Preacher & President: Revd Helen Cameron, Moderator of the Free Churches Group, President of Churches Together in England
Ministers: Revd George Mwaura and Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Processional

[The Cornerstone Choir enter the Worship Area singing:]

Down to the River to Pray

As I went down in the river to pray,
studying about that good old way,
and who shall wear the robe and crown.
Good Lord, show me the way!
O brothers let’s go down,
let’s go down,
come on down.
Come on brothers, let’s go down,
down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray,
studying about that good old way,
and who shall wear the robe and crown.
Good Lord, show me the way!
O brothers let’s go down,
let’s go down,
come on down.
O mothers, let’s go down,
let’s go down, come on down.
Come on mothers, let’s go down,
down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray,
studying about that good old way,
and who shall wear the robe and crown.
Good Lord, show me the way!
O fathers, let’s go down,
let’s go down, come on down.
Come on fathers, let’s go down,
down in the river to pray.

[The Bible, the basket of Prayers, and the clergy process into the Worship Area.]

Choir’s Anthem

Beautiful Day

The heart is a bloom.
Shoots up through the stony ground.
There’s no room,
no space to rent in this town.
You’re out of luck
and the reason that you had to care.
The traffic is stuck,
and you’re not moving anywhere.
You thought you’d found a friend
to take you out of this place:
Someone you could lend a hand
in return for grace.

It’s a beautiful day.
Sky falls, you feel like
it’s a beautiful day.
Don’t let it get away.
You’re on the road,
but you’ve got no destination.
You’re in the mud,
in the maze of her imagination.
You love this town,
even if that doesn’t ring true;
you’ve been all over,
and it’s been all over you.

It’s a beautiful day.
Don’t let it get away. It’s a beautiful day (Oooh, ooh).
Touch me.
Take me to that other place.
Teach me love.
I know I’m not a hopeless case.
See the world in green and blue,
see China right in front of you,
see the canyons broken by cloud,
see the tuna fleets clearing the sea out,
see the Bedouin fires at night,
see the oil fields at first light,
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth.
After the flood all the colours came out.
Day, Day,
Day, Day.

It was a beautiful day.
Don’t let it get away.
Beautiful day.
Touch me,
take me to that other place;
reach me.
I know I’m not a hopeless case.
What you don’t have, you don’t need it now.
What you don’t know, you can feel it somehow.
What you don’t have, you don’t need it now,
don’t need it now.
Was a beautiful day.

U2

Welcome

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed. Hallelujah! Alleluia!

This is the season of Easter:
the celebration of resurrection,
the festival of hope,
the promise of new beginnings,
the dance of faith,
the song of joy,
the music of gladness,
the hymn of love.

Let us worship our life-giving God!

[Silence]

Risen Lord, in the stillness and wonder of this moment,
we hardly dare to believe that you are indeed alive!
Yet our hearts are filling with faith, hope and love, and our souls are beginning to believe!
Wonderful Lord, we fall on our knees with thanksgiving.

Amen

Hymn: Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Alleluia! Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
CCL31580

Confession

We shout our alleluias; yet, within us, there are burdens of guilt and regret;
there are words spoken and deeds done that ought not to have been;
there are tasks of discipleship left undone; there is love not given, a smile not offered;
there is rejection, denial, betrayal.
On this Easter Day, we confess our failings and in resurrection life and light seek forgiveness.
Risen Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen

Kyrie [Ancient version]

Assurance of Forgiveness

Risen Christ, wipe away our fears and our tears.
Cleanse us, renew us, refresh us, release us from all that we have confessed
and let us walk with you our resurrection God, knowing that our sins are forgiven.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Amazing God, we praise you that from the silence of an empty tomb,
a message of joy has spread around the world.
From the brutality of a death on the cross, healing love has touched the earth.
We pray earnestly for this healing love to touch Ukraine.
From the initial uncertainty of the first disciples, your church has grown and reached out in faith to all.
Thank you for Easter, thank you for life, thank you for your underserved Grace.

Amen

Peruvian Gloria

Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Father.
Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Father.
To him be glory for ever.
To him be glory for ever.
Alleluia, amen. Alleluia, amen.
Alleluia amen, alleluia amen.

