God will strengthen you by the Holy Spirit.

The Bishop extends his hands towards them and says:

Almighty and ever-living God,
you have given these your servants new birth in baptism by water and the Spirit,
and have forgiven them all their sins.
Let your Holy Spirit rest upon them:
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding;
the Spirit of counsel and inward strength;
the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness;
and let their delight be in the fear of the Lord.
Amen.

The Invitation

Revd Paul Oxley

The Area Dean calls each candidate by name to come forward.

The Bishop addresses each candidate by name:

[Name], God has called you by name and made you his own.

The Confirming Ministers lay their hands on the head of each candidate, saying:

Confirm, O Lord, your servant [Name] with your Holy Spirit.
Amen.

When all have been confirmed the whole congregation stands and says together:

Defend, O Lord, these your servants with your heavenly grace,
that they may continue yours for ever,
and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more
until they come to your everlasting kingdom.
Amen

The candidates remain at the alter to receive a candle.

The ZMU – Cornerstone Chapter Brings the candles to the candidates while singing:

Jesu ndakapikira. Nechipiko Changu

The Candle

Revd Dr Mary Cotes

When all the candidates have received a lit candle, the Minister says:

God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness
and has given us a place with the saints in light.
You have received the light of Christ;
walk in this light all the days of your life.
Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father.
Amen

In the name of Christ, we welcome you into full membership of his church,
and in particular to the four participating denominations;
and to the local church in which you have found a home.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.

We welcome you in the fellowship of faith;
We are children of the same heavenly Father.
We welcome you.

The Peace

The Right Revd Dr Steven Croft

God 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 offer one another a sign of peace.

Prayers & Intercessions

Katherine Wheldon

Follow 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.

Hymn: Christ be our Light

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Christ be our light! ….

Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

Christ be our light! ….

Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.

Christ be our light! ….

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
helping your kingdom come.

Christ be our light! ….

Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957)
CCL31580

The Commission

Revd George Mwaura

Please stand if you are able

It is the calling of all the baptised to worship and serve God. As we continue on this journey of faith, let us go forward together.

Brothers and sisters: Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer?
With the help of God, I will.

Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
With the help of God, I will.

Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ?
With the help of God, I will.

Will you seek and serve Christ in all people, loving your neighbour as yourself?
With the help of God, I will.

Will you acknowledge Christ’s authority over human society, by prayer for the world and its leaders, by defending the weak, and by seeking peace and justice?
With the help of God, I will.

Will you strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth?
With the help of God I will

May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, hat you may be rooted and grounded in love and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit.
Amen.

Notices & The Offering

Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Hymn: When the Saints Go Marching In

O when the saints go marching in,
O when the saints go marching in;
O Lord, I want to be among the number
When the saints go marching in!

O when they crown Him Lord of all,
O when they crown Him Lord of all;
O Lord, I want to be among the number
When they crown Him Lord of all.

O when all knees bow at His name,
O when all knees bow at His name,
O Lord, I want to be among the number
When all knees bow at His name.

O when they sing the Saviour’s praise,
O when they sing the Saviour’s praise,
O Lord, I want to be among the number
When they sing the Saviour’s praise.

O when the saints go marching in,
O when the saints go marching in;
O Lord, I want to be among the number
When the saints go marching in!

CCL31580

The Blessing

The Right Revd Dr Steven Croft

When we are together
we will remember what it is like to travel alone

When we are alone
we will remember what it is like to travel together

Wherever we are
we will remember God who always goes with us

Lord, go with us now, this day and always.
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you today and always.
Amen.

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