Holy Communion – Live Streamed – Sunday, 21 May 2023
Celebrant: Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
Gathering Music
Welcome
Almighty God, as we prepare to worship today,
we ask that you will stretch our imaginations to sense the majesty and mystery of your ascension.
Help us perceive how Jesus’ presence in heaven can give us confidence in our praying
and hope for the future, through Jesus, our Lord.
Amen
[Silence]Welcome to the house 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: Christ the Lord is risen today!
Christ the Lord is risen today!
Christians haste your vows to pay,
offer ye your praises meet
at the paschal victim’s feet;
for the sheep the Lamb hath bled,
sinless in the sinner’s stead.
Christ the Lord is risen on high;
now he lives no more to die.
Christ, the victim undefiled,
all to God hath reconciled
when in strange and awful strife
met together death and life;
Christians, on this happy day
haste with joy your vows to pay.
Christ the Lord is risen on high;
now he lives no more to die.
Say, O wondering Mary, say
what thou sawest on the way.
‘I beheld where Christ had lain,
empty tomb and angels twain.
I beheld the glory bright
of the rising Lord of light;
Christ my hope is risen again;
now he lives, and lives to reign.’
Christ who once for sinners bled,
now the first-born from the dead,
throned in endless might and power,
lives and reigns for evermore.
Hail, eternal hope on high!
Hail, thou King of victory!
Hail, thou Prince of life adored!
Help and save us, gracious Lord.
Wipo 11th century
tr. Jane Elizabeth Leeson (1809–1881)
Prayer of Approach
Risen, ascended Lord, as we rejoice at your triumph,
fill your Church on earth with power and compassion,
that all who are estranged by sin may find forgiveness and know your peace,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen
Confession
While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,
the way we live proclaims our lack of faith in his power to deal with the world.
Let us confess the incongruity between our faith and practice.
We come, O Lord, on this day of glory to confess our lack of trust.
While we sing of your lordship over all creation,
we have too often acted as though you are powerless in the face of today’s events.
Help us to live with confidence in your presence today and in hope for life with you for ever.
Amen
Prayer of the Week
O God, the King of Glory, hear our prayer:
that as we believe your Son Jesus Christ to be exalted with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven;
so also we may know his presence with us now, and to the end of time;
who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
Amen
Ministry of the Word
Acts 1: 6–14
Read by Nerys Steeds
6 Then they gathered round him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’
7 He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
John 17: 1–11
Read by Peter Steeds
Jesus Prays to Be Glorified
1 After Jesus said this, he looked towards heaven and prayed:
‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus prays for his disciples
6 ‘I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
NIV®
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.
Meditation
[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 Chibby Chima-Okoro
The Peace
God has made us one in Christ.
He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come,
has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts.
The peace of God be always with you.
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Hymn: Alleluia, sing to Jesus
Alleluia, sing to Jesus!
his the sceptre, his the throne;
alleluia, his the triumph
his the victory alone:
hark, the songs of peaceful Sion
thunder like a mighty flood;
Jesus out of every nation
hath redeemed us by his blood.
Alleluia, not as orphans
are we left in sorrow now;
alleluia, he is near us,
faith believes, nor questions how:
though the cloud from sight received him,
when the forty days were o’er,
shall our hearts forget his promise,
‘I am with you evermore’?
Alleluia, bread of angels,
thou on earth our food, our stay;
alleluia, here the sinful
flee to thee from day to day:
Intercessor, Friend of sinners,
earth’s Redeemer, plead for me,
where the songs of all the sinless,
sweep across the crystal sea.
Alleluia, King eternal,
thee the Lord of lords we own;
alleluia, born of Mary,
earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne:
thou within the veil hast entered,
robed in flesh, our great High Priest;
thou on earth both Priest and Victim
in the eucharistic feast.
William Chatterton Dixon (1817–1898)
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
Draw near with faith.
Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ which he gave for you,
and his blood which he shed for you.
Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you,
and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
Post Communion Prayer
Eternal God, giver of love and power,
your Son Jesus Christ has sent us into all the world to preach the gospel of his kingdom:
confirm us in this mission, and help us to live the good news we proclaim;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Notices
Christian Aid Week – 14–20 May 2023
The Christian Aid envelopes have arrived at last! There will be a donation envelope with your Notice Sheet at the Service on Sunday. If you are able to make a donation to this very worthwhile charity, it would be much appreciated. Please put your donation into the envelope and fill in the gift aid form if you pay income tax. You are welcome to put the envelope in the collection basket at services during the next three weeks or hand it into our Reception desk during weekdays. Please make any cheques payable to ‘Christian Aid’.
Donation envelopes are also available from the round table in the Reception area.
Alternatively, you can make a donation via the Christian Aid website: https://www.christianaid.org.uk. The website also gives details of the wonderful projects that your donation will support.
Thank you.
Peter Cope
Welcome to new CIO Trustees
Pentecost – Sunday, 28 May 2023
During worship at the 10.00 am Holy Communion service we shall welcome and pray for the new Trustees of the Cornerstone CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation). After the Service we shall celebrate with a Bring and Share Lunch in the Guildhall. There will be a cake!
Truby’s Garden Tea Room Interfaith Community Café
12.30–5.30 pm this Sunday (21 May 2023) in the Guildhall
Join us for lunch or afternoon tea.
Truby’s Garden Tea Room is an interfaith community café run by British Muslim women who live in Milton Keynes. All the food is Halal.
Thy Kingdom Come
18–28 May 2023 – Ascension Day to Pentecost
Churches Together in Milton Keynes (CTMK) are organising a range of services and events across Milton Keynes throughout the period from Ascension Day to Pentecost. At Cornerstone there will be prayer stations set up with the themes of Thy Kingdom Come, and the Chapel will be open and available to all who would like make use of it for prayer. The Chapel will be open Monday–Friday 8.30 am – 5.00 pm, Saturday 9.00 am – 6.30 pm, Sunday 9.00 am – 12.00 noon & 4.00–6.30 pm. For more details of Thy Kingdom Come visit the CTMK website at: https://www.ctmk.church/2023/04/thy-kingdom-come-2023.html.
Offering
Hymn: Rejoice, the Lord is King!
Rejoice! The Lord is King,
your Lord and King adore;
mortals give thanks and sing,
and triumph evermore:
Lift up you heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.
Jesus the Saviour reigns,
the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
he took his seat above:
Lift up you heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.
His kingdom cannot fail;
he rules o’er earth and heaven;
the keys of death and hell
are to our Jesus given:
Lift up you heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.
He sits at God’s right hand
till all his foes submit,
and bow to his command,
and fall beneath his feet:
Lift up you heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
CCL31580
Blessing
God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the nation, peace and concord;
to us all your servants the promise of everlasting life,
light to guide us on our way,
courage to support us,
and your blessing to unite us in service to you our God
and this our country.
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