Glory to God, glory to God,
son of the Father.
Glory to God, glory to God,
son of the Father.
To him be glory for ever.
To him be glory for ever.
Alleluia, amen. Alleluia, amen.
Alleluia amen, alleluia amen.

Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Spirit.
Glory to God, glory to God,
glory to the Spirit.
To him be glory for ever.
To him be glory for ever.
Alleluia, amen. Alleluia, amen.
Alleluia amen, alleluia amen.

Ministry of the Word

Isaiah 65: 17–25

Read by Kudakwashe Matare

New Heavens and a New Earth

¹⁷ ‘See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice for ever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
¹⁹ I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.

²⁰ ‘Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
the one who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.
²¹ They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
²² No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,
so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
the work of their hands.
²³ They will not labour in vain,
nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,
they and their descendants with them.
²⁴ Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
²⁵The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,’
says the Lord.

NIV®

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

Prisoner’s Chorus from Fideliio

Sung by Cornerstone Choir

O what joy, in the open air
freely to breathe again!
Up here alone is life!
The dungeon is a grave.

First Prisoner:
We shall with all our faith
trust in the help of God!
Hope whispers softly in my ears!
We shall be free, we shall find peace.

All the Others:
Oh Heaven! Salvation! Happiness! Oh Freedom!
Will you be given us?

Ludwig van Beethoven

Luke 24: 1–12

Read by Veronica Fernandes

Jesus Has Risen

¹ On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” ’ ⁸ Then they remembered his words.

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

NIV®

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

Sermon

By Revd Helen Cameron

Choral Response

Affirmation of Faith

Let us declare our faith.

We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us with power from on high.

We believe in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen

Intercessions

Led by Grace Hunting

The Peace

The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples and said, ‘Peace be with you.’
Then were they glad when they saw the Lord.
Alleluia

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace,

Hymn: See, what a morning, gloriously bright

See, what a morning, gloriously bright,
with the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,
as the angels announce Christ is risen!
See God’s salvation plan,
wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
fulfilled in Christ, the Man,
for he lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

See Mary weeping: ‘Where is he laid?’
as in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb;
hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It’s the Master, the Lord raised to life again!
The voice that spans the years,
speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us,
will sound till he appears,
for He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

One with the Father, Ancient of Days,
through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty;
honour and blessing, glory and praise
to the King crowned with power and authority!
And we are raised with him,
death is dead, love has won Christ has conquered;
and we shall reign with Him,
for he lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

Stuart Townend (b. 1963) and Keith Getty (b. 1974)
CCL31580

The Thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this bread to set before you,
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 set before you,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become for us the cup of salvation.

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 through our neighbours and creation that we see the rising of Christ. Creator of our earth, we celebrate the shifting of seasons.
As the earth sheds its snow, it begins to drink in the warm rains and creation comes alive once again.
And so, in this spirit of brightness and life, we celebrate.
We celebrate the risen Christ in our midst.

We celebrate the table in which we can join with friends and strangers, loved ones and enemies.
Through this meal, which has stood the test of time, we covenant to love you, God.
We covenant to love as Jesus loved us – loving our neighbours as ourselves.
Through a simple meal of grain and grape, we, your children, unite.
With angels and archangels and with all your people on earth and in heaven,
we continue to celebrate and proclaim your glorious name saying together:

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.

It was Jesus who introduced this meal to his followers.
On the night of his betrayal, he was at supper with friends when took a simple portion of bread.
He blessed it and broke it and shared it with the disciples.
He urged them: Remember me.

Afterwards, Jesus took the cup.
During his blessing, Jesus reminded them how he would go to the ends of the earth in his love for them.

Today, we celebrate this earth-shaking love of Jesus –
a love that sent him to the cross and a love that lives eternally with us,
encouraging us to live a resurrected life.

Merciful Lord, send down your Holy Spirit
that these gifts of bread and wine may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Unite us with him for ever and bring us with the whole creation to your eternal kingdom

Amen

Now we pray together the prayer Jesus taught his disciples:

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

Invitation

On this day, we celebrate the risen Christ
On this day, we celebrate resurrection in our lives.
On this day, we embrace the grace which reaches from the tomb.
On this day, we embrace faith by committing to love in action.
On this day, we shout Hallelujah!
On this day we shout, Christ is risen!
Alleluia!

