January 9, 2022
Adult Sunday School convenes at 9:30 on Zoom and in-person
Children’s Sunday School for ages 1st grade-7th grade meets at 9:30 am on zoom only temporarily.

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
led by Cynthia

PRELUDE
led by Dana

WELCOME & GREETING

CALL TO WORSHIP
based on Psalm 104:1,14-15

Leader: Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great.
People:  You are clothed with honor and majesty…

L:  You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth,
P: and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.

HANDS TO THE HEAVENS
We are Your church
We are Your sons and daughters
We’ve gathered here to meet with You

We lift our eyes
We lay our hearts before You
Expectant here for You to move

chorus:
With our hands to the Heavens
Alive in Your presence
Oh God, when You come
So pour out Your Spirit
We love to be near You
Oh God, when You come

You are the way
The truth and life we live for
Oh how we long to know You more

bridge:
Come like a rushing wind
Come light the fire again
Come like a burning flame

Have Your way
Have Your way

CCLI Song # 6460471 CCLI License # 349090
Bryan Brown | Jason Ingram | Kari Jobe | Tofer Brown© 2013 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Razor and Tie Music Publishing


GOSPEL LESSON
(Stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel.)
John 2:1-12

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days.

Leader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God

(sung)
Glory be to the Father, 
And to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.

Children ages 3-5 are dismissed to the fellowship hall at this time for Children’s Church.

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
Getting the Party Started
Pastor Denise

HYMN: Arise, Your Light has Come! #194
Arise, your light is come!
The Spirit’s call obey;
Show forth the glory of your God
Which shines on you today.

Arise, your light is come!
Fling wide the prison door;
Proclaim the captive’s liberty,
Good tidings to the poor.

Arise, your light is come!
All you in sorrow born,
Bind up the broken-hearted ones
And comfort those who mourn.

Arise, your light is come!
The mountains burst in song!
Rise up like eagles on the wing,
God’s pow’r will make us strong.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: the family of Kari Hutson, Ernesto Galaviz, Kristine Brandel’s friend Terrie, Nikolas Arden, the family of Katie Collier, Shirley Nicholas, Art & Rosa Hamilton, Esther Stoel, the Koeller family, Joyce Andrews, Brianna Randall, Mary Smith, Steve Hoden, Devencie Ervin and his family, Delores Staurseth, Tom Kelly, the family of Brian Alnes, Jane Auger, Mary McKirchy, Jolie Fisher, and Brian Finnegan.

Ministries & Mission
Erika & Nils Clauson, serving in Mexico; Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp

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.

GOD THE MAKER
We bring our time we bring our treasure
We lay them down before Your throne
You will make them something greater
More than we could ever know

We bring our gifts we bring our power
Place them in Your sov’reign hand
You will take what we have given
You will use it for Your plan

chorus
Glory be to God the Maker
Glory be to God Creator
Take our time use our treasure
Turn them into something greater
Glory be to God the Maker

Though our hearts are weak from failure
Broken dreams and failed attempts
Show us that in ev’ry season
You will fill our emptiness

CCLI Song # 7097863 CCLI License # 349090
David Gungor | Isaac Wardell | Paul Zach © Hymns From The Porter’s Gate

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

OFFERTORY
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
led by Erin and 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.

COMMUNITY LIFE

HYMN: Along the Roads of Daily Life #411
Along the roads of daily life we sit
Hungry and sightless, begging to be fed,
Searching our darkness for some way to live,
Your presence, Lord, can give us light instead.

Help us in faith to take You at Your word,
Whatever new direction You command,
Trusting Your healing love to guide us right,
Obeying though we may not understand.

Then as our darkness yields to Your pure light,
Let our belief grow strong and deep and true.
Bring us to name You Savior, Lord, and God
And, lost in love and wonder, worship You. Amen.

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

POSTLUDE
Von Himmel Hoch
led by Cynthia

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

music as we go, by axiom.brass

Covid restrictions for in-person worship
Chicago is now requiring the use of masks for indoor public gatherings, so Ravenswood Covenant has reinstated safety protocols for Sunday morning worship. This means that within the building masks are required at all times, regardless of vaccination status; seating is socially distant; and handshakes and hugs are avoided.

We are still observing precautions regarding children, specifically with regard to the cry room. As was the case before, if you and your family would like to worship in the cry room, please reserve it in advance by contacting Gregory Sager at office@ravenscov.org or 773-784-7091. One family may choose to use the cry room upon arrival if it hasn’t already been reserved. Children of all ages are always welcome to be in the sanctuary with their parents for the worship service!

Ravenswood Covenant will continue to livestream worship each week on YouTube and Facebook; this is now a permanent feature of our ministry, so Sunday morning worship will remain accessible to anyone who has Internet access.

Congregational business meeting
Ravenswood Covenant will hold a congregational meeting next Sunday, January 19, following worship. The meeting will be accessible via Zoom for those who can’t be present. One of the items for discussion will be the possibility of renting our church space to another congregation for Sunday afternoons or evenings. Please make plans to attend this meeting if you are a member of RECC.

Remote Children’s Sunday School, Jan. 9 & 16
We hope that more children will be able to participate if we go back to Zoom for a couple Sundays. Zoom links will be sent out on Friday for our two elementary-age classes. They will Zoom during the normal Sunday School hour before church at 9:30 am.  Confirmation meets via Zoom at 6 pm Sunday evening.  The preschool class lesson will be posted on Sunday afternoon as a short video to watch with your kids. If you would like to bring your kids to church on Sunday, the gym will be open to use. Elementary kids can log on to the wifi or use a parent’s phone to join their Zoom class if they are at church during the Sunday School Zoom time. 

MOPS
Our next meeting for moms of young kids is this coming Saturday, January 15, at 10:30 am. It will be a remote meeting held via Zoom. For more information, please contact Pastor Denise. Hope you can join us!

Faith Forum
Faith Forum, our adult Sunday School class, meets every week in the upstairs lounge at 9:30 am. It operates in a hybrid format; you are invited to attend in person, but if you do so, please wear a mask. As was the case last year, the class will also have a Zoom component for those who wish to attend remotely. The Zoom link can be found at the top of the online bulletin every week.

Thursday evening adult Bible study
Our weekly Bible study meets on Thursday evenings at 7 pm. We welcome anybody to the upstairs lounge on Thursday evenings who wants to take part in the Bible study. Please wear a mask. If you would prefer to participate remotely, or if you are out of town, the Bible study will continue to provide Zoom access as well for online participants.

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.”

Free masks available
The church is offering free masks to anyone in the congregation who is in need of one. If you would like, you may make a donation to our benevolence fund when you come to the church building to pick yours up. Please contact the church office at office@ravenscov.org or 773-784-7091 for more information.

Scripture for next Sunday
Psalm 127:1-2
John 2:13-25

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)