Adult Sunday School convenes at 9:30 on zoom
Streaming Live
Facebook & YouTube
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
Cynthia
KIDS TIME
Music & a visit from some friends
PRELUDE
led by Cynthia
WELCOME & GREETING
IN YOUR TEMPLE COURTS, O FATHER
In your temple courts, O Father,
Once again assembled now,
Sing we praises as we gather,
In contrition humbly bow.
Here a foretaste we are given
Of the holy sabbath peace
Which for us is stored in heaven,
When life’s woes and strife shall cease.
For the hour of mercy granted
We present our heartfelt praise;
Thanks, O Lord, for truths implanted,
Thanks for tokens of Your grace.
Thanks for warnings, for instruction,
Thanks for newborn hope received;
Thanks for light, blind fear’s destruction,
For anxiety relieved.
Help us now Your Word to cherish,
Sanctify our service, Lord!
That Your truth our souls may nourish,
Be Your will in us restored!
Help us in our daily living,
As we face the days ahead,
That we may be always giving
Room to You, by You be led.
Amen.
COMMUNITY LIFE
CALL TO WORSHIP from Psalm 146
Leader: Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob
People: whose hope is in the Lord their God,
L: who made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that is in them;
P: who keeps faith forever;
L: who executes justice for the oppressed;
P: who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
L: the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
P: The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
L: The Lord watches over the strangers;
He upholds the orphan and the widow,
P: but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.
L: The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion,
for all generations.
P: Praise the Lord!
GIVING OF OUR TITHES & OFFERINGS
& PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@ravenscov.org
OFFERTORY
Saraband from Sonata No. 8, Op.5
–Arcangelo Corelli
led by Erin & 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.
FIRST TESTAMENT LESSON
Psalm 24:1-6
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
2 for He has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in His holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek Him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Selah
GOSPEL LESSON
Mark 3:20-30
Then [Jesus] went home; 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When His family heard it, they went out to restrain Him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.” 23 And He called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
28 “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
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.
REFLECTING ON THE WORD
Standing on the Lord’s Side
Pastor Phil .
GREAT I AM
I wanna be close close to Your side
So Heaven is real and death is a lie
I wanna hear voices of angels above
Singing as one
chorus
Hallelujah holy holy
God Almighty great I Am
Who is worthy none beside Thee
God Almighty great I Am
I wanna be near near to Your heart
Loving the world hating the dark
I wanna see dry bones living again
Singing as one
bridge
The mountains shake before You
The demons run and flee
At the mention of Your name King of majesty
There is no pow’r in hell or any who can stand
Before the power and the Presence of the great I Am
The great I Am (5X)
CCLI Song # 5881491 CCLI License # 349090
Jared Anderson © 2011 Integrity Worship Music
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
Folks We Are Praying For:
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.
Church family who work in and around hospitals & nursing homes:
Alex A, Kyra A, Hannah A, Sam A, Linda C, Carl G, Katie G, Eric H, Rachel H, Chona I, Abby H, Dana J, Bryan J, Kari J, Neal J, Eric S, Don T.
(If we missed any people’s names above please let us know.)
We continue to pray for: The Hodgkinson family, Kathy Salzano, Nikolas Arden, Katie Collier, Art and Rosa Hamilton, Shirley Nicholas, Paul Mounts, Joyce Andrews, Steve Hoden, Mary Spriggs, Alice Nilsson (Nancy Popovich’s sister), the Brandel-Tanis family, the Morales/Randall family.
Ministries & Mission
Gary & Pauline Carlson, serving in Japan; Carlos & Karen Feijoo, serving in Ecuador
CONFESSION OF SIN & PASSING OF PEACE
L: The proof of God’s amazing love is this: while we were sinners Christ died for us. Because we have faith in Christ, we dare to approach God with confidence. In humility and faith let us confess our sin to God.
L: The Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Let us confess our sins against God and neighbor.
All: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name. Amen.
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: 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.)
A PRAYER FOR COMMUNION
Holy God, we praise You.
Let the heavens be joyful and the earth be glad.
We bless You for creating the whole world,
for Your promises to your people Israel,
and for Jesus Christ in whom Your fullness dwells.
Born of Mary, He shares our life.
Eating with sinners, He welcomes us.
Guiding his children, He leads us.
Visiting the sick, He heals us.
Dying on the cross, He saves us.
Risen from the dead, He gives new life.
Living with You, He prays for us.
The Lord Jesus, on the night when 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 remembering Me.”
In the same way He took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembering Me.”
With thanksgiving we take this bread and this cup and proclaim the death and resurrection of our Lord.
Receive our sacrifice of praise.
Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us
that this meal may be a communion in the body and blood or our Lord.
Make us one with Christ
and with all who share this feast.
Unite us in faith,
encourage us with hope,
inspire us to love that we may serve
As Your faithful disciples
Until we feast at Your table in glory.
We praise you, eternal God,
through Christ Your Word made flesh,
in the holy and life-giving Spirit now and forever. Amen.
