Presiding Minister: Revd George Mwaura

Gathering Music

Call to Worship

Rise, shine, for your light has come!
The glory of the Lord has risen upon us.

The Word became flesh and lived among us.
We have seen his glory, full of grace and truth.

Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
In Christ, the darkness is passing, and the true light is already shining.
Let us worship the God who reveals himself to all people.

Come, let us worship Christ, the Light of the World.

Greetings and Welcome

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 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

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Confession

Gracious God, we give you thanks for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.
We thank you that in him, your light has broken into our world,
scattering the darkness and revealing your glory.
We praise you for the gift of this new year,
for fresh mercies and new opportunities to walk in your light.

Yet we confess, O God, that we have not always walked as children of light.
We have hidden your glory rather than reflected it.
We preferred the shadows to the brightness of your truth.
We have been slow to recognise Christ in the stranger, the poor, and the marginalised.
We have failed to shine your light into the dark corners of our world. Forgive us, Lord.
As we stand at the threshold of this new year, cleanse us from all that dims your light within us.
Renew us by your Spirit, that we might arise and shine with the radiance of Christ,
reflecting your grace and truth to all we meet.
In the name of Jesus, the Light of the World, we pray.

Amen

Absolution

Hear the good news: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. In Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Thanks be to God! Amen

Kyrie

Prayer of the Week

Eternal God, who by the shining of a star led the wise men to worship the Christ child:
guide us in this new year by the light of your Word,
that we may seek him with humble hearts and find in him the fullness of grace and truth.
Grant us wisdom to follow where he leads, courage to proclaim his glory,
and love to serve him in all whom we meet.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen

Isaiah 60: 1–6

Read by Mayowa Olubayo

The glory of Zion

¹ ‘Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
² See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
³ Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

⁴ ‘Lift up your eyes and look about you:
all assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the hip.
⁵ Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
⁶ Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

NIV®

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

Hymn: Immortal, invisible, God only wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we raise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light;
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might –
thy justice like mountains high-soaring above
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render: O help us to see
’tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

W. Chalmers Smith (1825–1908)
CCL31580

John 1: 1–18

Read by Florence Olubayo

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. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”’) ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

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 the Word made flesh, who was in the beginning with God,
through whom all things came into being.
We believe that in him was life, and that life is the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

We believe that to all who receive him, who believe in his name,
he gives power to become children of God.
We believe that the Word became flesh and lived among us, full of grace and truth.
From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World,
who reveals the Father’s glory and brings salvation to all nations.

Amen

Prayers of intercession

Led by Adrian Boynton

Sharing the Peace

The glory of the Lord has risen upon us in this new year.
The peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, is ours to share.
Friends, may the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace and wave to those watching on the live stream.

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

Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

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

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

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give you thanks,
holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have given us a new revelation of your glory.
In him we see our God made visible and so are caught up in the love of the God we cannot see.
Through the Epiphany of your Son, you have made known your salvation to all nations,
calling Gentile and Jew, near and far, to worship at the manger and bow before the King of kings.

Therefore, with angels and archangels, with prophets and apostles, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, forever praising you and saying:

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!

Holy God, we praise you as we remember that on the night before he died,
our Lord Jesus Christ was at super with his friends when he took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
‘Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’

In the same way, after supper, he took the cup,
and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying:
‘Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’

Let us proclaim the mystery of our faith:

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

Therefore, gracious God, we remember Christ’s death and resurrection,
and we await his coming in glory.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Unite us with him and with all who gather at his table throughout the world,
that we may shine as lights in the darkness, bearing witness to your love made known in Jesus Christ.

Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory are 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

Post Communion Prayer

Gracious God, we thank you that you have fed us at this table
with the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation.
In this holy meal, we have encountered the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth.
We have tasted and seen your goodness, and received from Christ’s fullness, grace upon grace.
As we have been nourished by his body and blood,
send us now into this new year as bearers of his light.

Amen

Notices and Offertory

Cornerstone Baby and Toddler Group

The Cornerstone Baby and Toddler Group meet in the Guildhall at 10.00 am on Mondays during school term time. Sessions in 2026 are starting next Monday (12 January 2026). New members are welcome.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity ‘One Body, One Spirit’

18–25 January 2025

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called

Ephesians 4: 4

For 2026, the prayers and reflections for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity have been prepared by the faithful of the Armenian Apostolic Church, along with their brothers and sisters of the Armenian Catholic and Evangelical Churches.

Cornerstone Prayer Network

Prayer is central to our Christian fellowship. The Cornerstone Prayer Network is here for people who have asked us to pray for them. Please send your prayer requests to cornerstonechurch.prayernetwork@gmail.com and the details will be passed on to the members of the Prayer Network. If your prayer request is for someone else, please check with them before sending details to the Cornerstone Prayer Network.

If you would like to become a member of the Cornerstone Prayer Network, please send your details by email to cornerstonechurch.prayernetwork@gmail.com, or speak to June Halstead after a Service in the church.

Cornerstone Notice Sheet by email?

Would you like to be able to read the Cornerstone Notice Sheet every week, whether or not you are able to come to church? If you would, and are not already on the mailing list, please send an email to: robin_kyd@yahoo.co.uk and he will add your email address to the mailing list.

Robin Kyd

Copy deadline for notices for the weekly Cornerstone Notice Sheet

To allow time for preparing the Notice Sheet before it is passed over to Mark Okor for printing, please ensure that all information for the Notice Sheet is received by Mark Okor or Robin Kyd by lunchtime on Wednesday. Mark’s working hours are 9.00 am – 12.30 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, and 9.00 am – 12.00 noon on Friday.

Hymn: We three kings of Orient are

We three kings of Orient are,
bearing gifts we traverse afar
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star:
O star of wonder, star of night.
star of royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to your perfect light.

Born a king on Bethlehem plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
king for ever, ceasing never
over us all to reign.
O star of wonder, …

Frankincense to offer have I,
incense owns a deity nigh,
prayer and praising, all men raising,
worship him, God most high:
O star of wonder, …

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb:
O star of wonder, …

Glorious now behold him arise,
king and God and sacrifice.
Heaven sings: ‘Alleluia’;
‘Alleluia,’ the earth replies:
O star of wonder, …

J.H. Hopkins (1820–1891) 
CCL31580

Offertory Prayer

Gracious God, all abundance flows from your endless love.
We humbly present these offerings – both those given today and those already shared –
asking for your blessing as we build your kingdom through this church and beyond.

Amen

Blessing and Sending out

Eternal God, you have fed us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation.
As we go forth into this new year, may the light of Christ shine through us.
Send us out to be bearers of your glory, witnesses to your grace, and servants of your love.
And may the blessings of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
rest and remain upon us all and all those whom we love today and always.

Amen

Dismissal

Church, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ, we will.

Amen