June 9, 2024
Worship live on Sundays in person at 10:00 am,
or on YouTube at noon.
PRELUDE
led by Dana
WELCOME, GREETING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE
CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 37:3-4, 16-17
Leader: Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
People: Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Leader: Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked.
People: For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
UNISON PRAYER
Almighty God, all good things are gifts from You. Lord Jesus, You gave up the glories of heaven to rescue us from sin and death. Holy Spirit, You freely fill us up with love, peace, and generosity. Father, Son, and Spirit, may we respond to Your amazing grace with worship and with service to our neighbors. Amen.
* THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD
This is my Father’s world,
And to my list’ning ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas —
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world:
O let us not forget
That though the wrong is great and strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
He trusts us with His world,
To keep it clean and fair —
All earth and trees, all skies and seas,
All creatures ev’rywhere.
This is my Father’s world:
God shines in all that’s fair;
In rustling grass I hear Him pass —
He speaks to me ev’rywhere.
This is my Father’s world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let heaven ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad.
Covenant Hymnal, #57
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON: Don Hodgkinson
Romans 2:1-11
Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others, for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth. 3 Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will repay according to each one’s deeds: 7 to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life, 8 while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but injustice, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be affliction and distress for everyone who does evil, both the Jew first and the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, both the Jew first and the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
* BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL
Blessed are the merciful,
Blessed are the merciful,
Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy
Forgive us as we forgive
Those who sin against us
Forgive us as we forgive
Those who sin against us
Lord, have mercy on us
Show Your mercy through us
Lord, have mercy on us
Show Your mercy through us
Mercy
Paul Zach, Orlando Palmer, and Isaac Wardell © 2019 Integrity Worship Music/PG Songs And Hymns/ASCAP (adm worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com, excluding the UK & Europe which is adm by Integrity Music), Paul Zach Publishing Designee/ASCAP CCLI# 7133717
CHILDREN’S MOMENT
Children 6 and under are dismissed to Children’s Church in the upstairs lounge. Parents can pick up their children in the lounge after the service.
REFLECTING ON THE WORD
Blessed in Order to Bless
Luke 12:13-21
Pastor Ryan
BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR!
Beautiful Savior! King of creation!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’ll love Thee, truly I’ll serve Thee,
Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands,
Robed in flow’rs of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer;
He makes our sorr’wing spirit sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels in the sky.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be Thine!
Covenant Hymnal, #317
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
We continue to pray for: Nikolas Arden; Messian Burgos; Frank Coszach; Vira Coszach; Art & Rosa Hamilton; Trevor Hanks; Mary McKirchy; Sara Rosado; Kathy Sager; Mary Smith; Iris Velez; and Lauren Vilardo
Ministries & Mission
Hydi & Jim Peterson, serving in Japan; Carlos & Karen Feijoo, serving in Ecuador
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
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@ravenscov.org
OFFERTORY
Giga
J.S. Bach
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.
* WE ARE CALLED
Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear!
We are called to be hope for the hopeless,
So hatred and blindness will be no more.
refrain
We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly;
We are called to serve one another,
Walk humbly with God.
* BENEDICTION
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God
POSTLUDE
Moderato
Gottleib Muffat
led by Cynthia
INVITATION
We’ll be back here next Sunday. We hope you can join us. Information on ravenscov.org.
Please wear a nametag
We’ve had a number of visitors and new attendees lately, and it’s very important that we not only welcome them warmly to our church but also allow them to attach a name to a face. We’re asking everyone to return to our old practice of wearing nametags on Sunday morning. Blank nametags and Sharpies will be available both in the narthex and in the sanctuary.
Congregational meeting today
A congregational business meeting will be held today following the worship service. New members of the Leadership Team and the nominating committee will be voted upon at this meeting. Please make plans to attend if you are a member of the church.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to William and Frances Palm, who are worshiping with us today along with members of their family, on their 50th wedding anniversary! William and Frances were married at Ravenswood Covenant on June 8, 1974. We celebrate older couples such as William and Frances who have put Christ at the center of their marriage and who serve as Christian role models to to both younger couples and to their own children.
Farmers market is here!
Unseasonably cool weather kept attendance down a bit at Wednesday’s farmers market, but we still had about 650 adults who visited the market, not to mention all of the children who as usual enjoyed the bounce house, art tent, and water play area in our parking lot!
We have openings for RECC greeting tent staff, children’s art tent staff, bounce house monitors, as well as people who can help to set up and/or take down the market.
This is not necessarily a commitment to the full span of the market; whenever you can help out would be great! For more information, please contact Bekah Carlson or leave your name and contact info at the church office.
Cooler Sundays this summer
The fourth Sunday of each month of summer — June 23, July 28, and August 25 — will be a Cooler Sunday, which will again feature grilled hot dogs and hamburgers and a potluck meal. Please plan to join us as we enjoy these annual warm-weather-month events!
Church garden plots available
Are you a gardener, or would you like to become one? Ravenswood Covenant has free garden plots available along the north boundary of the church parking lot. if you would like to claim a plot, please contact the church office at 773-784-7091 or at office@ravenscov.org.
Camp Booster Fund
Interested in sending your children to overnight camp at Covenant Harbor or Covenant Point next summer? We have a camp booster fund that will give $200 towards the fee of any Ravenswood Covenant child (or that child’s friend) who wishes to attend one of our two Central Conference summer camps. We feel that every child from our congregation who wants to attend camp should have the opportunity to go!
Scripture reader sign-up
We are seeking people to read the scripture passages of the day as part of the worship services this summer. If you are willing to be a scripture reader in June, July, or August, please add your name to the sign-up sheet in the church office or in the narthex on Sundays, or contact Gregory Sager or Pastor Ryan.
Pastor Ryan’s office hours
Pastor Ryan’s office hours at church are typically Tuesday thru Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you would like to meet with Pastor Ryan please call the church office in advance to schedule an appointment.
Coffee hour changes
There is now a coffee hour bulletin board downstairs in the fellowship hall! (It’s right next to the kids’ serving window.) Please look there for updated serving instructions as well as to find out what team you’re on. We’ve had some turnover, so we encourage you to sign up to join a serving team if you haven’t done so already. A self-sign-up will now be available on the board so that you can pick which Sundays work best for you. As always, thanks for serving!
Thursday evening Bible study
The weekly Bible study meets Thursdays at 7:00 pm. This week we began studying the book of Ecclesiastes. The Bible study meets in the upstairs lounge. For more information, please contact Gregory Sager in the church office at (773) 784-7091 or office@ravenscov.org.
We now have Zoom available again for those who would like to take part in the Bible study but cannot be physically present. The Zoom link for the Bible study is:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83923376849?pwd=YUlYVXBmOVdwV0d5L20ySng3aHU3Zz09
Meeting ID: 839 2337 6849
Passcode: 318853
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.”
Scripture for next Sunday
Matthew 21:28-32
Romans 3:21-31
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.