PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
led by Cynthia
PRELUDE
led by Dana
WELCOME & GREETING
CALL TO WORSHIP
based on Psalm 130
Leader: Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.
People: Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
L: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
P: But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered.
L: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord.
P: More than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
L: O Israel, hope in the Lord!
P: For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is great power to redeem. It is He who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
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
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON
Ephesians 1:3-14
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as His children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in Him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of His glory.
HOLY SPIRIT
There’s nothing worth more
That could ever come close
Nothing can compare
You’re our living hope
Your presence, Lord
I’ve tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of loves
Where my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone
Your presence, Lord
Holy Spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Your presence, Lord
Let us become more aware of Your presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness
Cyril Garrett Neville et al © Universal Music Publishing Group,
Capitol Christian Music Group CCLI#349090
GOSPEL LESSON
Mark 11:27-33
27 Again they came to Jerusalem. As He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him 28 and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer Me.” 31 They argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe Him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”—they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. 33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
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 are dismissed to the gym at this time.
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.
Covenant Hymnal, #423
REFLECTING ON THE WORD
Doing Things
Pastor Phil
SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief
My soul has often found relief,
And of escaped the tempter’s snare
By your return, sweet hour of prayer.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
The joys I feel, the bliss I share
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for Your return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for you, sweet hour of prayer.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
Your wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe his Word, and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my ev’ry care,
And wait for you, sweet hour of prayer.
Covenant Hymnal, #389
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
led by Pastor Denise
We continue to pray for: Katie Gieseke, Kari Hutson, Ernesto Galaviz, Nikolas Arden, Katie Collier, Art and Rosa Hamilton, Shirley Nicholas, Paul Mounts, Steve Hoden, Mary Spriggs, the family of Phyllis Levinson.
Ministries & Mission
Joel & Kim Delp, serving in Ecuador; Renee Nicholas, serving local graduate students and faculty with InterVarsity
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
& PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@ravenscov.org
OFFERTORY
“The Lord’s My Shepherd ”
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
.
WE’VE A STORY TO TELL TO THE NATIONS
We’ve a story to tell to the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light,
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noon-day bright;
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We’ve a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword,
And shatter the spear and sword.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noon-day bright;
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth
The kingdom of love and light.
We’ve a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigns high above
Has sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noon-day bright;
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We’ve a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow has trod,
That all of the world’s great peoples
Might come to the truth of God,
Might come to the truth of God.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noon-day bright;
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
Covenant Hymnal, #688
BENEDICTION
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God
POSTLUDE
Grave’ by J.S.Bach
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 maxeltoft
“A Few Laborers”
We are excited to go to Covenant Harbor Bible Camp in Lake Geneva on August 1st! This year is a little different due to COVID-19 camp precautions.
1. Harbor Worship: Worship in the big tent on Sundays at 10:30 am. This year Anchor Covenant Church is having their services in the tent and everyone is invited to join them for worship.
https://covenantharbor.org/summer-sunday-worship/
2. Picnic: Bring food for a picnic afterwards. Lawn chairs or blankets, food and drinks. There is NO food being sold at the camp. You must bring in your own food and drink. There are picnic tables available, too. Guests are asked to leave by 1:30 pm as campers start arriving.
3. Swimming: There is NO swimming at the camp this summer on Sundays. If you would like to swim, there is a very nice sandy beach and dock at the private beach near the Ericksons’ and Johnsons’ summer homes, which is a couple miles down the road from Covenant Harbor. You are welcome to swim there until 4:00 pm on Sunday. We need to know who is coming so you can be paired with one of the families and can use their home to change and park your car. RSVP to me at denise@ravenscov.org or to the church office. There is a small parking lot near the beach for dropping off people and stuff. Your host family will tell you where to park. Bring towels, beach toys, beach chairs, and sunscreen. Email or call/text Pastor Denise if you have questions.
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, the 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.”
More restrictions lifted for worship in person
Chicago and the state of Illinois have entered Phase 5, which means that there are no longer any restrictions upon the attendance at gatherings of anybody who has been vaccinated.
However, 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. 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.
We will follow all of the current local and state safety protocols for Phase 5 of public health in the state of Illinois. This means that:masks are still required at all times within the building for those adults who have not been vaccinated. Changes to communion and offering remain in place until further notice.
There will still be no nursery.
Summer worship hours in effect
Ravenswood Covenant has begun its summer schedule. Worship will begin at 9:30 am, and there will be no Sunday School.
Children will be dismissed to play outside in the playground at the offertory time. We are looking for adults and teens to supervise outside. If you’d like to sign up for one of two Sundays this summer, contact Pastor Denise. Worship bags for children and worship in the lounge area will continue to be available each week.
Nelson Lounge open for remote worship
The Nelson Lounge, which is upstairs in the church’s C.E. wing, is open for families with young children during Sunday worship. The television will have the church service livestreamed so parents can watch as they supervise their own children. There will be some toys and a kids’ table in there for coloring. Children are always welcome in the main sanctuary as well.
Farmer’s market has arrived!
This past Wednesday our farmers market continued with another successful session! While it is still a smaller and more restricted market due to the public health situation, the market was still well-received, and we are hopeful that both the modified market and the attendance will expand as the summer continues.
The farmers market will again run through the middle of October each Wednesday from 4-7 pm. Many of our vendors from last year will be returning, and we will have some new ones as well. As usual, our main produce and flower vendor will be Patyk Farms.
Many of you are curious as to how the market will operate this year, as we pass from pandemic conditions back to normal life. As was the case last year, we will operate with a close eye as to state and local public-health guidelines, and we will adapt to looser restrictions as conditions allow.
If you are interested in volunteering to help staff this year’s market crew on whatever Wednesdays you are available, please contact the church office at 773-784-7091 or at office@ravenscov.org.
Thursday evening Zoom Bible study continues
The Thursday evening Bible study will continue this coming Thursday. The Bible study meets each Thursday at 7 pm. We are currently studying the book of 2 Corinthians.
The Zoom link for the Bible study has a new meeting ID and passcode:
Meeting ID: 972 871 4458
Passcode: 1qa3CD
Join Zoom meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95052558015?pwd=N3d1eFpUUmUwenhCSzNJNUk3WEV2QT09
Worship bags for kids
Each week there will be worship bags for children ages 2 to 12 attending worship. The bag will have the child’s name on it and will only be used by that child.
Spots still available at Covenant Point
Covenant Point Camp still has a few open spots for campers. For more information, see their website: https://www.cpbc.com/summer/availability/ . Contact Pastor Denise if you need financial help to send kids to camp.
Prayer meeting has returned
The church’s biweekly prayer meeting that gathers every second and fourth Monday night each month has resumed! After being shut down due to the city’s pandemic guidelines, the city’s reduced infection rate and the upswing in vaccinations has led the church’s leadership to once again allow the prayer meeting to convene. The next meeting will be tomorrow (Monday, July 12) at 7 pm.
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 773-396-6175 for more information.
General fund giving:
June 27: $1,859
General fund giving:
July 4: $6,482
Scripture for next Sunday
Mark 12:1-9
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.