Celebrant: Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Welcome

Opening Prayer

God who knows us,
who never forgets us, we thank you that, when you ‘remember’ us,
you gaze on us in a way that makes new worlds possible.

Help us to remember the horrors others have faced and face.
Help us to remember the people we’d rather forget.
Help us to remember the dark corners of our own lives,
for you transfigure everything, bringing light and life.

Amen

Hymn: Dear Lord and Father of mankind

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence praise,
in deeper reverence praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us like them without a word
rise up and follow thee,
rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love,
interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all pour strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace,
the beauty of thy peace.

Breath through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm,
O still small voice of calm.

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)
CCL31580

Gathering Prayer

Eternal, loving and creator God, we place before you all those who suffer at the hands of genocide.
Eternal God, we pray for those whose homes, families and lives have been destroyed
through this evil conflict.
Loving God, comfort those who live with the perpetual anticipation of terror
and the souls of everyday ordinary victims who have never been found.
Creator God, we pray for a change in the hearts of those who commit the atrocity
of genocide that is rooted in conflict, a misplaced thirst for power, greed,
and selfish personal and nationalist ambition.
This destroys the beauty of community in your ordered creation.
We pray for an end to the shedding of innocent blood.
We pray for an end to genocide.

Amen

Confession

For too long:
we walked different ways.

For too long:
we let what separates us define us.

For too long:
we turned a blind eye.

For too long:
when it mattered so much, we did not stand with you.

We did not see the sights you saw, hear the sounds you heard, or feel the pain you felt,
through persecution and hardship and unprecedented levels of brutal inhumanity.

But now we have listened:
we have come to walk more closely,
and we commit to a new relationship.

We are here to remember.
We recall the longed-for liberation, and now we seek justice and truth.

We are here to remember.
We did not walk with you into those dark places,
but we walk together now, we stand together now.

We are here to remember.
We will stand together.

[Silence]

All powerful God, giver of life, as you affirmed your Son, so you affirm us as your children,
forgiving us that which has marred our past and offering us a new beginning.
So, with confidence and trust, we set out afresh on our journey of faith.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Gracious God, you listen attentively to the cry of holocaust, yet also encourage us to sing the song of hope.
With sorrow we remember before you the tangled tale of our bonds with the Jewish people.
We repent of the centuries of hostility and hatred.
May we continue to foster a new spirit of mutual understanding,
building deeper relationships which honour the heritage of faith that we hold in common,
so that together we may bear witness to the generosity of God’s compassion and steadfast love,
which seeks to bring heaven in ordinary here on earth.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Psalm 62: 5–12

Read by Pat Kyd

⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken.
⁷ My salvation and my honour depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

⁹ Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

¹¹ One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
‘Power belongs to you, God,
¹² and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’;
and, ‘You reward everyone
according to what they have done.’

NIV®

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

Music

Mark 1: 14–20

Read by Robin Kyd

Jesus Announces the Good News

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

NIV®

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

Meditation

By Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

[Silence]

Music

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.

Hymn: God be in my head

God be in my head,
and in my understanding;

God be in mine eyes,
and in my looking;

God be in my mouth,
and in my speaking;

God be in my heart,
and in my thinking;

God be at mine end,
and at my departing.

Horæ beatæ Maria Virginis, London 1516, possibly of French origin
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 forever 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.

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

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity continues until 25 January 2024

A Just City – Workshop on Social Justice in Milton Keynes

1.00–3.30 pm Saturday, 20 January 2024 at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone

There will be broadly three parts: Keynote speech from Dr Chris Shannahan, Coventry University; Small-group discussions; Brief presentations on means of tackling the issues. Register at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-just-city-tickets-770213728997.

Handel’s Messiah

7.30 pm Sunday, 21 January 2024 at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone

Performed by Cornerstone Chamber Choir, Orchestra and soloists. Performance in aid of Ukraine Appeal and MK Money Lifeline. Tickets £20 & £16 (under 18s £2).

