Holy Communion – Live Streamed – Sunday, 6 April 2025
Preacher: Revd George Mwaura
Celebrant: Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
Gathering Music
Welcome
Come into this space of welcome, where we matter most to the God of love.
Come into this space of rest, where we can lay our burdens down.
Come into this space of peace, where our suffering can be eased.
Come and meet the God of love, rest and peace.
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: All my hope on God is founded
All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
God’s great goodness aye endureth
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
new-born worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth th’Almighty giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.
Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ his Son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.
Robert Bridges (1844–1930)
CCL31580
Gathering Prayer
Lord, we bring before you the passions of our lives: the people who matter most to us,
the things that hurt us most, everything we have lost, the questions we struggle to answer.
Help us to know how much we matter and to find our answers in you.
Amen
Confession
Father, we are sorry for taking our eyes off you and yearning for worldly riches.
Forgive us for losing sight of your grace.
Jesus, we are sorry for investing in things that are not of you,
believing and valuing worldly opinions and aspirations instead.
We’re sorry for taking our eyes off you and moving the goalposts.
We’re sorry for attempting to hide things from you.
We know it is futile trying to be something we’re not, as you know us inside out.
You know the real us. You know our passions and what we truly value.
And you accept us just as we are.
Holy Spirit, help us to put away everything that is not good for us,
that works to take us further from you.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, forgive us and refresh us.
Enable us to put all aside for you, and to focus on getting to know you better
and mining your riches.
Amen
[Silence]Salvation is ours through faith in Jesus. Through him our sins are forgiven. Our past is behind us.
We walk step-by-step in glorious freedom with Jesus, our Saviour.
Amen
Prayer of the Week
Loving God, who makes paths through mighty waters, and brings forth springs in the desert places:
grant us hearts like Mary’s, lavish in devotion and unafraid of criticism,
that we may pour out our very best in worship of your Son,
not just this Lenten and Easter season, but throughout our discipleship lives
to the glory of your name, the growth of your kingdom and to the welfare of your Church
for we ask in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Ministry of the Word
Isaiah 43: 16–21
Read by Pat Kyd
16 This is what the Lord says –
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 ‘Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
20 The wild animals honour me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21 the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn: O Jesus, I have promised
O Jesus, I have promised
to serve thee to the end;
be thou for ever near me,
my Master and my Friend:
I shall not fear the battle
if thou art by my side,
nor wander from the pathway
if thou wilt be my guide.
O let me feel thee near me:
the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
the tempting sounds I hear;
my foes are ever near me,
around me and within;
but, Jesus, draw thou nearer,
and shield my soul from sin.
O let me hear thee speaking
in accents clear and still
above the storms of passion,
the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
thou guardian of my soul.
O Jesus, thou hast promised
to all who follow thee,
that where thou art in glory
there shall thy servant be;
and, Jesus, I have promised
to serve thee to the end:
O give me grace to follow,
my Master and my Friend.
O let me see thy foot-marks,
and in them plant mine own;
my hope to follow duly
is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me draw me,
uphold me to the end;
and then in heaven receive me,
my Saviour and my Friend.
J.E. Bode (1816–1874
CCL31580
John 12: 1–8
Read by Robin Kyd
Jesus anointed at Bethany
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’
NIV®
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.
Meditation
By Revd George Mwaura
[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 Rosemary Kearsey
Sharing 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 God be always with you
and also with you!
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Hymn: Bind us together
Bind us together, Lord,
bind us together with cords
that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord,
bind us together,
bind us together with love.
There is only one God,
there is only one King.
There is only one Body,
that is why we sing:
Bind us together, Lord, …
Made for the glory of God,
purchased by his precious Son,
born with the right to be free,
for Jesus the victory has won.
Bind us together, Lord, …
You are the family of God,
you are the promise divine,
you are God’s chosen desire,
you are the glorious new wine.
Bind us together, Lord, …
Bob Gillman (b. 1946)
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
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
Christian Aid Myanmar Earthquake Appeal
Christian Aid have raised an emergency appeal to help those affected by the recent 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar, one of the world’s lowest-income countries. The earthquake has destroyed homes and left people in urgent need of drinking water, food, shelter and medical care. Resources are desperately needed. To make a donation to the Christian Aid Myanmar Earthquake Appeal on line use this link:
Gwen Cashmore
We are saddened to learn of the death in hospital on Monday, 1 April 2025 of Gwen Cashmore, who has been a member of Christ the Cornerstone since the very earliest days. Gwen made a most substantial contribution to Christian life in Milton Keynes and beyond, establishing with Joan Puls the Living Spirituality Network, which was based at Willen Priory.
Details of Gwen’s funeral will be published as soon as they are available.
Lent Studies week 5
This is the final week. We are following Study Five: ‘Peace in the lives of believers’.
7.15 pm Tuesday, 8 April 2025 by Zoom led by Rosemary & John Kearsey
7.00 pm Wednesday, 9 April 2025 by Zoom led by Revd George Mwaura
7.30 pm Wednesday, 9 April 2025 led by Stuart Kean
Offering
Final Prayer
Lord, as we approach Holy Week,
strengthen our faith and deepen our resolve to follow your Son, Jesus.
Help us to reflect on his sacrifice and to live lives worthy of your love and mercy.
Amen
Hymn: Just as I am, without one plea
Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou biddst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fighting within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am (thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down),
now, to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am, of that free love
the breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Charlotte Elliott (1789–1871)
CCL31580
Blessing
May the God of Grace and Glory go with you as you follow this Lenten path.
Wherever it takes you, and to whomever it takes you, may you go with the blessing of God.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you today and always.
Amen
Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ,
Amen