Holy Communion Sunday, 21 March 2021 Lent 5
This Service is conducted by Zoom.
The link to the Zoom session is:
https://bit.ly/ccc-sunday
Further details on how to access the Zoom Service can be found here.
Celebrant: Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
Introit: Surely he hath borne our griefs (Handel’s Messiah)
Welcome
Brothers and sisters, we meet in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
God’s mercy, grace and peace be with you.
Good morning, and welcome to our Holy Communion Service on this fifth Sunday of Lent.
Let us pray.
Lenten Prayer
God who calls us on our journey, as we remember Jesus’ time in the wilderness,
help us to cast aside those things that get in the way of hearing your word.
Help us to seek you in the places of bounteous beauty and of barren bleakness.
Help us to seek you in the faces of friends and in the smiles of strangers.
Help our devotion to be made real in the actions of our lives.
When we have looked deep into our own hearts and struggled with who we are,
send angels to minister to us and draw us out from our own wilderness
to fulfil our calling to serve you.
In Christ’s name.
Amen
Hymn: O love that wilt not let me go
O love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fully be.
O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
my heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.
O joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be.
O cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms red
life that shall endless be.
George Mathieson (1842–1906)
CCL31580
Gathering Prayer
Almighty and ever living God,
you invite us deeper into your world,
your people, your Lent.
May this time be one of outward focus:
seeking you in those we often ignore.
Help us live a Lent focused on freedom,
generosity, and encounter.
Give us hearts hungry to serve you
and those who need what we have to give.
Amen
[Silence]The Confession
Remember, Lord,
your compassion and mercy
which you showed long ago.
Do not recall the sins and failings of my youth.
In your mercy remember me, Lord,
because of your goodness.
Amen
Kyrie
Lord Jesus,
you opened the eyes of the blind,
healed the sick,
forgave the sinful woman,
and after Peter’s denial confirmed him in your love.
Listen to my prayer:
forgive all my sins,
renew your love in my heart,
help me to live in perfect unity
with my fellow Christians
that I may proclaim your saving power
to all the world.
Amen
The Word of the Lord
Psalm 51: 1–2
Read by Raphael Atoyebi
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
John 12: 20–33
Read by Ola Atoyebi
Jesus Predicts his Death
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.
27 ‘Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!’
Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
NIV®
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.
Meditation
Choral Reflection: God so loved the world (Stainer)
An 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
Intercessions
Led by Katherine Wheldon
The Peace
Jesus says,
‘Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Holy Communion
The Eucharistic Prayer
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 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 thanks and praise.
Father, you made the world and love your creation.
You gave your Son Jesus Christ to be our Saviour.
His dying and rising have set us free from sin and death.
By your Holy Spirit you make us your friends.
And so we gladly thank you,
with saints and angels praising you and saying:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
All glory to your name.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We praise and bless you, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord;
send your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts,
the broken bread and wine out-poured,
may be for us the body and blood of your Dear Son.
On the night before he died he had supper with his friends
and taking the bread he praised you, he broke the bread
and shared it with them and said,
‘Take – eat –this is my body, which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.’
When supper was ended he took the cup of wine,
again he gave you thanks and shared it and said,
‘Drink this, all of you, this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you and many for the remission of sins.
Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.’
So, Father, as we remember all that Jesus did,
we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross.
We proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Lord of all life, help us to work together for that aim,
when your kingdom comes and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.
Look with favour on your people; gather us in your loving arms
and bring us with all the saints to feast at your table in heaven,
through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honour and glory are yours,
all loving Father, for ever and ever.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
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
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.
Take this bread:
Share this wine.
In these Christ comes to us with love from God.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Amen
Prayer after Communion
Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that you have satisfied
our hunger and our thirst
with living bread and living wine.
Go with us now,
and help us to share what we have received,
so that those we meet
may glimpse a little of your love
and through coming to know you
find nourishment for their souls.
Amen
Notices
Lent Study Groups
Lent Study Groups continue this week with Session 5 ‘A Grain of Wheat’ at 7.15 pm on Tuesday, at11.00 am on Wednesday, and at 7.30 pm on Thursday, all by Zoom.
Annual Congregational Meeting 2021
The 2021 Annual Congregational Meeting is today (Sunday, 21 March 2021) by Zoom at 11.30 am, following this Service. A copy of the draft Annual Report 2020 has been posted on the Cornerstone website at: https://cornerstonemk.co.uk/annual-report-2020/.
Offering
Thank you
to everyone who has continued giving through our regular schemes during these past months.
Your generosity has been amazing and much appreciated.
We couldn’t have carried on without you.
We have various ways in which you can continue to give your offering in support of the Church.
For details please contact the Stewardship Secretary, Janet Trimnell, at steward.cccmk@gmail.com
Full details are also available on our website at: www.cornerstonemk.co.uk/giving.
Hymn: Praise to the Holiest in the height
Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise:
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways.
O loving wisdom of our God!
when all was sin and shame,
a second Adam to the fight
and to the rescue came.
O wisest love! that flesh and blood,
which did in Adam fail,
should strive afresh against the foe,
should strive and should prevail.
And that a higher gift than grace
should flesh and blood refine,
God’s presence and his very self,
and essence all-divine.
O generous love! that he, who smote
in Man for man the foe,
the double agony in Man
for man should undergo.
And in the garden secretly,
and on the cross on high,
should teach his brethren, and inspire
to suffer and to die.
Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise:
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways.
John Henry Newman (1801–1890)
CCL31580
The Blessing
God, go with us in our journey of Lent,
revive us when we grow weary,
direct us when we go astray,
inspire us when we turn back.
Keep us traveling ever-onwards,
a pilgrim people,
looking to Jesus Christ,
who has run the race before us,
and who waits to welcome us home.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Amen
The following music couldn’t be used in the online service:
Just as I am, without one plea
Words by Charlotte Elliott in 1836. Tune WOODWORTH, composed by William Bachelder Bradbury.
Herzlich tut mich verlangen
“O Sacred Head, sore wounded” Melody composed by Hans Leo Hassler, harmonized by Johann Sebastian Bach BWV 727.
