February 5, 2023

Worship live on Sundays in person,
or on YouTube at 10:45 am.

Children’s Sunday School for ages K-7th grade at 9:30 am in-person.
Faith Forum (adult Sunday School) at 9:30 am in person and on Zoom.

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC

PRELUDE
led by Dana

WELCOME, GREETING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE

CALL TO WORSHIP
from Psalm 37:16-18
Leader: Better is a little that the righteous person has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
People: For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous.
All: The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
    and their heritage will abide forever
.

ASK, SEEK, KNOCK
Ask and it will be given to you
Seek and you will find
Knock, knock, and the door will be opened to you

Ask and it will be given to you
Seek and you will find
Knock, knock, and the door will be opened to you

For everyone who asks receives
He who seeks finds
And to him who knocks, the door will be opened

For everyone who asks receives
He who seeks finds
And to him who knocks, the door will be opened

Ask and it will be given to you
Seek and you will find
Knock, knock, and the door will be opened to you

For everyone who asks receives
He who seeks finds
And to him who knocks, the door will be opened

Ask and it will be given to you
Seek and you will find
Knock, knock, and the door will be opened to you
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, opened to you

Jason Houser and Michael Martin
©2004 Extreme Writers Music / WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
Lyrics taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984
by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


GOSPEL LESSON
Matthew 7:1-14

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For the judgment you give will be the judgment you get, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? 10 Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? 11 If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Reader: The word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God!

GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty–
hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
feed me till I want no more,
feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield,
Be Thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Bear me through the swelling current,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee,
I will ever give to Thee.

Covenant Hymnal, #408

CHILDREN’S MOMENT
Pastor Mark

Children 6 and under are dismissed to Children’s Church in the upstairs lounge. Parents can pick up their children in the lounge after the service.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
Don’t lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him
And He will direct your paths.
Al-le-lu-ia, Al-le-lu-ia, and
He will direct your paths.  

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
An Invitation and a Promise: The Magna Carta of Prayer
T.R. Ahlstrom

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 praise.

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 praise we would render; O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!

Covenant Hymnal, #10

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: Nikolas Arden, Messian Burgos, the family of Samuel Carlson (Linda Carlson), Frank Coszach, Vira Coszach, the family of Larry Fricke (Bekah Carlson), Pedro Gomez, Art & Rosa Hamilton, Mary McKirchy, Shirley Nicholas, our Pastoral Search Committee, Mary Smith, and Steve Staurseth

Ministries & Mission
Mary & Paul Noren, serving in Cameroon; Carlos & Karen Feijoo, serving in Ecuador

THE LORD’S PRAYER:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

GIVING OF OUR TITHES & OFFERINGS
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@ravenscov.org

OFFERTORY
Allegretto
J.K.F. Fischer
led by Cynthia

DOXOLOGY & PRAYER
Praise God from whom all blessings flow 
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

CONFESSION OF SIN
L: As we move towards the table let us remember the proof of God’s amazing love is this:  while we were sinners Christ died for us.  Because we have faith in Him, we dare to approach God with confidence.  In humility and faith let us confess our sin to God:

L: The Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.

L: Let us confess our sins against God and neighbor.

All:  Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.  We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.  We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name.  Amen.

PASSING THE PEACE
L:  Since in Christ we are reconciled to God, so also we are reconciled to each other, the members of His body, the Church.  May God’s peace extend throughout this congregation.

L: The peace of Christ be with you
P: And also with you.
L:  Let us extend to each other signs of that peace.

(Extend greetings to those you’re with; comments online are welcome.)

INVITATION
It is now our sacred privilege to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.  All who humbly put their trust in Christ and desire His help that they may lead a holy life; all who are truly sorry for their sins and would be delivered from them; all who would walk in love with their neighbors and intend to live a new life, following the commandments of God and walking from now on in His holy ways, are invited to draw near with faith and to receive this holy sacrament.

A PRAYER FOR COMMUNION
Holy God, we praise You.
Let the heavens be joyful and the earth be glad.

We bless You for creating the whole world,
for Your promises to your people Israel,
and for Jesus Christ in whom Your fullness dwells.

Born of Mary, He shares our life.
Eating with sinners, He welcomes us.
Guiding his children, He leads us.
Visiting the sick, He heals us.
Dying on the cross, He saves us.
Risen from the dead, He gives new life.
Living with You, He prays for us.

The Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body which is for you. Do this in remembering Me.”

In the same way He took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembering Me.”

With thanksgiving we take this bread and this cup and proclaim the death and resurrection of our Lord.

Receive our sacrifice of praise.
Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us
that this meal may be a communion in the body and blood or our Lord.

Make us one with Christ
and with all who share this feast.

Unite us in faith,
encourage us with hope,
inspire us to love that we may serve

As Your faithful disciples
Until we feast at Your table in glory.

We praise you, eternal God,
through Christ Your Word made flesh,
in the holy and life-giving Spirit now and forever.  Amen.

SHARING IN COMMUNION

SPECIAL MUSIC

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Eternal God, heavenly father, You have graciously accepted us as living members of Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and You have fed us with spiritual food in the sacrament of His body and blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A SENDING FROM COMMUNION
What we have been about here is not separate from life. Rather these acts have been a reminder that we belong to Christ always and everywhere. We carry Christ’s Spirit into our homes, our daily activities, all our relationships. We are Christ’s people. By God’s grace let it be so. Amen.

