Presiding Minister: Revd George Mwaura

Gathering Music

Call to Worship

The Lord says, ‘Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for I am with you wherever you go.’
We come trusting in God’s faithful presence.

Jesus says, ‘I am the gate for the sheep.’
Through Christ we enter into life and salvation.

Jesus came that we may have life, and have it abundantly.
We come to worship the One who leads us into fullness of life.

Let us worship God.
We gather in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Greetings and Welcome

Opening Prayer

Gracious and faithful God, you led Joshua into a new future and strengthened him with your promises.
You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd and the Gate of Life,
to gather your people into safety, grace, and abundance.
As we gather in worship, open our hearts to your presence,
quiet our fears, renew our courage, and fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Teach us to trust your guidance, follow your voice, and walk faithfully in your ways,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen

Hymn: When we walk with the Lord (Trust and Obey)

When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey,
for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus,
but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise,
not a cloud in the skies,
but his smile quickly drives it away
not a doubt nor a fear,
not a sigh nor a tear,
an abide while we trust and obey.
Trust and obey, …

Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief nor a loss,
not a frown nor a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.
Trust and obey, …

But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favour he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, …

Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust and obey, …

John Henry Sammis (1846–1919)
CCL31580

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession

Faithful God, we thank you for your steadfast love that never fails.
You have walked with your people through every generation.
You guided Joshua and the people of Israel.
You sent Jesus Christ to be the Gate through whom we enter life.
You provide for us, protect us, and call us by name.
For your mercy, Lord, your guidance, your forgiveness,
and your gift of abundant life, we give you thanks.
Yet, gracious Lord, we confess that we do not always trust your promises.
When you call us forward, we cling to fear.
When you show us the way, we choose paths of our own making.
When Christ invites us into abundant life, we settle for lesser things.
We confess that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
Forgive us, O God. Strengthen our faith, renew our courage, and restore us through your grace.
In silence we offer our personal confessions.

[Silence]

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Amen

Words of Grace

Hear the good news: Jesus Christ says,
‘I am the Gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.’
The mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting.
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, reconciled, and made new.
Thanks be to God.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ came that we might have life in all its fullness:
grant us courage like Joshua, faith to follow your leading,
and confidence in your unfailing presence.
Keep us steadfast in your Word and faithful in your service,
that we may enter ever more deeply into the abundant life Christ offers;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Joshua 1: 1–11

Read by Osazeme Osaghae

Joshua installed as leader

¹ After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: ² ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites. ³ I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. ⁴ Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates – all the Hittite country – to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. ⁵ No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

⁷ ‘Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’

¹⁰ So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: ¹¹ ‘Go through the camp and tell the people, “Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.”’

NIV®

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

Hymn: Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not;
as thou hast been thou for ever wilt be:
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand has provided,
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love:
Great is thy faithfulness! …

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is thy faithfulness! …

Thomas Chisholm (1866–1960)
CCL31580

John 10: 7–10

Read by Krou Assoua

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

NIV®

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

Sermon

By Revd George Mwaura

Musical Meditation

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who came that we might have life, and have it abundantly.
He lived among us, died for our sins, rose again from the dead,
and reigns at the Father’s right hand.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with courage,
guides us in truth, and gathers the Church into one body.
We believe that God is with us in every circumstance,
that Christ is our Shepherd and our Gate,
and that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
We believe in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen

Prayers of Intercession

Led by Maggie Kean

The Peace

Christ is our peace. Through him we are reconciled to God and to one another.
Friends, may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be always with you,
and also with you.

Let us share with one another a sign of Christ’s peace.

Hymn: Standing on the promises

Standing on the promises of Christ my King
through eternal ages let his praises ring:
‘Glory in the highest!’ I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of God, my Saviour;
standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail!
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing, …

Standing on the promises, I now can see
perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing, …

Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,
bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit’s Sword,
standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing, …

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing, …

R.K. Carter (1849–1928)
CCL31580

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you,
and also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.

