Preacher: Revd George Mwaura
Celebrant: 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.

Gathering Music

Welcome

Father Creator, we come before you today
giving thanks for your provision and goodness to us at this harvest time.
We are grateful for your love that not only provides for our needs
but also made a way for us to know you through Jesus Christ.

It is easy in difficult days to lose focus on what you have given us.
We pray that today as we look to your creation,
a wonderful gift, that we will learn to be thankful for our world.
We thank you that you are a good father, who has given us everything we need.

Amen

Hymn: Come, ye thankful people, come

Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest-home!
All be safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin;
God, our maker, doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come;
raise the song of harvest-home!

We ourselves are God’s own field,
fruit unto his praise to yield;
wheat and tares together sown,
unto joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear:
grant, O harvest Lord, that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take his harvest home;
from his field shall purge away
all that doth offend, that day,
give his angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast,
but the fruitful ears to store
in his garner evermore.

Then, thou Church triumphant, come,
raise the song of harvest-home;
all be safely gathered in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there for ever purified
in God’s garner to abide;
come, ten thousand angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest-home!

Henry Alford (1810–1871)
CCL31580

Prayer of Approach

Walk beside us, Lord,
in the cool of the day,
in the garden you have created
as our common home.

Walk beside us, Lord,
as the cries of the forest pierce the dawn,
and flames rip through our common home.

Grant us courage, Lord,
as we walk beside all those
who struggle to protect our common home.

Grant us hope, Lord,
and the vision to walk dark paths
in the light of a single sunbeam.

Grant us grace, Lord,
to put the flourishing of all people
and the wonder of your creation at the heart of all we do,
as we strive to be guardians of our common home.

Amen

Confession

Lord God, forgive us when we are selfish and greedy,
when we are wasteful of all that you have given us.

[Women] Sometimes we forget to say thank you.
[All together] Father, forgive us.

Lord God, we often choose to ignore those who are struggling and lack basic provisions.

[Men] Sometimes we ignore the needs of others.
[All together] Father, forgive us.

Lord God, in our weakness we choose to live in a way that pleases us and not you.
Sometimes we forget to live your way.

Father, forgive us, as we say we are sorry
and ask that you forgive us and help us to live for you,
in Jesus’ name.

Amen

May the God of grace, who loves all that he has made
and in Christ welcomes home all who come to him,
heal our brokenness, forgive our sins and return us to a life of justice, mercy and simplicity,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Lord of Harvest, who has graciously given us the fruits of the earth in their season;
we come before your holy presence with humility
and thankful hearts for your constant provision.
By your Spirit plant within us such reverence for all that you give us
and teach us to be wise stewards of the fruits we enjoy.
Grant us the same grace to use the gifts you have given us for the relief of those in need,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Ecclesiastes 10: 1–6

Read by Stuart Kean

¹ As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour.
² The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
³ Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone how stupid they are.
⁴ If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;
calmness can lay great offences to rest.

⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
⁶ fools are put in many high positions,
while the rich occupy the low ones.

NIV®

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

Matthew 6: 25–30

Read by David Moore

Do Not Worry

²⁵ ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ ‘And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith?

NIV®

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

Meditation

By Revd George Mwaura

Choral Response

An 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

Intercessions

By Don Head

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 God be always with you.
and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Hymn: For the fruits of his creation

For the fruits of all creation,
thanks be to God;
for the gifts to every nation,
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safe keeping,
thanks be to God.

In the just reward of labour,
God’s will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God’s will is done;
in our world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will is done.

For the harvest of the Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all, that love has found us,
thanks be to God.

Fred Pratt Green (1903–2000)
CCL31580

Holy Communion

The Lord 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.

Almighty God, good Father to us all, your face is turned towards your world.
In love you gave us Jesus your Son to rescue us from sin and death.
Your Word goes out to call us home to the city where angels sing your praise.

We join with them in heaven’s song:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

We bless the name of Jesus, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh,
whose brokenness and suffering makes love real,
who on the night in which he was betrayed took bread,
gave thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying,

Take, eat. This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

After supper he took the cup saying,
Drink from this, all of you, this is my blood given for you.
Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me.

This is the mystery of our faith.

Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

Therefore, as we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we acknowledge brokenness as a path to truth.
We long for the bread of tomorrow: eternally broken and so able to nourish.
We long for the new wine of the kingdom: continuously poured out that thirst may be quenched.

Send your Spirit on us now,
that by these gifts we may feed on Christ with opened eyes and hearts on fire.
May we and all who share this food offer ourselves to live for you
and be welcomed at your feast in heaven, where all creation worships you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours forever and ever.