ALL THINGS NEW
Your love’s making all things new
You’re working in all for good
For the things of this world
There is hope renewed
In the life that is found in You

chorus
You make all things new
You make all things new
Yesterday and forever
Your love never changing
This hope never fading
Hallelujah

My faith is in things unseen
Bringing life where it has not been
Speaking things that are not
As if they were
I am alive in You

bridge
The heavens have been opened
I know that I am chosen
I am alive in You
I am alive in You
God You are restoring
All things for Your glory
I am alive in You
I am alive in You

CCLI Song # 7019975 Ben Fielding | Dean Ussher © 2013 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

BENEDICTION   
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God

POSTLUDE
Adagio
Jacques Boyvin
led by Cynthia

INVITATION
We’ll be back here next Sunday. We hope you can join us. Information on ravenscov.org.

Worship update
The Leadership Team of Ravenswood Covenant Church recommends mask use during services, but this is not mandatory.

Ravenswood Covenant livestreams worship each week on YouTube, so Sunday morning worship is accessible to anyone who has Internet access.

Thank-you from Pastor Denise
Dear Ravenswood friends, 

Thank you so much for the thoughtful service last Sunday! The luncheon “high tea” was amazing! My family and I felt so loved and appreciated! We will miss seeing you all regularly. Know that you are in my heart and in my prayers. We are so grateful for our Ravenswood family.

God’s peace to you,

Pastor Denise, Gus, Rowland and Harry. 

Scripture reader volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to read scripture during the worship services. Whether you worship with us in the sanctuary or online, we can accommodate anyone who wants to participate in the services. Please contact Erin Stoel or the church office.

Choir resumes for Easter season
The church choir began rehearsing again today in preparation for the Lenten and Easter seasons. It isn’t too late to join! Choir rehearsal is at 8:30 am on Sunday mornings in the sanctuary. Everyone is encouraged to participate, regardless of experience or music-reading ability.

Community Dinners
Thursday night community dinners are our main community gathering occasions during the work week. Our next Thursday night community dinners will be this coming Thursday, February 9 and Thursday, February 23, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The suggested donation for the dinner is $5 for individuals and $10 for families.

Trevor Nicholas featured on local newscast
Our own Trevor Nicholas was featured on a recent “Chicago Proud” segment of a WLS-TV (ABC channel 7 Chicago) newscast, as he has been nominaed for the second time as a Grammy Award finalist in the Music Educator category. You can watch the newscast segment featuring Trevor and his Senn HS students via this link.





Indoor Playground
Indoor Playground is back! Our weekly cold-weather opportunity to let young children run around in our gym, play with toys, and use the bounce house has begun again. Indoor Playground will be open every Thursday afternoon from 4:30 to 5:30 pm.

Aid for Ukrainian refugees
Jeremy and Amanda Foster, who attend our church, have a direct connection to a mission that is serving refugees who have fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Jeremy’s parents Don and Beatrice Foster are in Hazebrouck, France as tentmaker missionaries and have prepared rooms in their home for refugees coming from Ukraine.

If you would like to donate to help the Fosters pay for extra food and supplies, please give a donation to Ravenswood Covenant that is specially designated for Ukrainian refugees. If you would like to give directly online, the website for the Fosters is https://ukraine.la-ferme-de-la-papote.com/ .

The Covenant denomination is also raising funds for Ukraine through Covenant World Relief. Here is the link if you would like to donate through the Covenant’s program. https://giving.covchurch.org/priorities-detail/ukraine-response

Thursday evening Bible study
The weekly Bible study meets Thursdays at 7 pm. We are currently studying the book of Romans. The Bible study meets in the lounge, and is also accessible by Zoom. For more information, please contact Gregory Sager in the church office at (773) 784-7091 or office@ravenscov.org

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95052558015?pwd=N3d1eFpUUmUwenhCSzNJNUk3WEV2QT09

The Zoom meeting ID for the Bible study:  972 871 4458
The Zoom passcode for the Bible study: 1qa3CD

Join Us in Sponsoring a Student in the NPTS SRA Program
North Park’s School of Restorative Arts offers a MA in Christian Ministry and Restorative Arts, allowing free and incarcerated students to study together. This unique degree program is designed to prepare individuals for ministries of restoration in contexts susceptible to violence and includes courses in trauma, race relations, nonviolent communication, conflict transformation, restorative practices, and transformative justice, in addition to Bible, theology, and history.  In partnership with the Illinois Department of Corrections, this four-year degree is currently offered at Stateville Correctional Center with 80 incarcerated men and a first cohort of 20 women at Logan Correctional Center.

We, Ravenswood Covenant Church, have partnered with North Park Theological Seminary by committing to sponsor a student in this program. To help us support an SRA student please send a check to church or give online and in the memo line write: “SRA Sponsorship.”

RECC preaching schedule for February
February 5: T.R. Ahlstrom
February 12: Pastor Mark
February 19: Dan Teefey
February 26: Chaplain Jim Stoel

Scripture for next Sunday
Matthew 13:24-43
Psalm 84:1-7

Art Used in this Bulletin: Steve Erspamer, SM
Clip Art for Year A © 1992, Archdiocese of Chicago.

Our church exists to love and worship God, and love and care for others. By God’s grace, we commit to help people find and follow Jesus Christ through the guidance of His Spirit and His word.

"With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." (Mark 4:30-32 NRS)