Special Commemoration Service in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – 1.00 pm Sunday, 18 September 2022
A separate video feed of the choir will be available here during the service.
Processional
How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings Fair (Requiem) Johannes Brahms
With music from Cornerstone Choir
How lovely are thy dwellings fair, O Lord of hosts
My soul, ever longeth, and fainteth for the courts of the Lord
My heart and flesh do cry to God, cry to the living God
Blest are they that in thy house are dwelling
they ever praise Thee O Lord
They praise Thee for evermore
Welcome
Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
Welcome to Christ the Cornerstone, the City Centre Church of Milton Keynes. In 1992 Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II opened and dedicated this place of worship; and thirty years later we meet on this day, in this same place, people from all corners of the earth, from all paths of life, of all abilities, young and old; people of many faiths and of none, to bid farewell to our late monarch, whose life of service to the nation and the world we remember and pay tribute today.
Welcome to The Church of Christ the Cornerstone.
Anthem
In Our Service Thomas Hewitt Jones
Taking inspiration from the speeches of HM The Queen
No gilded throne, nor gleaming crown of sapphire
Can sure outshine an earthly vow
To serve, to live with dignity
With humble stewardship and sacrifice
A pledge of unity: a vow of love.
Though earthly rulers’ roles are often fleeting,
Truth comes to those who nobly dare to live a life of constancy;
To love thy neighbor and thy family
A loving ministry, an act of love
So ev’ry day, we strive to do what’s right
Not choosing spite, nor breeding hate
A life of faith and honesty
As courage is the key to progress
We’ll surely journey on, sustained by love
The truth is grief is the price we pay for love
And surely love will life sustain
With endless grace of heart and mind
To ascend with ever greater purpose
Through all the darkest times, to show us holy life
Throughout the years of life, a vow of love
Reading – You Can Shed Tears That She Is Gone
Read by Poet Maureen Onwunali
You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she’s gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and
turn your back
or you can do what she’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Hymn – All My Hope On God Is Founded
All my hope on God is founded
He doth still my trust renew
Me through change and chance he guideth Only good and only true
God unknown, He alone
Calls my heart to be his own
God’s great goodness aye endureth
Deep his wisdom, passing thought
Splendour, light, and life attend him
Beauty springeth out of naught
Evermore, from his store
New-born worlds rise and adore
Daily doth th’Almighty giver
Bounteous gifts on us bestow
His desire our soul delighteth
Pleasure leads us where we go
Love doth stand at His hand
Joy doth wain on his command
Still from man to God eternal
Sacrifice of praise be done
High above all praises praising
For the gift of Christ his Son
Christ doth call one and all
Ye who follow shall not fall
New-born worlds rise and adore
Reading The Bidding
Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
In gratitude we bid farewell to a greatly loved Queen.
For her grace, humanity and sympathy,
for her courage in adversity,
for the happiness she brought to so many,
for her steadfast pilgrimage of faith,
for her example of service, and
for the duty which she rendered unflinchingly to her country,
we thank and praise Almighty God.
As we commend Elizabeth, his servant, to God’s mercy,
let us especially pray for her family in their loss.
Kyrie – Lord Have Mercy (15th Century)
Cornerstone Choir
Australian Aboriginal Proverb
Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
We are all visitors to this time, this place.
We are just passing through.
Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love…
and then we return home.
Tribute
By The Countess Howe, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire
Psalm 49
Sung by Cornerstone Choir
and said by congregation and Performing Artist Yaw Asiyama
Cornerstone Choir:
Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all you that dwell in the world,
You of low or high degree,
both rich and poor together.
Yaw Asiyama:
My mouth shall speak of wisdom
and my heart shall meditate on understanding.
I will incline my ear to a parable;
I will unfold my riddle with the lyre.
Cornerstone Choir:
Why should I fear in evil days,
when the malice of my foes surrounds me,
Such as trust in their goods
and glory in the abundance of their riches?
For no one can indeed ransom another
or pay to God the price of deliverance.
Congregation:
To ransom a soul is too costly;
there is no price one could pay for it,
So that they might live for ever,
and never see the grave.
Cornerstone Choir:
For we see that the wise die also;
with the foolish and ignorant they perish
and leave their riches to others.
Their tomb is their home for ever,
their dwelling through all generations,
though they call their lands after their own names.
Yaw Asiyama:
Those who have honour, but lack understanding,
are like the beasts that perish.
Such is the way of those who boast in themselves,
the end of those who delight in their own words.
Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die;
death is their shepherd;
they go down straight to the Pit.
Cornerstone Choir:
Their beauty shall waste away,
and the land of the dead shall be their dwelling.
But God shall ransom my soul;
from the grasp of death will he take me.
Be not afraid if some grow rich
and the glory of their house increases,
For they will carry nothing away when they die,
nor will their glory follow after them.
Yaw Asiyama:
Though they count themselves happy while they live
and praise you for your success,
They shall enter the company of their ancestors
who will nevermore see the light.
Those who have honour, but lack understanding,
are like the beasts that perish.
Congregation:
Save us from envy, God our Redeemer,
and deliver us from the chains of wealth,
that, ransomed through your Son,
we may inherit the crown of everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Cornerstone Choir:
Save us from envy, God our Redeemer,
and deliver us from the chains of wealth,
that, ransomed through your Son,
we may inherit the crown of everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Reading – The Lesson (Isaiah 61:1-3)
Read by Revd Nicola Martyn-Beck,
Superintendent Minister for Milton Keynes Methodist Circuit
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion.