Love Your Neighbour

7.30 pm Monday, 22 January 2024 at the Milton Keynes Salvation Army Centre MK14 7BA

With Revd Geoffrey Clarke, Moderator of URC East Midland Synod, and Roman Catholic choirs.

God’s World

7.30 pm Wednesday 24 January 2024 at Whaddon Way Church MK3 7JS

A special service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with Dr Anna Krauß, President of the Fourth Presidency Group of Churches Together in England and music by Rehoboth PEFA Church.

For more information about any of these events visit the Churches Together in Milton Keynes website at: https://www.ctmk.church/search/label/Week%20of%20Prayer%202024.

Flowers in the Worship Area

The flowers in the Worship Area this week are donated by Brian Halstead to celebrate his birthday. Happy Birthday, Brian!

MK Climate Action Network Workshop

1.45 – 5.00 pm, Sunday 28 January at Cornerstone

Milton Keynes Climate Action Network are hosting a workshop about how we can unify our climate action voices and make Milton Keynes a thriving, greener city. Currently there is an opportunity for us to have our voices heard and influence the Carbon and Climate Study and the MK New City Plan, specifically in the areas of: buildings, transport and biodiversity. Please come and make your views known. Register at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mk-climate-action-network-tickets-778173607207?aff=oddtdtcreator. For more information please contact Stuart Kean.

Stuart Kean

Memorial Service of Thanksgiving for the life of David Murray

12.30 pm Friday, 23 February 2024 at Cornerstone

David Murray was a long-term member of Christ the Cornerstone, who made many valuable contributions to the church. He put a great deal of work into the Cornerstone constitution. David was Professor of Government at the Open University from 1969 until his retirement thirty years later. He passed away late last year and there was a private family cremation on Wednesday, 10 January 2024. There will be a Memorial Service of Thanksgiving at Cornerstone at 12.30 pm Friday, 23 February 2024, which will be live-streamed. More details to come later.

The Sacramental Garden by Carolyn Sanderson

This is a new book of poems based on gardens in the Bible.

Gardening is an extraordinary act of faith. We plant for the future: sowing seeds, burying bulbs, trying to keep the weeds and pests at bay. A great deal of what happens, in life and in gardens, is hidden and mysterious, and without that long-term perspective, both would be equally pointless and completely impossible. We who are gardeners create gardens to express our joy and wonder in creation, and to express our faith in the future.

Carolyn is a member of the congregation of All Saints, Loughton, and has been a teacher, counsellor and trainer.

The Sacramental Garden is available for £5.75 in the Cornerstone Bookshop.

Bob Collard

Offering

Music

Act of Commemoration

We light this candle in memory of all people, each known to you by name,
who perished as a result of human action.
We light it as a sign of our determination to dispel darkness wherever we may find it
and of our commitment to live for the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth.

[Silence]

Let us surround our worship and our community with stillness,
stillness to remember all those who died in the Holocaust;
those before or since whose lives were brought to an end by genocide,
and those still suffering or dying.

Lord, in your name we will remember them.

Amen

Final Prayer

Lord God and Father,
we remember before you all those who bear the inner and outer scars of the Holocaust
and of subsequent acts of genocide.
Let them not be overwhelmed by the horrors that engulfed them.
Be close to them.
Help them to see that you suffer with those who suffer,
and that no wickedness can ever extinguish your infinite love.

Restrain those who are filled with hatred and use violence to pursue their ends.
Change their hearts.

May remembrance make us alert to the reality of evil and its deceptive allure.
Help us to recognise our own capacity for evil, and allow your Spirit to purge it from our beings.
Help us also to stand up against evil and oppression, even if that means we have to suffer ourselves.
Enable us to defend those who are not strong enough to defend themselves,
and to be ready to bring the light of your truth into the dark areas of human experience.

Deepen our respect for everything you have made,
and help us to share in securing the maximum good of every person who is alive in your world.

We ask this in the Name of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for our sins, carries our sorrows,
heals our wounds, and is risen for our freedom.

Amen

Hymn: Amazing grace!

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, trials and snares
I have already come.
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me;
his word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

John Newton (1725–1807)
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