Service of the Word – Live Streamed – Sunday, 14 June 2026
With Revd George Mwaura
and Grace Hunting LLM
Call to Worship
We gather in the presence of the God who visits His people with grace and promise.
We come to worship the Lord, whose word brings life and hope.
Abraham welcomed the Lord and received a blessing beyond imagination.
We open our hearts to God’s presence among us today.
Jesus went through towns and villages, teaching, healing, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.
We rejoice in Christ’s compassion for all who are weary and burdened.
The harvest is plentiful, and God continues to call labourers into His service.
Here we are, Lord; send us in Your name.
Let us worship God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Greetings and Welcome
Opening Prayer
Gracious and loving God, you revealed yourself to Abraham through hospitality and promise,
and in Jesus Christ you revealed your compassion for the crowds and your care for the lost.
As we gather in worship today, open our eyes to your presence, our ears to your word,
and our hearts to your call. Through Jesus’ Mighty name.
Amen
Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him,
for he is your health and salvation.
all you who hear, now to his altar draw near,
join in profound adoration.
Praise to the Lord, let us offer
our gifts at his altar,
let not our sins and transgressions
now cause us to falter,
Christ, the High Priest,
bids us all join in his feast,
gathered with him at the altar.
Praise to the Lord, who will
prosper our work and defend us;
surely his goodness and mercy
here daily attend us;
ponder anew all the Almighty can do,
he who with love will befriend us.
Praise to the Lord, oh let all that
is in us adore him!
All that has life and breath,
come now in praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from
his people again,
now as we worship before him.
Joachim Neander (1650–1680)
tr. Catherine Winkworth (1827–1878) and others
CCL31580
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession
Faithful God, we thank you for your steadfast love, for the promises you keep,
and for the mercy you show to every generation.
We thank you for Jesus Christ, who came among us proclaiming good news,
healing the broken, welcoming the outcast, and showing compassion to all in need.
We thank you for your Church, for the fellowship of believers,
and for the privilege of sharing in your mission.
Merciful Lord, we confess that we have not always trusted your promises.
Like Sarah, we sometimes doubt what seems impossible.
We have allowed fear to overcome faith and have questioned your power and purpose.
We confess that we have often seen the needs around us
yet failed to respond with Christ-like compassion.
We have been slow to pray, slow to serve, and reluctant to follow your call.
Forgive us, Lord. Renew our trust in your faithfulness,
restore our joy in serving you, and make us willing workers in your harvest field.
Through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen
[Silence]Assurance of Grace
Hear the good news: God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, restored, and called anew to serve him.
Thanks be to God.
Amen
Kyrie
Ministry of the Word
Genesis 18: 1–15
Read by Rosemary Goldie
The three visitors
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way – now that you have come to your servant.’
‘Very well,’ they answered, ‘do as you say.’
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. ‘Quick,’ he said, ‘get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.’
7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
9 ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him.
‘There, in the tent,’ he said.
10 Then one of them said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?’
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Will I really have a child, now that I am old?” 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.’
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, ‘I did not laugh.’
But he said, ‘Yes, you did laugh.’
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn: Lord, you give the great commission
Lord, you give the great commission:
‘Heal the sick and preach the word.’
Lest the Church neglect its mission,
and the Gospel go unheard,
help us witness to your purpose
with renewed integrity;
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us
for the work of ministry.
Lord, you call us to your service:
‘In my name baptise and teach.’
That the world may trust your promise,
life abundant meant for each,
give us all new fervour, draw us
closer in community;
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us
for the work of ministry.
Lord, you make the common holy:
‘This my body, this my blood.’
Let us all, for earth’s true glory,
daily lift life heavenward,
asking that the world around us
share your children’s liberty;
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us
for the work of ministry.
Lord, you show us love’s true measure;
‘Father, what they do, forgive.’
Yet we hoard as private treasure
all that you so freely give.
May your care and mercy lead us
to a just society;
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us
for the work of ministry.
Lord, you bless with words assuring:
‘I am with you to the end.’
Faith and hope and love restoring,
may we serve as you intend,
and, amid the care that claim us,
hold in mind eternity;
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us
for the work of ministry.
