Service Sheet for Service of the Word Sunday, 11 July 2021
This Service is streamed live from the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, with cameras live from 9.45 am for a 10.00 am start. You can access the live stream at: Service of the Word live stream, 11 July 2021.
Preacher: Revd George Mwaura
Led by Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
Welcome
Call to Worship
As we come together today
let us be mindful of our words and actions and the impact they have on those around us.
Let us seek God’s wisdom and love to guide us in all that we seek to do, today and in days to come.
Amen
Hymn: All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem
to crown him, crown him, crown him,
crown him, Lord of all.
Crown him, ye martyrs of your God,
who from his altar call;
praise him whose path of pain ye trod,
and crown him, crown him, crown him,
crown him, Lord of all.
Ye prophets who our freedom won,
ye searchers great and small,
by whom the work of truth is done,
now crown him, crown him, crown him,
crown him, Lord of all.
Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
go spread your trophies at his feet,
and crown him, crown him, crown him,
crown him, Lord of all.
Bless him, each poor oppressed race
that Christ did upward call;
his hand in each achievement trace,
and crown him, crown him, crown him,
crown him, Lord of all.
Let every tribe and every tongue
to him their hearts enthral:
lift high the universal song,
and crown him, crown him, crown him,
crown him, Lord of all.
Edward Perronet (1726–1792) and others
CCL31580
Gathering Prayer
Almighty God, we praise you that you show us how to use power wisely.
Help us, as we worship together, to learn more of your ways,
to understand that our actions have consequences,
and to seek your wisdom in making decisions that may impact on others.
This we ask in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Confession
Powerful God, forgive us when we have not used our power
to influence for good, but for our own purposes;
when our actions have hurt and excluded others;
when we have allowed greed, fear and pride to get in the way.
God, forgive us.
Let our thoughts, our words and our actions glorify you and reveal your presence and purposes.
Amen
Absolution
The almighty and powerful God forgives your sins.
When you have put yourself before others, God forgives you and heals you,
giving you grace and mercy and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Prayer of the Week
Almighty God, we thank you that we can come to you
knowing that you care about each one of us,
and all our needs, however big or small. You created the heavens and the earth.
You put stars into space and filled the mighty seas.
Your power and your greatness is all around us –
from mountaintops to the intricacies of a tiny flower.
Thank you that your power is limitless.
We are so small in comparison, but you love us all the same.
We adore you, Creator God.
Amen
Ministry of the Word
Amos 7: 7–15
Read by Rosemary Goldie
7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb-line in his hand. 8 And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’
‘A plumb-line,’ I replied.
Then the Lord said, ‘Look, I am setting a plumb-line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
9 ‘The high places of Isaac will be destroyed
and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined;
with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.’
Amos and Amaziah
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: ‘Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying:
‘ “Jeroboam will die by the sword,
and Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their native land.” ’
12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, ‘Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.’
14 Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.
15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” …’
NIV®
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn: For I’m building a people of power
For I’m building a people of power
and I’m making a people of praise,
that will move through this land by my Spirit,
and will glorify my precious Name.
Build your Church, Lord,
make us strong, Lord,
join our hearts, Lord, through your Son.
Make us one, Lord,
in your Body,
in the Kingdom of your Son.
Dave Richards
CCL31580
Psalm 85: 8–13
Read by Blessing Onwunali
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants –
but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
NIV®
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.
Sermon
By Revd George Mwaura
Amen
Choral response: Make me a channel of your peace
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord.
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness only light,
and where there’s sadness ever joy.
Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love, with all my soul
Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
Sebastian Temple (1928–1997)
CCL31580
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
Intercessions
By David Moore
Amen
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
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
and desires we live reconciled lives with the earth and its inhabitants.
The peace of God be always with you.
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace in the agreed protocol.
Notices
Diamond Wedding and Ninetieth Birthday
Jill and Anton Peruško are celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary and Anton’s 90th birthday this year. We want to share these occasions with our friends at Cornerstone. We will celebrate together at the Catholic Mass on Saturday, 17 July 2021 and again at the service at 10.00 am on Sunday, 18 July 2021. Do please come and join us.
Jill and Anton
New: Drop-in Friendship Café
Fridays every fortnight, 10.30 am –12.00 noon, beginning Friday, 16 July 2021
Catch up with old friends and make new ones! Pop into the ‘Friendship Café’ in the Cornerstone Café, for a chat over coffee.
You don’t need to book!
Pat Kyd, on behalf of the Pastoral Committee
New online meeting for Sunday evenings
Next week, on Sunday, 18 July 2021, we shall be starting a new venture, ‘Sunday Evenings Together @ Cornerstone’.
Sunday Evenings Together will be on line, using Zoom,
aimed primarily at those of our fellowship who are unable to attend services in the Church building,
but it will, of course, be open to anyone who wishes to join us.
Our aim is for a more relaxed atmosphere than a morning service, with songs, readings and prayers.
A short meditation or reflection may be included, but not always.
We will meet at 6.00 pm every Sunday evening, except for the second Sunday of each month.
Zoom invitations will be published on the Cornerstone website, through email and on the Living Stones WhatsApp group.
Janet and I are putting together a team of people who will lead the sessions,
so there will be a variety of styles available, reflecting our Ecumenical fellowship.
We look forward to your company.
Ian and Janet Trimnell
Ride and Stride
Saturday, 11 September 2021
The sales of bicycles have taken off during the pandemic as people tried to keep fit.
I hope a number of members at Christ the Cornerstone are cyclists and will be prepared to pedal on Saturday, 11 September 2021.
Buckinghamshire Historic Churches Trust (BHCT) organise a sponsored ‘Ride and Stride’ annually.
Participants ride or stride from church to church – a list is provided – raising money,
half of which supports BHCT and half to your own Church.
BHCT gives grants for the repair of churches over 100 years old, so we are not quite old enough to benefit,
but can definitely be building up goodwill as we age.
We are not well placed for walking, but a trip to Stony Stratford offers six interesting churches,
and Newport Pagnell and Olney have four each. Cyclists are well served by the redways in Milton Keynes.
All churches are encouraged to remain open and offer drinks and biscuits,
and as well as riders we shall need to have a rota of welcomers that day.
If you would be interested in taking part in any way (horse riders and scooters can take part, but no engines),
or would like more information please get in touch by emailing penny@pkeens.plus.com or leaving a note for me at Reception.
Penny Keens
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.
Final Prayer
Heavenly Father, from the very beginning of Genesis
we see the relationship between word and action – you spoke and it was so.
As we leave this place, may we be aware of our words and actions.
May the Holy Spirit guide us, so that what we say and what we do
builds up your kingdom, and breaks down barriers.
This we ask in Jesus’ name.
Amen
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
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
may the Lord make his face shine on you, and be gracious to you;
may the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace:
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you today and always
Amen
Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ.
Amen