Amen

The Lord’s Prayer [said]

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

Breaking of the Bread

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.

Amen

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

Baptism

Yesterday (Saturday, 2 October 2021) we welcomed airo Nedem Adedeji Oyekan Alifoe, who was baptised, and his parents: Muyiwa & Vanessa; and godparents: Sally Nunekpeku and Christian Alifoe.

Harvest Thanksgiving Gift

This Sunday, 3 October 2021 is Harvest Festival, and this year you are being asked to make a donation towards Cornerstone’s Mission of Hope as your thanksgiving gift.

How to Give your Gift

Online or telephone banking

If you would like to donate on line or by using telephone banking, please use the following account details:

Account name

The Ecumenical Partnership of Christ the Cornerstone Milton Keynes

Metro Bank

Sort code: 23 05 80
Business account number: 37995851
For the payment reference please include the word ‘Harvest’ and your name, then we’ll know who the donation is from.

By cheque

If you prefer to donate by cheque, please make it payable to ‘Church of Christ the Cornerstone’ and post it to:

Stewardship Secretary
Church of Christ the Cornerstone
300 Saxon Gate West, MK9 2ES

In person

If you are coming in person to the service on Sunday, 3 October 2021, please bring your offering with you. There will be some envelopes available. Envelopes can be returned later if preferred.
Please write your name on the envelope if you would like us to claim gift-aid on your donation. If you have any questions, please contact the Stewardship Secretary at: steward.cccmk@gmail.com.

Thank you for your generous support.

Janet Trimnell

Volunteers for Cornerstone Café and Reception

In order to fulfil our mission to the people of Milton Keynes and to be an Oasis of Hope in Central Milton Keynes, we need to keep the church building open throughout the week.

The Cornerstone Café plays an important role in providing a welcoming environment to everyone who comes to our building during the week. The Cornerstone Café needs more volunteers to help in the preparation and serving of food and drink, and taking payments at the till. The Café is open 9.00 am – 3.00 pm Monday–Friday. If you are able to offer a few hours, either on a regular basis or as support when regular volunteers are away, please contact our Catering Manager, Marianne Cockburn (marianne.cockburn@cornerstonemk.co.uk) to discuss what is needed. Volunteers will have the opportunity to study for a Food Hygiene qualification.

Volunteer Receptionists are the welcome face of the church, and ideally we need two people in Reception whenever the building is open to the public. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet people and contribute in an important way to our outreach to the people of Milton Keynes. Volunteers each cover a morning, afternoon or evening ‘shift’. The hours are 9.00 am – 1.00 pm, 1.00–5.00 pm and 5.00–8.00 pm. Please contact our Administrator, Mark Okor (admin@cornerstonemk.co.uk) or speak to him in the Church Office either in person or by phone (01908 246480). Mark’s office hours are 9.00 am – 1.00 pm Monday–Friday.

Cornerstone Toddlers

Cornerstone Toddlers has reopened for parents, grandparents and carers with their 0–4-year-olds, on Monday mornings, 10.00–11.45 am during term time (.i.e closed for half term on 25 October 2021).
Please contact Joy Chapman, mobile 07854 762676 or email cjoy.chapman9@gmail.com.

Joy Chapman

Revd George Mwaura

Revd George will be on annual leave from Saturday, 9 October 2021, returning on Tuesday, 2 November 2021. We wish George a well-earned rest with Christine in Kenya.

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

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.

Hymn: We plough the fields and scatter

We plough the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand;
he sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above,
then thank the Lord,
O thank the Lord, for all his love.

He only is the maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star.
The wind and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us his children,
he gives our daily bread.

All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above,
then thank the Lord,
O thank the Lord, for all his love.

We thank thee then, O Father,
for all things bright and good:
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
No gifts have we to offer
for all thy love imparts,
but that which thou desirest,
our humble, thankful hearts.

All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above,
then thank the Lord,
O thank the Lord, for all his love.

Matthias Claudius (1740–1815)
tr. Jane Montgomery Campbell (1817–1878)
CCL31580

The Blessing

As we gathered to give thanks,
we give thanks for your provision.

As we worshipped in Spirit and truth,
we give thanks for your Word and empowerment.

As we leave this gathering filled with joy,
we give thanks for your Spirit, who leaves with us, within us.

As we go into your world with your love in our hearts,
we give thanks for your invitation to share in your mission to the lost.

We thank you for your provision and presence:
use us for your Kingdom’s sake.

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

The Dismissal

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

Amen