July 3, 2022
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
PRELUDE
“To God Be the Glory”
led by Cynthia and Erin
WELCOME & GREETING, COMMUNITY LIFE
CALL TO WORSHIP
from Daniel 2:20-22
Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
God changes times and seasons;
sets up kings and deposes them.
God gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning;
reveals deep and hidden things.
God knows what lies in darkness;
light dwells with him.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
To God be the glory, great things He has done!
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And open’d the lifegate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro’ Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory — great things He has done!
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To ev’ry believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro’ Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory — great things He has done!
Great things He has taught us, great things He has done!
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro’ Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory — great things He has done!
Covenant Hymnal, #72
GOSPEL LESSON
(Stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel.)
Matthew 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Leader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
Exodus 20:17
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female slave, ox, donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
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
Hiding in Plain Sight
Gregory Sager
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!
All things are Yours! We make that true
When we return our gifts to You.
And so we give, and so we share,
In Christ’s strong name expressing care.
“Give out of love,” Your Word commands.
We are Your head, Your heart, Your hands.
Your Word You underscore with deeds
By using us to answer needs.
O what a joy to give and then,
Out of compassion, give again.
You have no needs. Though that be true,
The gifts we share are giv’n to You.
All things are Yours! We make that true
When we return our gifts toYou.
And so we give, and so we share,
In Christ’s strong name expressing care. Amen.
Covenant Hymnal, #636
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: The Andrews family, Nikolas Arden, Michael Bucci, Barb Cannon, Vira Coszach, Art & Rosa Hamilton, the Koeller family, Mary McKirchy, Shirley Nicholas, Mary Smith, the Staurseth family, and Esther Stoel
Ministries & Mission
Patrick & Tip Boonrang, serving in Asia, Renee Nicholas, serving as the national director for InterVarsity’s Graduate Healthcare Ministries
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
Prelude No. 9
Frederic Chopin
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
All: Forgive us, most gracious God, for what we have done to bring pain to your beautiful world: our hard and unkind words, our careless and thoughtless deeds, our lack of compassion and reluctance to render aid when it was in our power to help. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
from Ephesians 2:4-10
Hear the good news:
By grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God—
not by works,
so that no one can boast.
We are what God has made us,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand
to be our way of life.
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.)
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
I am the bread of life;
You who come to Me shall not hunger:
You who believe in Me shall not thirst,
No one can come to Me unless the Father beckons.
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up on the last day.
The bread that I will give
Is my flesh for the life of the world
And if you eat of this bread
You shall live forever, you shall live forever.
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up on the last day.
I am the resurrection,
I am the life.
If you believe in Me,
Even though you die, you shall live forever.
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up on the last day.
Covenant Hymnal, #557
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
This is the Lord’s Table. Come to this sacred table, not because you must, but because you may; come to testify not that you are righteous, but that you sincerely love our Lord Jesus Christ and desire to be his true disciples; come not because you are strong, but because you are weak; not because you have any claim on the grace of God, but because in your frailty and sin you stand in constant need of God’s mercy and help; come not to express an opinion, but to seek God’s presence and pray for the Spirit.
WORDS OF INSTITUION
The Lord Jesus, on the night 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 remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying. “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, blest forever! To You be praise and honor for giving Yourself, shedding Your blood, and letting Your body be broken in death for our sake, so that we might have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Bless, O God, this bread which we together eat, and the cup which we together drink. Let us through this blest bread and this blest cup become partakers of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
SHARING OF THE BREAD AND CUP
Take and eat, this is the body of Christ, which is broken for you.
This cup is the new covenant in the blood of Christ. Drink of it.
SPECIAL MUSIC
led by Cynthia and Erin
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Father of all, we give You thanks and praise, that when we were still far off You met us in Your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, He declared Your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live His risen life; we who drink His cup bring life to others; we who the Spirit lights give light to the world, through Christ our Lord.
SENDING
Go in peace. And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain with us always. Amen.
GO, MY CHILDREN
Go, My children, with My blessing, never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you, you are My own.
In My love’s baptismal river,
I have made you Mine forever.
Go, My children, with My blessing, you are My own.
Go, My children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you, what I can cure.
Here you heard My dear Son’s story,
Here you touched Him, saw His glory.
Go, My children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.
Go, My children, fed and nourished, closer to Me.
Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.
Here My Spirit’s power filled you,
Here His tender comfort stilled you.
Go, My children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.
I, the Lord, will bless and keep you, and give you peace.
I, the Lord, will smile upon you, and give you peace.
I, the Lord, will be your Father,
Savior, Comforter, and Brother.
Go, My children, I will keep you, and give you peace.
Covenant Hymnal, #676
BENEDICTION
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God
POSTLUDE
Largo
Gilles Julien
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
Thanks to somewhat cooler weather, we had a much better turnout at yesterday’s farmers market than we had during the previous week’s sweltering market premiere. There were 445 adult visitors, and about as many kids. Although our numbers are still not up to pre-Covid levels, we are beginning to re-establish our presence in the community as a weekly go-to event
The farmers market season will run until our annual fall festival on Wednesday, October 12. (We will take a week off on Wednesday, July 6 as part of Independence Day week.) 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!
Beginning July 5, we will welcome Pastor Mark Westlind back to Ravenswood Covenant as he serves 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 the 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 meeting’s Zoom link is:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84988853304?pwd=N013WVpMMHlXVkJSMWJVMVgrdWFMdz09
Meeting ID: 849 8885 3304
Passcode: 063748
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,84988853304#,,,,063748# US (Chicago) +13017158592,,84988853304#,,,,063748# US (Washington DC)
Dial by your location
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Meeting ID: 849 8885 3304
Passcode: 063748
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbvtIx6qoh
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 5:11-12
1 Peter 1:3-23
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.