The Bread of Life and the Cup of the Covenant:
Gifts to unite the Body of Christ; we eat with gratitude!

Amen

Post Communion Prayer

Lord, you have been our host at the table of your Son.
May his life, his death and his resurrection strengthen us now in our lives.
Send us into the world resurrected, refreshed and ready to share Christ’s unconditional love.

Amen

Notices

Learn more about Eco Church

Visit to St James Church, New Bradwell: 10.30 am – 1.00 pm Saturday, 13 April

The Church of Christ the Cornerstone is a Bronze award Eco Church and is a member of the Milton Keynes Eco Church Network. The Network meets occasionally to discuss progress, challenges, and topics of mutual interest to Milton Keynes churches on their respective Eco Church journeys. The next Network meeting will be held at 10.30am – 1.00pm on Saturday, 13 April 2024 at St James Church, New Bradwell, which has achieved a Bronze award. Please do make a note of this visit in your diaries and please click on the Eventbrite link to book a place which will let us know if you want to attend: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/milton-keynes-eco-church-network-visit-to-st-james-church-new-bradwell-mk13-0da-tickets-815652567787.

For further information contact Stuart Kean, Eco Church Core Group

Funeral of Peter Keens

11.00 am Friday, 12 April 2024 at Cornerstone

Peter Keens, who was a member of Cornerstone until they moved to Lovat Fields, died peacefully on Friday, 15 March 2024 after a short illness. We remember Penny Keens and their family at this sad time. The funeral will be here at Cornerstone at 11.00 am on Friday, 12 April 2024, with a gathering afterwards in the Guildhall.

Memorial Service for Jenny Donaldson

11.00 am Friday, 19 April 2024 at Cornerstone

Jenny Donaldson’s funeral will be a private service at the Crematorium on Friday, 19 April 2024, followed at 11.00 am by a Memorial Service at Cornerstone.

Offering

[During the Offering the Cornerstone Choir will sing.]

Final Prayer

From this Easter festival,
we go forth to live resurrection:
In the name of the God
who makes us,
in the name of the Christ
who makes us free,
in the name of the Spirit
who makes us one.

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!

Like the woman who ran to share the Good News of the empty tomb,
let us go forth with joy.

Like the travellers walking on the Emmaus Road,
let us go forth with opened eyes.

Like the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit,
let us go forth with peace.

Like Thomas, filled with doubt,
let us go forth with faith.

Like fishers pulling heavy nets,
let us go forth with abundant life.

Amen

Hymn: We are marching in the light of God

Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’,
Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’,
Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’,
Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’,
Siyahamba, siyahamba, oh,
Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’.
Siyahamba, siyahamba, oh,
Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’.

We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching, marching;
we are marching, Oh, Oh.
We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching, marching;
we are marching, Oh, Oh.
We are marching in the light of God.

Anders Nyberg (b. 1955)
CCL31580

The Blessing

Risen with Christ, may we accept the challenge to work in God’s way.
Risen with Christ, may we be living proof that God’s love will never die.

Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always

Amen

The Dismissal

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

Amen

Recessional

[The Bible, the basket of Prayers, and the clergy leave the Worship Area while the Cornerstone Choir.sings:]

I Bid You Goodbye

Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest.
I want to lay your head upon your saviour’s breast.
I love you, but Jesus loves you best.
I bid you goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.
I bid you goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.

Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest.
I want to lay your head upon your saviour’s breast.
I love you, but Jesus loves you best.
I bid you goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.
I bid you goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.

One of these mornings bright and early and soon, goodbye.
Now they’re pickin’ up the spirit to the shore beyond, goodbye.
Go walking in the valley of the shadow of death, goodbye.
He’s riding a staff, gonna comfort me, goodbye.
Join the wise, there’s a soul to find, goodbye.
Lord send a fire, not a flood next time, goodbye
To leave for the ark, that wonderful boat, goodbye.
She’s really loaded down, getting water to float, goodbye.
Now pray for the beast at the ending of the world, goodbye.
He loved the children that would not be good, goodbye.
I remember rather well, I remember right well, goodbye.
I went walking to Jerusalem, just like John.
Goodnight, goodnight, goodbye.

Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest.
I want to lay your head upon your saviour’s breast.
I love you, but Jesus loves you best.
I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight..
I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.