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July 10, 2022
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
PRELUDE
“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”
led by Erin and Cynthia
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY! LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee!
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who wert, and art, and evermore shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful flesh Thy glory may not see.
Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee
Perfect in pow’r, in love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise They name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Covenant Hymnal, #113
WELCOME & GREETING, COMMUNITY LIFE
CALL TO WORSHIP
from 1 Peter 1:3,2:6
Leader: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
People: According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born
again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead.
Leader: For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a
cornerstone chosen and precious.”
People: Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.
COME, CELEBRATE THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
(verses one and three)
Come, celebrate the presence of the Lord
Whose Holy Spirit draws us all together.
One faith, one Lord, our hope has been restored
As gifts of love upon us have been poured.
Come celebrate the presence of the Lord.
Come, celebrate the mercy of the Lord
Whose everlasting covenant is given.
Sin quarantined but God has intervened,
In Jesus’ name we now have been redeemed.
Come, celebrate the mercy of the Lord.
Covenant Hymnal, #512
GOSPEL LESSON
(Stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel.)
Matthew 5:11-12
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Leader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON
1 Peter 1:3-23
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith — being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire — may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace intended for you made careful search and inquiry, 11 inquiring about the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings intended for Christ and the subsequent glory. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look!
13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when He is revealed. 14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. 15 Instead, as He who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges impartially according to each person’s work, live in fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile conduct inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21 Through Him you have come to trust in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your trust and hope are in God.
22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual affection, love one another deeply from the heart. 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
CHILDREN’S MOMENT
Pastor Denise
Children 6 and under are dismissed to the gym
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
Victim Impact Statement
Mary Spriggs
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father!
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not:
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning, new mercies I see;
All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided —
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in the their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning, new mercies I see;
All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided —
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thing own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow —
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning, new mercies I see;
All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided —
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Covenant Hymnal, #78
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: The Andrews family, Nikolas Arden, Michael Bucci, the family of Barb Cannon, Vira Coszach, Art & Rosa Hamilton, Mary McKirchy, Shirley Nicholas, Mary Smith, the Staurseth family, and Esther Stoel
Ministries & Mission
Erika & Nils Clauson, serving in Mexico, Barb & Steve Swanson, serving in Sweden
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 & OFFERING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@administrator
OFFERTORY
“Give Thanks”
led by Erin and Cynthia
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the holy One,
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the holy One,
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now, let the weak say, “I am strong,”
Let the poor say, “I am rich,”
Because of what the Lord has done for us.
And now, let the weak say, “I am strong,”
Let the poor say, “I am rich,”
Because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks!
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.
* JESUS, FIRM FOUNDATION
How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word
What more can He say than to you He has said
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled
Fear not, He is with us, O be not dismayed
For He is our God, our sustainer and strength
He’ll be our defender and cause us to stand
Upheld by His merciful, almighty hand
How firm, our foundation
How sure, our salvation
And we will not be shaken
Jesus, firm foundation
The soul that is trusting in Jesus as Lord
Will press on enduring the darkest of storm
And though even hell should endeavor to shake
He’ll never, no, never, no, no, never forsake
He’ll never, no, never, no, no, never forsake
How firm, our foundation
How sure, our salvation
And we will not be shaken
Jesus, firm foundation
Age to age He stands
Faithful to the end
All may fade away
But He will remain
He will remain!
How firm, our foundation
How sure, our salvation
And we will not be shaken
Jesus, firm foundation.
W&M Bryan Brown / Jason Ingram / Tony WoodJesus, Firm Foundation lyrics ©Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group CCLI#349090
BENEDICTION
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God
POSTLUDE
Tiento de Falsas del Sexto Tono
Sebastian Aguilera de Heredia (b.1570)
led by Cynthia
INVITATION
We’ll be back here next Sunday. We hope you can join us. Information on ravenscov.org.
music as we go, by axiom.brass
Worship update
Due to an uptick in Covid-19 cases in Chicago, the Leadership Team of Ravenswood Covenant Church recommends mask use during services, but this is not mandatory.
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.
Farmers market
We took a week off from hosting the farmers market, given that it fell in the same week as the Independence Day holiday, so there was no market this past Wednesday. The farmers market will resume next Wednesday.
The farmers market season will run until our annual fall festival on Wednesday, October 12. This year’s markets will run from 4 pm to 7 pm, and as always they will be held in the church parking lot.
We are still looking for market volunteers to help out with set-up, assisting with kids activities, and take-down on Wednesdays. If you can assist, even if it’s only for one Wednesday, please contact Sneha John, Bekah Carlson, Pastor Denise, or the church office.
Welcome, Pastor Mark!
We welcome Pastor Mark Westlind back to Ravenswood Covenant, as this week he began serving as our interim pastor. He is a long-time member of Ravenswood Covenant who recently retired after a career of service as a Covenant missionary alongside his wife, Alice, in South America, followed by serving as an interim pastor at various Covenant churches in the Chicago area. Alice also recently retired after serving as RC4’s office manager for several years.
His office hours will be Wednesdays and Sundays, and by appointment as needed.
We pray for God’s blessing upon Pastor Mark and his ministry here during our pastoral search process.
Tacos and Tunes
Our next Tacos and Tunes gathering will be Friday, July 15, in the parking lot from 5:30 to 7 pm. Chef Bobby will be preparing the tacos, the playground will be open for the kids, and we’ll have live, family-friendly music as well from farmers market favorite Teel Short. As is the case for Thursday night community dinners, the suggested donation for Tacos and Tunes is $5 per person or $10 per family. Plan to join us!
Congregational business meeting
There will be a congregational business meeting following today’s worship service on Sunday, July 10. The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss the purchase of the property north of the church’s parking lot. Please make plans to attend, either in person or via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found at the top of this online bulletin.
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
Wanted: Church directory coordinator
Ravenswood Covenant is in the process of updating its online church directory, with the intention of eventually making paper copies of the directory available. We are seeking a volunteer who is willing to take on this project, which means gathering information and photographs and inputting them onto the church’s WordPress-based website. If you are interested in coordinating the directory update, please contact Gregory Sager in the church office at 773-784-7091 or office@ravenscov.org.
Thursday evening adult Bible study
Our weekly Bible study meets on Thursday evenings at 7 pm. We are currently studying the book of Romans. We welcome anybody to the upstairs lounge on Thursday evenings who wants to take part in the Bible study. 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.”
RECC preaching schedule for July
July 3: Gregory Sager
July 10: Mary Spriggs
July 17: Pastor Deb Auger
July 24: Pastor Denise Anderson
July 31: Chaplain Jim Stoel
Scripture for next Sunday
Matthew 16:24-26
1 Peter 2:1-9, 19-25
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.