PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
led by Cynthia
PRELUDE
“Morning Has Broken”
led by Erin and Cynthia
WELCOME & GREETING
CALL TO WORSHIP
based on Psalm 118
Leader: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
People: We bless you from the house of the Lord.
L: The Lord is God,
and He has given us light.
P: Bind the festal procession with branches,
up to the horns of the altar.
L: You are my God, and I will give thanks to You;
P: you are my God, I will extol You.
L: O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
P: for His steadfast love endures forever.
THE STEADFAST LOVE
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new ev’ry morning,
New ev’ry morning,
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord,
Great is Thy faithfulness.
Covenant Hymnal, #98
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON
Ephesians 2:11-22
11 So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He is our peace; in His flesh He has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. 15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that He might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17 So He came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through Him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. 21 In Him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
LET THE PEACE OF GOD REIGN
Father of Life, draw me closer
Lord, my heart is set on You
Let me run the race of time
With Your life enfolding mine
And let the peace of God
Let it reign
O Holy Spirit, Lord, my comfort
Strengthen me, hold my head up high
And I stand upon Your truth
Bringing glory unto You
And let the peace of God
Let it reign
O Lord, I hunger for more of You
Rise up within me, let me know Your Truth
O Holy Spirit, saturate my soul
And let the life of God fill me now
Let Your healing power
Breathe life and make me whole
And let the peace of God
Let it reign
Darlene Zschech © 1995 Hillsong Publishing.
ARR. UBP. CCLI#349090
* GOSPEL LESSON
Mark 12:1-9
Then He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. 5 Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.
Leader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
* A RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL
THOU DIDST LEAVE THY THRONE
verses 1 & 5
Thou didst leave Thy throne and thy kingly crown
When Thou camest to earth for me,
But in Bethlehem’s home
There was found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus:
There is room in my heart for Thee!
When the heav’ns shall ring
And the angels sing
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home,
Saying, “Yet there is room,
There is room at my side for Thee.”
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest me.
Covenant Hymnal, #198
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
Thinking Outside the Box
Pastor Phil
I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down
Your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water, thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink and live.”
I came to Jesus and I drank
Of that life giving stream;
My thirst was quench’d, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
Look unto Me, your morn shall rise
And all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus and I found
In Him my star, my sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk
Till trav’ling days are done.
Covenant Hymnal, #325
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
Nancy Jo Hoover, serving in the Middle East / North Africa; 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 & OFFERINGS
& PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@ravenscov.org
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
OFFERTORY
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
.
SOMEDAY SOON
Like a moment the years go by,
Like the dew on August mornings;
We are warmed by the bright’ning sky
And our souls long to be one with You.
Someday soon, someday soon
You will come and we will see Your glory.
‘Till that day may our hearts burn bright
With the hope of one day someday soon.
Like Your wind in the whisp’ring pines,
Like Your eagle soaring o’er us;
We are borne by some wond’rous sign
And our souls long all the more for You.
Someday soon, someday soon
You will come and we will see Your glory.
‘Till that day may our hearts burn bright
With the hope of one day someday soon.
Like the spring after winter’s snow,
Like the seedling’s hint of harvest;
We are drawn by the hope that grows
From our longing to be home with You.
Someday soon, someday soon
You will come and we will see Your glory.
‘Till that day may our hearts burn bright
With the hope of one day someday soon.
Covenant Hymnal, #748
BENEDICTION
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God
POSTLUDE
Postlude in C 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”
Covenant Harbor Sunday
We are excited to go to Covenant Harbor Bible Camp in Lake Geneva on August 1! 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 continues
Despite intermittent rain, attendance was up at our farmers market this past Wednesday. For the first time this summer we were able to get an appearance from a dinner food truck (Smoke House BBQ), which sold out of its food in only two hours! While it is still a smaller and more restricted market due to the public health situation, the market continues to be a blessing to the neighborhood.
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.
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:
July 4: $6,482
General fund giving:
July 11: $1,574
Scripture for next Sunday
Mark 12:10-12, 13:5-20
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.