Led by: Revd George Mwaura
Preacher: Revd Nigel Adkinson

Gathering Music

Call to Worship

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

Today we proclaim Christ the King, whose throne is established not by earthly power, but by sacrificial love.

Though he hung upon a cross, mocked and reviled, he reigns from eternity to eternity.

Be still and know that he is God; he will be exalted among the nations, he will be exalted in the earth.

Come, let us worship Christ our King-

Amen, Alleluia!

Greetings and Welcome

Hymn: The Lord is King! Lift up thy voice

The Lord is King! Lift up thy voice,
O earth, and all ye heavens rejoice;
from world to world the joy shall ring,
‘The Lord omnipotent is King!’

The Lord is King! who then shall dare
resist his will, distrust his care,
or murmur at his wise decrees,
or doubt his royal promises.

He reigns! ye saints, exalt your strains;
your God is King, your Father resigns;
and he is at the Father’s side,
the Man of love, the Crucified.

Alike pervaded by his eye
all parts of his dominion lie:
this world of ours and worlds unseen,
and thin the boundary between.

One Lord one empire all secures;
he reigns, and life and death are yours;
through earth and heaven one song shall ring,
‘The Lord omnipotent is King!’

Josiah Conder (1789–1855))
CCL31580

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession

Holy God, King of all creation, we give you thanks for your steadfast love and unwavering presence.
You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.
We thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, not as an earthly dictator but as a humble servant,
who revealed your kingdom through suffering and self-giving love.
We praise you for his triumph over death, and for the promise of eternal life through his reign.

Yet, Lord, we confess that we often fail to recognise his kingship in our lives and in the world.
We confess our pride, our desire for worldly power,
and our reluctance to embrace the humility of the cross.
We have too often ignored the cries of the suffering, forgotten the marginalized,
and failed to live out the radical love that Christ exemplified even in his final moments.
Forgive us, O God, for our indifference, our fear, and our self-centeredness.
Turn our hearts anew to your reign of justice and peace.

[Silence]

Words for Confession

Let us confess our sins to God together.

Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart,
nor our neighbours as ourselves. We have sought our own glory instead of yours
and have resisted the call to follow Christ’s humble and suffering reign.
Forgive us, we pray, for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our King.

Amen

Kyrie

Prayer of the Week

Eternal God, whose Son Jesus Christ was revealed as King upon the cross,
reigning through humility and sacrifice.
Grant us grace, we pray, to acknowledge his sovereignty in all things.
Empower us through your Spirit to embody his love, to serve those in need,
and to bear witness to his kingdom of justice and peace, until he comes again in glory

Amen

Bible Readings

Psalm 46

Read by Rosemary Goldie

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.’

¹¹ The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

NIV®

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

Hymn: Meekness and majesty

Meekness and majesty, manhood and deity,
in perfect harmony, the Man who is God.
Lord of eternity dwells,
kneels in humility and washes our feet.

O what a mystery, meekness and majesty,
bow down and worship for this is your God,
this is your God.

Father’s pure radiance, perfect in innocence,
yet learns obedience to death on a cross.
Suffering to give us life, conquering through sacrifice,
and as they crucify prays: ‘Father forgive.’

O what a mystery, …

Wisdom unsearchable, God the invisible,
love indestructible in frailness appears.
Lord of infinity, stooping so tenderly,
lifts our humanity to the heights of his throne.

O what a mystery, …

Graham Kendrick (b. 1950)
CCL31580

Luke 23: 33–43

Read by Brian Halstead

³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.’

³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷ and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’

³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’

⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’

⁴² Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’

⁴³ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

NIV®

This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.

Sermon

By Revd Nigel Adkinson

Musical Meditation

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who, though mocked and crucified, reigns as King of all.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the life-giver,
who empowers us to live as citizens of his eternal kingdom.
We believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

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/span>

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

Prayers of Intercession

Led by Grace Hunting

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

Sharing Peace

Though Christ suffered on the cross, he offers us a peace that the world cannot give.

My dear friends, may the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be always with you.
And also with you.

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

Notices and Offertory

Our visiting Minister: Revd Nigel Adkinson – Biographical Note

Born and growing up in Cheshire, I attended the local grammar school and then began a thirty-year career in children and family social and court work, where I met my wife, Liz. We have one daughter Katy, and two granddaughters, Millie and Sophie. Growing up in a family of faith, Church was always an important part of my life. I became a member of the URC at the age of 18 in 1977. Encouragement to explore a call to ministry led to a four-year course at Northern College, beginning in 2010. Then followed a six-year ministry in North Manchester, where I met my colleague and friend Revd George Mwaura. Liz and I moved to Northampton in 2019, and I currently serve as Convenor of the East Midlands Synod Ordained Ministry and Churches Group and preach around the Northamptonshire churches. It is a privilege to join you all today in worship.

Light up the Dome for a Loved One this Christmas

To help raise funds for the church, you can sponsor the lighting of the Dome during the Christmas season. Do you have an anniversary or a special birthday or maybe you want to remember someone special?

You can sign up for your special date on the board on the round table in the Reception Area. All the details about how you can pay your donation are there as well (cash, cheque, card or bank transfer). If you are able to consider a minimum donation of £20, that would be much appreciated. Last year we raised just over £1000.

If you are not able to come into the building at the moment, but would like to sponsor a date, please email Peter (petercope26@gmail.com) with the details.

THANK YOU! Peter Cope

Advent Bible Study 2025

Advent Studies this year begin next week. We have three groups, meeting on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The Tuesday Group, led by Rosemary Kearsey, will meet at 7.15 pm, starting on Tuesday, 25 November 2025. If you would like to join this group, and have not already done so, please contact Rosemary by email (rosemary.kearsey@btopenworld.com).

The Wednesday Group, led by Revd George, will meet at 7.00 pm, starting on Wednesday, 26 November 2025. If you have not already joined the Wednesday Group, and would like to join, please email robin_kyd@yahoo.co.uk).

The Thursday Group, led by Stuart Kean (stuart.kean@gmail.com), will meet at 7.30 pm, starting on Thursday, 27 November 2025.

A link to the Zoom session for each weekly session will be sent to the members of the respective group prior to each session.

Moving forward

Thank you to everyone who has responded to Bishop Dave’s invitation to share ideas on these two key questions:

• Considering our vision to be an Oasis of Hope in the city and the changes we are navigating, what essential qualities should we seek in a minister to work among us?
• Thinking of our vision above, what are your dreams for our church’s future, and how do you see us embodying this vision more fully in the community?

There is still time to respond. Please feel free to write your thoughts down on paper and bring them with you to church next Sunday. These will then be handed to Revd Asa Humphreys, and his team as they work on the profile for the church,

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

Hymn: Crown him with many crowns

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon the throne;
hark, how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

Crown him the Virgin’s Son,
the God incarnate born,
whose arm those crimson trophies won
which now his brow adorn:
Fruit of the mystic Rose,
as of that Rose the Stem;
the Root whence mercy ever flows,
the Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
those wounds yet visible above
in beauty glorified:
no angel in the sky
can fully bear the sight,
but downward bends his burning eye
at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of peace,
whose power a sceptre sways
from pole to pole that, wars may cease
and all be prayer and praise;
his reign shall know no end
and round his pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of years,
the Potentate of time,
creator of the rolling spheres,
ineffably sublime:
all hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me;
thy praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.

Matthew Bridges (1800–1894)
Revelation 19: 12)
CCL31580

Blessings and Sending out

May the God of all grace, who called you to eternal glory in Christ,
restore, strengthen, and establish you.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us today and always.

Amen

Dismissal

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

In the name of Christ, we will.

Amen