Service of the Word – Live Stream, 1 August 2021
The Service of the Word will be live streamed today.
There are two cameras, one faces the Dais, covering the altar and lectern. The other camera faces the organ and choir area. The live feed from these cameras will be shown below. You may watch both or just one, depending upon the size of your device (two may fit on a laptop screen but may not on a phone’s screen).
You may need to adjust your sound volume to hear the service – this should be a temporary measure as we adjust the sound levels to suit the new cameras.
Please note that the feeds will go live from around 9.45 am and will be switched off after the service.
Altar Camera
Organ Camera
Living Stones
Led by Revd George Mwaura
Preacher: Krou Assoua LLM
Gathering Music
Call to Worship
Praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him, all you people.
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endures for ever.
Praise the Lord!
Amen
Greetings and Welcome
Hymn: All heaven declares
All heaven declares
the glory of the risen Lord;
who can compare
with the beauty of the risen Lord?
For ever he will be
the Lamb upon the throne;
I gladly bow the knee,
and worship him alone.
I will proclaim
the glory of the risen Lord,
who once was slain
to reconcile us to God
For ever you will be
the Lamb upon the throne;
I gladly bow the knee,
and worship you alone.
Noël Richards (b. 1955) and Tricia Richards (b. 1960)
CCL31580
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Confession
Absolution
God did not send Christ into the world to condemn the world, but to be its Saviour.
We can trust God’s word that we are a forgiven people.
Thanks be to God.
Amen
Prayer of the Week
Christ our Lord, your word says that we should cast all our anxieties on you
because you care for us. We must not be anxious about anything,
but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
we should present our requests to you,
and your peace, which transcends all understanding,
will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
And so, Lord, we come as we are,
trusting that you will give us your rest and peace in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Bible readings
Exodus 16: 2–4 & 9–15
Manna and quail
2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat round pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. …’
…
9 Then Moses told Aaron, ‘Say to the entire Israelite community, “Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.” ’
10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked towards the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 ‘I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, “At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” ’
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
John 6: 24–35
24 Once the crowd realised that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
Jesus the bread of life
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’
26 Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’
28 Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’
29 Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’
30 So they asked him, ‘What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’
32 Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’
34 ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’
35 Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’
NIV®
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.
Hymn: Jesus the Lord said: I am the bread
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the bread,
the bread of life for mankind am I,
the bread of life for mankind am I,
the bread of life for mankind am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the bread,
the bread of life for mankind am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the way,
the true and living way am I,
the true and living way am I,
the true and living way am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the way,
the true and living way am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the Light,
the one true Light for the world am I,
the one true Light for the world am I,
the one true Light for the world am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the Light,
the one true Light for the world am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the shepherd,
the one good shepherd of the sheep am I,
the one good shepherd of the sheep am I,
the one good shepherd of the sheep am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the Shepherd,
the one good shepherd of the sheep am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the Life,
the Resurrection and the Life am I,
the Resurrection and the Life am I,
the Resurrection and the Life am I.’
Jesus the Lord said: ‘I am the Life,
the Resurrection and the Life am I.’
Translated from the Urdu by Dermot Monahan (1906–1957)
CCL31580
Sermon
By Krou Assoua LLM
Choral reflection
Affirmation of Faith
Women:
We believe in God, infinite in wisdom, power and love,
whose mercy is over all his works,
and whose will is ever directed to his children’s good.
Men:
We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God,
the gift of God’s unfailing grace,
the ground of our hope,
and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death.
All:
We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our lives,
whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ
and find strength and help in time of need.
Amen
Prayers of Intercession
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, let us 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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen
Sharing the Peace
Brothers and sisters, we have been asked that as much as is possible and it depends on us,
to live in peace, to work for peace, to pray for peace and to share that very same peace.
And so, 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 reconciliation.
Notices
Climate at Cornerstone: Countdown to COP26
This Sunday (1 August 2021) at 2.00 pm in the Small Hall
All children and young people are invited come (with their friends) to share ideas and make designs for the amazing Coat of Hopes (https://www.coatofhopes.uk/). Jane Brough, the children’s worker for Queensway Methodist Church in Bletchley, will be leading the activities, and then Cheryl Montgomery will turn the designs into the patch to go on the coat.
The coat – with our patch – will be worn by pilgrims walking from Newhaven to Glasgow in time for the Climate Change Conference (https://ukcop26.org/) in Glasgow 31 October – 12 November 2021.
The pilgrimage links up with the Camino to COP (https://caminotocop.com/) in London, and will be in Milton Keynes 11–13 September 2021. Contact Cathy Hampton (C.M.Hampton@warwick.ac.uk) for more information.
David Chapman
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: Longing for light, we wait in darkness
Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.
Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.
Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice.
Christ be our light! ….
Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.
Christ be our light! ….
Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.
Christ be our light! ….
Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
helping your kingdom come.
Christ be our light! ….
Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957)
CCL31580
Blessing
Dismissal
Church, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ.
Amen