Led by Revd George Mwaura
Preacher: Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Gathering Music

Prayer of Approach

We praise you, Lord God, for you are the holy one, the creator of all things,
and yet you are our Saviour, redeemer, and friend.
Help us to experience you today as our loving heavenly parent that, sensing your holiness,
we may in awe hear your truth and allow you to transform us.
We offer you our worship and ask that you will be glorified in this place and in our lives,
for you are our God for ever.

Amen

Greetings and Welcome

Opening Prayers

Holy and merciful God, we gather in your presence today,
like your people have done throughout ages past, to hear your word and seek your face.
You are the God who speaks truth, even when truth is hard to bear.
You are the God who calls us to return, with all our hearts, holding nothing back.
Like the prophets of old, you strip away our pretences,
not to shame us, but to save us, not to condemn, but to redeem.
Grant us courage to hear your word, wisdom to understand your truth,
and strength to follow where you lead, even when the path is difficult.
Make us brave to speak when we feel you nudging us.
Help us to trust the words you give us.
May we fulfil your plan for our lives wherever you send us
and bring glory to your holy name, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen

Hymn: Immortal, invisible, God only wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we raise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light;
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might –
thy justice like mountains high-soaring above
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render: O help us to see
’tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

Chalmers Smith (1825–1908)
CCL31580

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession

We thank you Lord, that you nurture our faith,
helping us to believe, and to live out our lives through your calling to us.
We thank you for your constant love and faithfulness.
We thank you that you hear us, answer us and strengthen us.
We thank you for your promises and your care.
We thank you that we cannot hide from you and for the assurance that you are always with us.
Holy God, we know that on our own we fail and fall, falter and stumble,
but we know that with you we can be better.
You call us to be the best we can be, and we know we have failed.
We confess those failings and seek your forgiveness.

Amen

[Silence]

Assurance of Forgiveness

Our holy God has heard our confession, felt our pain, knows our desires,
has forgiven us, renewed us, freed us, refreshed us in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Blessings abound when you call us, Lord:
when we encounter you in expected and unexpected places,
when you speak to our need, are balm to our woes, are a guide in our confusion,
an anchor in our uncertainty, a challenge in our complacency and love beyond measure.
How can we not live in awe of all you are, have been and will be?

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Psalm 138

Read by Veronica Fernandes

¹ I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise.
² I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.
³ When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me.

⁴ May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
⁵May they sing of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord is great.

⁶ Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar.
⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
with your right hand you save me.
⁸ The Lord will vindicate me;
your love, Lord, endures for ever –
do not abandon the works of your hands.

NIV®

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

Luke 5: 1–11

Read by Cheryl Montgomery

Jesus calls his first disciples

¹ One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’

⁵ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’

⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.’ ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

NIV®

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

Meditation

By Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

[Silence]

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

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

Prayers and Intercessions

Led by Maggie Kean

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

The Peace

Peace to you from God who is our Father.
Peace from Jesus Christ who is our peace.
Peace from the Holy Spirit who gives us life.

The peace of God be always with you
and also with you!

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Notices

Update on Bishop of Oxford’s Visitation to Cornerstone

The Church Council meets on Tuesday (11 February 2025) to begin considering the recommendations in the Visitation Report. If you have anything that you would like the Church Council to be considering, please speak to the Chair, Cheryl Montgomery, or any of the trustees.

Bishop Simon will be returning to Cornerstone on Tuesday, 11 March 2025, to meet members of the Church Council, the Clergy, the PCC, the directors and staff of the Trading Company and the two nominated trustees of Cornerstone Trust. Bishop Simon will be discussing with the meeting the next steps in implementing the Visitation recommendations.

If you have not yet seen the Visitation Report and would like a copy, please contact Robin Kyd (robin_kyd@yahoo.co.uk), Cheryl Montgomery or Pat Kyd.

Revd Roy Martin

We are sad to learn of the death of Revd Roy Martin last Saturday morning (1 February 2025). Roy was a retired URC minister, who with his wife Joy has worshipped at Christ the Cornerstone ever since retiring to Milton Keynes in 1995. Roy began his ministry in 1956 in Cheadle Hulme; from 1962 to 1980 he was in India ministering with the Church of South India; before returning to this country, ministering first at Christ Church, Enfield 1980–87, and then at St Margaret’s & St George’s, Harlesden 1987–9.5.

Please hold Joy, their son Peter and the rest of their family in your prayers.

Roy’s funeral will be at Cornerstone at 2.30 pm on Tuesday, 4 March 2025. More details will be shared with you as they become available.

Lent Studies

Ash Wednesday is 5 March 2025. We shall be holding at least three series of Lent studies, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The materials we shall be studying are from ‘A Search for Peace’ by John Birch from Faith & Worship (www.faithandworship.com). There will be five weekly sessions. More information will be made available in the lead up to Lent.

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 Halstead after a Service in the church.

Cornerstone Notice Sheet by email?

Would you like to be able to read the Cornerstone Notice Sheet every week, whether or not you are able to come to church? If you would, and are not already on the mailing list, please send an email to: robin_kyd@yahoo.co.uk and he will add your email address to the mailing list.

Robin Kyd

Copy deadline for notices for the weekly Cornerstone Notice Sheet

To allow time for preparing the Notice Sheet before it is passed over to Mark Okor for printing, please ensure that all information for the Notice Sheet is received by Mark Okor or Robin Kyd by lunchtime on Wednesday. Mark’s working hours are 9.00 am – 12.30 pm on Wednesday and Thursday and 9.00 am – 12.00 noon on Friday.

Consecration of new bishops

The Diocese of Oxford has announced that the two new area bishops in the diocese will be consecrated by the Archbishop of York in Canterbury Cathedral at 11.00 am on Thursday, 27 February 2025. Revd Canon Dave Bull will be our new area bishop and Revd Canon Mary Gregory will be Bishop of Reading. The consecration will be live-streamed and the link will be included in the Notice Sheet when it is available.

Offering

Final Prayer

Gracious God, we thank you for your presence among us today and always.
Just as you brought new life to the man who had waited so long,
we ask you to touch our lives with your healing hand.
Help us to rise above our struggles, to walk in faith and strength,
and to carry your love into the world around us.
May we leave this place renewed in body and spirit,
trusting in your promise of hope and transformation in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Hymn: From heaven you came, helpless babe

From heaven you came, helpless babe,
entered our world, your glory veiled;
not to be served, but to serve,
and give your life, that we might live.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

There in the garden of tears,
my heavy load he chose to bear;
his heart with sorrow was torn,
‘Yet not my will but yours,’ he said.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

Come see his hands and his feet,
the scars that speak of sacrifice,
hands that flung stars into space
to cruel nails surrendered.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

So let us learn how to serve,
and in our lives enthrone him;
each other’s needs to prefer,
for it is Christ we’re serving.
This our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

Graham Kendrick (b. 1950)
CCL31580

Blessing

Almighty God, you have given us a fresh glimpse of your glory and majesty. We are not worthy to walk with you, but you have made us clean. Send us out, in the power of your Holy Spirit, to speak your words and to show your love. And the blessings of God Almighty, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest and remain with us today and always.

Amen

Sending out

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

In the name of Christ, we will.

Amen