Service of the Word – Live streamed – Sunday, 8 May 2022
A separate video feed of the choir is available here.
Led by: Revd George Mwaura
Gathering Music
Call to Worship
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness, come before him with happy songs.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
Remember that he made us and that we are his.
We are his people, the flock of his pasture.
Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to God and bless his holy name.
Give thanks and bless his holy name,
for the Lord is good, his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Amen
Greetings and Welcome
Hymn: Christ, whose glory fills the skies
Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.
Dark and cheerless is the morn
unaccompanied by thee;
joyless is the day’s return,
till thy mercy’s beams I see,
till they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
Visit then this soul of mine,
pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
fill me, radiancy divine,
scatter all my unbelief;
more and more thyself display,
shining to the perfect day.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788))
CCL31580
Prayers
Loving God, we need you, we need you every hour of every day,
we need your support, your love and your helping hand.
We need your word to guide us, your Spirit to inspire us and your strength to hold us up.
Be present with us at this hour of worship.
Make us the people you want us to be.
Lord, we know you by many names and your presence fills our lives –
all that we are and all that we have comes from you;
all that you do declares your love for us.
Yet when trouble comes, when adversity plagues us, we wonder where you are;
we even wonder who you are.
How quickly we forget that you are always with us.
Dispel our gloom and despair.
Change our garments of darkness into robes of dazzling light.
Spread your table before us, and feed us from your hand.
Lead us in the paths of righteousness, for it is in your name that we pray.
Amen
[A moment of silence]Absolution
Even in the darkest valley, though death’s shadow may threaten us,
we need not fear, for the Lord is with us.
God will comfort and shelter us and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Amen
[Silence]Prayer of the Week
Living God, we thank you for seeking us out – as a shepherd seeks his sheep.
We thank you for keeping us safe –
for standing with us in adversity and for blessing us with all that we have.
Help us to listen more to you than we do right now
and give us the faith to follow you more perfectly
in the name of the one who rose from the grave by your power.
Amen
Ministry of the Word
Psalm 23
Read by Nerys Steeds
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn: The church’s one foundation
The church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word;
from heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride,
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.
Elect from every nation,
yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
’Mid toil, and tribulation,
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace for evermore;
till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blest,
and the great Church victorious
shall be the Church at rest.
Yet she on earth hath union
with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
with those whose rest is one:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with thee.
S.J. Stone (1839–1900)
CCL31580
John 10: 22–30
Read by Peter Steeds
Further Conflict over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered round him, saying, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’
25 Jesus answered, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.’
NIV®
Meditation
By Revd George Mwaura
[Silence]Affirmation of Faith
We believe in God,
the creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen
Prayers of Intercession
Led by Adrian Boynton
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 the Peace
Notices
Do you need something new to read?
Book Sale in the Guildhall, Sunday, 8 May 2022
During coffee after the Sunday service some ‘nearly new’ books will be on sale in the Guildhall. The money raised is for church funds. Thrillers, crime novels, romance, … . Come and choose! Suggested donations: paperbacks £1; hardbacks £2.
Christian Aid Week
15–21 May 2022
Next week, beginning on Sunday, 15 May 2022, is Christian Aid week. The theme this year is ‘Turning hunger into hope’. For more information, and for ideas about how to get involved, please visit the Christian Aid Week 2022 website. More information about Christian Aid Week at Cornerstone will be in next week’s Notice Sheet.
Home-baked Cake Sale for Christian Aid
Sunday, 22 May 2022 in the Guildhall after 10.00 am Service
Cornerstone is fundraising for Christian Aid with the help of our super bakers! Please note the date, and start baking, or at least getting hungry..
If you can help, please let Heather Hughes know, either in church, or by emailing Heather at mk_hmh@outlook.com.
Cornerstone Prayer Network
Prayer is central to our Christian fellowship. The Cornerstone Prayer Network is here for people who have asked us to pray for them. Please send your prayer requests to cornerstonechurch.prayernetwork@gmail.com and the details will be passed on to the members of the Prayer Network. If your prayer request is for someone else, please check with them before sending details to the Cornerstone Prayer Network.
If you would like to become a member of the Cornerstone Prayer Network, please send your details by email to cornerstonechurch.prayernetwork@gmail.com, or speak to June after a Service in the church.
Notices for the Cornerstone Notice Sheet
It’s always good to read about events and activities that are being arranged at Cornerstone. It’s also interesting to find out what our committees are discussing and planning. If you have anything like this that you would like to share with the Cornerstone Congregation, please send the text of your Notice by email (preferably) to our Administrator, Mark Okor (admin@cornerstonemk.co.uk) and to Robin Kyd (robin_kyd@ýahoo.co.uk), who usually compiles the Notice Sheet. Please send any Notices to arrive by 5.00 pm on the Wednesday before the weekend when you would like the Notice to appear.
‘God loves a cheerful giver’
Thanks to your generous giving we can be an OASIS OF HOPE to Milton Keynes.
Please keep supporting our mission!
If you are at our worship service in the church building and would like to make an offering, please place your offering in the basket at the door to the worship area. If you can’t find it, please ask the stewards.
There are many different ways to give: online, telephone banking or by cheque. For more information how to give please visit the Cornerstone website (www.cornerstonemk.co.uk) or contact: steward.cccmk@gmail.com.
Thank you for your support. It is much appreciated.
Hymn: I, the Lord of sea and sky
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them,
they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
my hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
till their hearts be satisfied,
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
Dan Schutte (b. 1947)
CCL31580
Blessings
In the power of the Holy Spirit,
go now, go forth into the world to fulfil your calling
as the people of God, the body of Christ.
And may the blessings of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
rest and remain upon you all today and for ever
Amen
Dismissal
Church, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ.
Amen