Preface

It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise, eternal God,
Creator and Sustainer of all life. You formed us in your image and called us to walk in your ways.
When we wandered from your path, you remained faithful.
You raised up leaders and prophets, strengthened your servants,
and guided your people through every generation.
In the fullness of time you sent Jesus Christ, the Gate of salvation and the Shepherd of your flock,
who came that all might have life and have it abundantly.

Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with angels and archangels
and with all the company of heaven, forever singing:

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

Holy are you and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. He proclaimed good news to the poor,
freedom for the captive, sight for the blind, and abundant life for all.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us,
he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said,
‘Take, eat. This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’
When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples and said,
‘Drink from this, all of you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for you
and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

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

Generous God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us gathered here
and upon these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,
that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood.
Strengthen us with courage, fill us with hope, and lead us in the paths of righteousness,
until we feast with all your saints at your heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,
all honour and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for 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

Breaking of the Bread

Because there is one loaf,
we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

The gifts of God for the people of God.
Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith,
with thanksgiving.

Post-Communion Prayer

Gracious God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through this holy meal you have assured us of your goodness, strengthened us by your grace,
and united us with Christ and with one another.
Send us now into the world in the power of your Spirit, that we may walk courageously,
serve faithfully, and bear witness to the abundant life we have received through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Notices and Offertory

Flowers in the Worship Area

The flower arrangement in the Worship Area this Sunday is to celebrate June Halstead’s birthday on Monday. We wish June a very happy birthday.

Revd George Mwaura

Annual leave: 25 June – 13 July 2026

Revd George will be taking annual leave from 25 June to 13 July 2026. He will be visiting Kenya during this time. We wish him a relaxing and refreshing break.

Daily prayers

Dear Cornerstone family!

We invite you to volunteer in preparing our daily online prayers/devotions. What may seem like a simple act of service becomes a powerful ministry that uplifts hearts, strengthens faith, and ushers God’s presence into the lives of many. When you stand in the gap through prayer, you become a vessel of encouragement, hope, and spiritual renewal. The Lord honours those who faithfully pour into others, and the blessings that flow from serving Him are truly rewarding beyond measure. Come, be part of this sacred assignment. Your voice, your prayer, and your willingness can ignite faith and transform lives.

Revd George

Wednesday Bible Study

Bible Study will resume on Wednesday, 22 July 2026. Revd George asks us to prepare by reading Acts chapters 9–12.

Candidates for Anglican Minister at Cornerstone visit Milton Keynes

Tuesday, 23 June and Wednesday, 24 June 2026

Short-listed candidates are invited to Milton Keynes on 23 & 24 June 2026, with interviews on Wednesday, 24 June 2026. Please continue to pray for all those involved in this important process.

Cornerstone Chapel

On Wednesday, 24 June 2026 the Chapel will be reserved for the candidates for the post of Anglican Minister at Cornerstone each to present a homily to the panel of interviewers, as part of the selection process.

Offertory Prayer

Gracious God, all abundance flows from your endless love.
We humbly present these offerings before you, those placed before your altar today
and those given faithfully throughout the week,
whether shared in person or offered electronically, seen and unseen.
Receive them all as signs of our gratitude and tokens of our trust in you.
Bless these gifts and those who give them, that they may serve your purposes, proclaim your kingdom,
and reflect the generous love revealed to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Hymn: To God be the glory

To God be the glory, great things he has done!
so loved he the world that he gave us his Son.
Who yielded his life in atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father through Jesus his Son;
and give him the glory, great things he has done!

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Praise the Lord!  …

Great things he has taught us, great things he has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our rapture, when Jesus we see.

Praise the Lord!  …

Fanny Crosby (née Frances J. van Alstyne) (1820–1915)
CCL31580

Blessing

May the God who strengthened Joshua strengthen you with courage and faith.
May Jesus Christ, the Gate and Shepherd of God’s people, lead you into abundant life.
May the Holy Spirit guide, sustain, and empower you in every step of your journey.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.

Amen

Mission and Dismissal

Go forth in courage, for God is with you wherever you go.
We will trust in the Lord and follow Christ.

Go forth to share the abundant life of Christ with the world.
Thanks be to God.

Amen