Preacher: Revd George Mwaura
Celebrant: Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Gathering Music

Welcome

Light of the world, shine upon us.
We gather, in the glow of your love and the warmth of our fellowship,
to draw courage and guidance for the year ahead.

[Silence]

Welcome to the hospitality 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.

Amen

Hymn: From heaven you came, helpless babe

From heaven you came, helpless babe,
entered our world, your glory veiled;
not to be served, but to serve,
and give your life, that we might live.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

There in the garden of tears,
my heavy load he chose to bear;
his heart with sorrow was torn,
‘Yet not my will but yours,’ he said.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

Come see his hands and his feet,
the scars that speak of sacrifice,
hands that flung stars into space
to cruel nails surrendered.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

So let us learn how to serve,
and in our lives enthrone him;
each other’s needs to prefer,
for it is Christ we’re serving.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

Graham Kendrick (b. 1950)
CCL31580

Prayer of Approach

God, Word of life and being, you are light, you are hope, you are promise as we step into this new year.
You are light in the darkness of night. You are shade in the heat of the day.
You are hope in desolation. You are promise when all seems bleak.
God, Word of life, we worship you.

Amen

[Silence]

Confession

Eternal God, as we start this new year, we confess our failings and our shortcomings.
We confess that so often we pack your challenges away with the Christmas cards and wrapping paper.
We do not explore your gift enough, we do not always let it change us,
but as you have promised so much to us,
so we promise to try to be the people you want us to be, and to live the best life we can.

[Silence]

By the birth and death of Christ we are set free, our sins are forgiven.
Go in the grace of God.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Gracious God, we thank you for blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Just as you spoke light into darkness through your Word,
speak your truth into our hearts in the coming months.
Open our eyes to see the inheritance you have prepared for us
and help us grasp the depth of your love.
Like John who came bearing testimony to the Light,
may our lives reflect your glory and truth in all we do,
through him who came to redeem us.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Ephesians 1: 3–14

Read by David Chapman

Praise for spiritual blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.

NIV®

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

Hymn: Of the Father’s love begotten

Of the Father’s love begotten
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore.

O that birth for ever blessed,
when the Virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Spirit conceiving,
bare the Saviour of our race,
and the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore.

O ye heights of heaven, adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing;
powers, dominions, bow before him,
and extol our God and King:
let no tongue on earth be silent,
every voice in concert ring,
evermore and evermore.

Prudentius (348–c. 413)
tr. J.M. Neale (1818–1866)
CCL31580

John 1: 1–6

Read by Kudakwashe Matare

The Word became flesh

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

NIV®

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

Meditation

By Revd George Mwaura

[Silence]

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

Sharing 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: As with gladness men of old

As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright;
so. Most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led to thee.

As with joyful steps they sped,
Saviour, to thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before
thee whom heaven and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy-seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
at thy cradle rude and bare,
so may we holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way,
and, when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright
need they no created light;
thou its light, its joy, its crown,
thou its sun which goes not down;
there for ever may we sing
alleluias to our King.

William Chatterton Dix (1837–1898)
CCL31580

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.

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 for ever and ever.

Amen

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.

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

A Concert for Peace

7.00 pm Sunday, 19 January 2025

As part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Churches Together in Milton Keynes is presenting this Concert for Peace, featuring two beautiful works: ‘Requiem’ by Sir John Rutter and the popular ‘Armed Man’ by Sir Karl Jenkins. The Cornerstone Chamber Choir, Orchestra and Soloists are directed by Adrian Boynton, with Guest Muezzin Arif Master.

Tickets at £22 and £15 (under 18years £5) are available from: boyntonmusic@btinternet.com; 07961 348697; https://tinyurl.com/2x8ymxv8 (fees apply); cornerstonemusicmk.co.uk. In aid of St Mark’s Meals and SieveMK Gateway.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 ‘Do you believe this?’

18–25 January 2025

Each year the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity runs from 18 January to 25 January, the Conversion of St Paul. As well as the Concert for Peace (see above) on Sunday, 19 January 2025, there will be a Worship Event at Cornerstone at 6.00 pm on Wednesday, 22 January 2024, organised by Churches Together in Milton Keynes.

Bishop of Oxford’s Visitation to Cornerstone

The Bishop of Oxford’s representatives completed their report on Cornerstone and presented it to Bishop Steven last month. This month Bishop Steven will be coming to Cornerstone to talk to us about the report.

7.00 pm Thursday, 23 January 2025

There will be a meeting of Bishop Steven with members of the Church Council, Trading Company, PCC, Ministerial Team and Cornerstone Trust where a presentation and preliminary discussion regarding the bishop’s visitation report and its recommendations will take place.

Sunday, 26 January 2025

The Bishop of Oxford will attend morning worship at Cornerstone on Sunday, 26 January 2025, and afterwards Bishop Steven will speak to the Congregation about the report.

Offering

Hymn: Hail to the Lord’s Anointed!

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed!
Great David’s greater Son!
hail, in the time appointed,
his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
to set the captive free,
to take away transgression,
and rule in equity.

He comes with succour speedy
to those who suffer wrong;
to help the poor and needy,
and bid the weak be strong;
to give them songs for sighing,
their darkness turn to light,
who souls, condemned and dying,
were precious in his sight.

He shall come down like showers,
upon the fruitful earth
and love, joy, hope’ like flowers,
spring in his path to birth:
before him on the mountains
shall peace, the herald, go;
and righteousness in fountains
from hill and valley flow.

Arabia’s desert-ranger
to him shall bow the knee;
the Ethiopian stranger
his glory come to see;
with offerings of devotion
ships from the isles shall meet,
to pour the wealth of ocean
in tribute at his feet.

Kings shall bow down before him,
and gold and incense bring;
all nations shall adore him,
his praise all people sing:
to him shall prayer unceasing
and daily vows ascend;
his kingdom still increasing,
a kingdom without end.

O’er every foe victorious,
he on his throne shall rest;
from age to age more glorious,
all-blessing and all-blest:
the tide of time shall never
his covenant remove;
his name shall stand for ever,
his changeless name of love.

James Montgomery (1771–1854)
CCL31580

Blessing

God be in your head, and in your understanding;
God be in your eyes, and in your looking;
God be in your mouth, and in your speaking;
God be in your heart, and in your thinking;
God be at your end, and at your departing.
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

Dismissal

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

Amen