Jeffrey Rowthorn (1934–2025)
CCL31580
Matthew 9: 35 – 10: 8
Read by Colin Ballard
The workers are few
9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’
Jesus sends out the Twelve
10:1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and illness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 8 Heal those who are ill, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
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 one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen
Hymn: Brother, sister, let me serve you
Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
We are pilgrims on a journey
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we’ve seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.
Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
Richard Gillard (b. 1953)
CCL31580
Prayers and Intercessions
Led by Don Head
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
Christ has reconciled us to God and to one another. Through his grace we are members of one body.
Friends may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Let us share with one another a sign of Christ’s peace.
Notices and Offertory
Worship Area Flowers Birthday Celebration
The flower arrangement celebrates John Brown’s 80th birthday this week. Many congratulations to him, and to Jean!
Daily prayers
Dear Cornerstone family!
We invite you to volunteer in preparing our daily online prayers/devotions. What may seem like a simple act of service becomes a powerful ministry that uplifts hearts, strengthens faith, and ushers God’s presence into the lives of many. When you stand in the gap through prayer, you become a vessel of encouragement, hope, and spiritual renewal. The Lord honours those who faithfully pour into others, and the blessings that flow from serving Him are truly rewarding beyond measure. Come, be part of this sacred assignment. Your voice, your prayer, and your willingness can ignite faith and transform lives.
Revd George
Big Green Week Eco Craft Fayres
Saturday, 6 June – Monday, 15 June 2026 in the Cloisters
11.00 am – 6.00 pm Monday–Friday; 11.00 am – 4.30 pm Saturday
Celebrate Big Green Week: discover unique upcycled gifts and craft your own sustainable story.
Come and meet a wide selection of sustainable craft vendors offering eco-friendly gift options.
Wednesday Bible Study
Bible Study is taking a break and will resume on Wednesday, 22 July 2026. Revd George asks us to prepare by reading Acts chapters 9–12.
Vacancy for Anglican Minister at Cornerstone
Short-listed candidates will be invited to Milton Keynes on 23 & 24 June 2026, with interviews on Wednesday, 24 June 2026. Please continue to pray for all those involved in this important process.
Cornerstone Chapel
On Wednesday, 24 June 2026 the Chapel will be reserved for private personal prayer by candidates for the post of Anglican Minister at Cornerstone.
Offertory Prayer
Gracious God, all abundance flows from your endless love.
We humbly present these offerings before you, those placed before your altar today
and those given faithfully throughout the week,
whether shared in person or offered electronically, seen and unseen.
Receive them all as signs of our gratitude and tokens of our trust in you.
Bless these gifts and those who give them, that they may serve your purposes, proclaim your kingdom,
and reflect the generous love revealed to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Prayer of the Week
Lord God, whose compassion reaches the weary and whose promises never fail,
go with us into the week before us.
Strengthen us when we are tired, encourage us when we are uncertain,
and guide us when we seek your will.
Make us attentive to those in need, faithful in prayer,
generous in service, and courageous in witness.
May we be labourers in your harvest, bringing hope, healing, and peace
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Hymn: Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go
Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go,
my daily labour to pursue;
Thee, only thee, resolved to know,
in all I think or speak or do.
The task thy wisdom has assigned
O let me cheerfully fulfil;
in all my works thy presence find,
and prove thy good and perfect will.
Preserve me from my calling’s snare,
and hide my simple heart above,
above the thorns of choking care,
the gilded baits of worldly love.
Thee may I set at my right hand,
whose eyes my inmost substance see,
and labour on at thy command,
and offer all my work to thee.
Give me to bear thy easy yoke,
and every moment watch and pray,
and still to things eternal look,
and hasten to thy glorious day.
For thee delightfully employ
whate’er thy bounteous grace hath given,
and run my course with even joy,
and closely walk with thee to heaven.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
CCL31580
Blessing
May the God of Abraham and Sarah, who is faithful to every promise, fill you with hope and trust.
May Jesus Christ, who had compassion on the crowds, fill you with love for all people.
May the Holy Spirit, who equips and sends God’s people, strengthen you for service and witness.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen
Sending out
The harvest is plentiful.
We will serve where God sends us.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ we will.
Amen
Benediction
May God’s blessing surround us each day,
as we trust him and walk in his way.
May his presence within guard and keep us from sin.
Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.