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
Sermon
The Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham
Behold I Make All Things New (Revelation 21:1-5) Adrian Boynton
Choral response by Cornerstone Choir
I saw a new heaven and a new earth
And I saw the Holy City, A new Jerusalem
I saw a new heaven and a new earth
I heard a great voice from the Throne
Behold the dwelling of God is with people
He will dwell with them and they shall be His
He will wipe every tear, every tear from their eyes
And death will be no more
Neither shall there be crying and pain anymore
Behold I make all things new
Prayer for the Sovereign
Read by Alexander Boswell DL,
HM Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire
Reading – Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd
Read by The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Debbie Brock
Lighting of the Candles
On behalf of the Faith communities of the City of Milton Keynes,
their representatives come forward to light a candle.
Ba’hai – Latifeh Rowlands
Buddhist – Sister Maruta
Christian – Andrew Geary
Christian – Marie Bradburn
Hindu – Manish Verma
Jewish – Zvi Friedman
Muslim – Naseem Khan
Muslim – Saleena Raja
Hymn – The King Of Love My Shepherd Is
The King of love my shepherd is
Whose goodness faileth never
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine for ever
Where streams of living water follow
My ransomed soul he leadeth
And where the verdant pastures grow
With food celestial feedeth
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed
But yet in love He sought me
And on His shoulder gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me
In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With the dear Lord, beside me
Thy rod and staff my comfort still
Thy cross before to guide me
Thou spread’st a table in my sight
The unction grace bestoweth
And O what transport of delight
From thy pure chalice floweth
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
Within thy house for ever
Prayers and Intercessions
The Venerable Guy Elsmore, Archdeacon of Buckingham
O Eternal God, our Heavenly Father, we bless thy holy name for all that thou hast given us in and through the life of thy daughter Elizabeth.
We give thee thanks for her love of family and her gift of friendship; for her grace, dignity and courtesy; for her humour, generosity and sheer love of life.
And we praise thee for: the courage that she showed in times of hardship; the depth and reality of her Christian faith; the good example that she set for us to follow.
We offer thee our heartfelt thanks for the deep affection she drew out of everyone she met, and we pray that thou wilt grant her peace; let light perpetual shine upon her; and in thy loving wisdom and almighty power work in her the good purpose of thy perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity; in the habitations of thy glory and dominion, world without end.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, we pray
Our Father in Heaven
Hallowed be your name
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as in heaven
Give us this day 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 forever
Amen.
Reading – Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan (1628-88)
Read by Mayor of Milton Keynes, Councillor Amanda Marlow
I see myself now at the end of my journey, my toilsome days are ended. I am going now to see that head that was crowned with thorns, and that face that was spit upon for me.
I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith but now I go where I shall live by sight, and shall be with him in whose company I delight myself.
I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there I have coveted to set my foot too.
His name to me has been as a civet-box; yea, sweeter than all perfume.
His voice to me has been most sweet; and his countenance I have more desired than they that have most desired the light of the sun. His word I did use to gather for my food, and for antidotes against my faintings. ‘He has held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities; yea, my steps hath he strengthened in his way.’
Glorious it was to see how the open region was filled with horses and chariots, with trumpeters and pipers, with singers and players on stringed instruments, to welcome the Pilgrims as they went up, and followed one another in at the beautiful gate of the city.
Hymn – Lord For The Years
Lord for the years your love has kept and guided
Urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way
Sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today
Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us
Speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze
Teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us
Lord of the word, receive your people’s praise
Lord for our land, in this our generation
Spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care
For young and old, for commonwealth and nation
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer
Lord for our world, when we disown and doubt Him
Loveless in strength and comfortless in pain
Hungry and helpless, lost indeed without Him
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign
Lord for ourselves, in living power remake us
Self on the cross and Christ upon the throne
Past put behind us for the future take us
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone
The Commendation
The Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham
Let us commend our sister, Elizabeth, to the mercy of God, our Maker and Redeemer.
O Heavenly Father, who by thy mighty power hast given us life, and in
thy love hast given us new life in thy beloved Son: we entrust our sister, Elizabeth, to thy merciful keeping, in the faith of the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who died and rose again to save us and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever One God, world without end.
Amen.
In Paradisum (Requiem) Gabriel Faure
Cornerstone Choir
In Paradisum deducant te Angeli
in tuo adventu suscipiant to Martyres
et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.
Chorus Angeliorum te suscipiant
et cum Lazaro quondam paupere
aeternam habeas requiem.
May the Angels lead you into paradise;
may the martyrs greet you at your arrival
and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem.
May the choir of Angels greet you and like Lazarus,
who once was a poor man,
may you have eternal rest.
The Blessing
The Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham
God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth, and all humankind, peace and concord;
and to us and all his servants, life everlasting;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.
The Choir sing: Amen.
The Last Post
Played by John Macdomnic
The National Anthem
All sing
God save our gracious King,
Long live our noble King,
God save The King.
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save The King.
The Recessional
Lux Aeterna (Requiem) John Rutter
With music from Cornerstone Choir
(The procession to leave during the recessional)
I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me
Blessed, Blessed
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord
For they rest from their labours
Even so saith the Spirit, for they rest
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine,
cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Requem aeternam dona eis, Domnie,
et lux perpetua luceat eis, quia pius es.
Light eternal shine upon them, Lord we pray
Light eternal shine upon them, Lord we pray
With saints and angels ever dwelling for thy mercy’ sake
May they rest in peace
Grant them rest eternal, lord our God we pray to thee
And light eternal shine on them forever