Prayer of Consecration
Sharing in Communion
SPECIAL MUSIC
led by Cynthia
.
OCEANS
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep my faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sov’reign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine
CCLI Song # 6428767 CCLI License # 349090
Joel Houston | Matt Crocker |
Salomon Ligthelm © 2012 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia
BENEDICTION
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God
POSTLUDE
Moderato Terth Toni
by Franz Xaver Anton Murschhauser
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 & AxiomBrass
Reopening the sanctuary for worship
Beginning last Sunday, February 28, we have reopened the sanctuary for a small group of people to join in person for worship. Reservations are required, so if you would like to be a part of this group, contact the church office by phone (773-784-7091) or email (office@ravenscov.org) each week that you would like to attend. 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 be able to accommodate up to 25 individuals in the sanctuary, and will follow all of the current local and state safety protocols, including: temperature checks when you arrive; masks required at all times; sitting socially distant; avoiding handshakes and hugs; changes to communion and offering; and discouraging singing.
There will be no nursery, and all Sunday School classes will remain virtual at this time.
Faith Forum update
For four Sundays in Faith Forum this Lenten season the guest speaker is Jay Phelan, former professor of theology at North Park Theological Seminary. He is speaking about his new book, Separated Siblings: An Evangelical Understanding of Jews and Judaism.
Faith Forum meets via Zoom at the traditional meeting time of 9:30 am on Sunday. This is the Zoom link for Faith Forum. The link is also provided at the top of the bulletin every week.
Monday Night Bible Study
The Thursday night Bible study is moving to Monday nights for a spell, and at a new time, 7 pm. The group is studying 1 Corinthians, and will examine the eighth chapter of the book tomorrow. The Bible study will meet every Monday at 7 pm via Zoom until further notice , and if you are not conversant with Zoom, don’t let that stop you! We can teach you how to activate Zoom so that you can take part. If you’re interested, please contact Gregory Sager in the church office at office@ravenscov.org or at 773-784-7091.
The Zoom link for the Monday night Bible study is https://zoom.us/j/95052558015?pwd=N3d1eFpUUmUwenhCSzNJNUk3WEV2QT09
Meeting ID: 950 5255 8015
Passcode: 141628
Zoom book study
Monday, March 22, at 7:00 pm will be the second Zoom conversation on Rethinking Incarceration. The discussion will focus on the second part of the book. If you are struggling to get the book or to find time to read it, Pastor Denise has a link to a series of videos which author Dominique Gilliard recorded that cover the topics in his book. https://walkingtowardslove.com/series/rethinking-incarceration/ . The book can be ordered through InterVarsityPress. https://www.ivpress.com/rethinking-incarceration. It is also available on Audible.
2021 camp registration update from HarborPoint Ministries
There may be snow on the ground … but at Covenant Harbor and Covenant Point Bible camps, the staffs are already thinking about summer! For those who are wondering about camp options for summer 2021, please be aware that there is a $35 early-registration discount at both Covenant Harbor and Covenant Point ($10 for Covenant Harbor’s five-day Day Camps) for next summer’s camping season. The early-registration discount will end on March 15.
Day, overnight, and family camp options are posted at www.covenantharbor.org and www.cpbc.com.
Prayer meeting canceled indefinitely
The church’s biweekly prayer meeting that gathers every second and fourth Monday night each month has been canceled until further notice as part of the church’s response to Chicago’s heightened Covid-19 infection rate and the mayor’s “Stay-at-Home Advisory.”
Prayer requests
A group of women in our church are meeting every night at 7 pm via phone calls and texts in order to keep our various needs before God in prayer. They are asking the congregation to bring their needs to them to be lifted up in prayer as part of this evening prayer time. If you have any needs that you would like to have added to their prayer list, please contact the church office.
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.
Our response to the current health crisis
As a community of faith we continue to pray for the health and welfare of our church and community as we resist the temptation to fall prey to fear. We do, however, want to continue to look out for the welfare of our friends and neighbors. We are doing our best to stay current with best practices for this unique time — please stay tuned as these may change. Our primary place for timely communication will be our website, ravenscov.org. We will also offer reminders and notes on our Facebook page and by email. We are livestreaming our Sunday morning worship on Facebook Live and YouTube so that you may continue to be a part of our worship. Do not, however, become isolated. If you need any help there are folks in our church who can do so. Call the office (773-784-7091) or email the office (office@ravenscov.org).
Audrey R. Hodgkinson Scholarship at NPU
To honor the life of Audrey Hodgkinson, a scholarship fund at North Park University has been established in Audrey’s name. The income from this fund will provide an annual scholarship to a student in NPU’s nursing program who is a resident of the city of Chicago.
Audrey was a graduate of the Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing, the precursor to NPU’s Bachelor of Nursing program. Audrey’s work at Booth Memorial Hospital, and her dedication to her volunteer work at the Princeton Children’s Home and our own RC4, reflected not only the care and concern she had for others but her desire to share Christ’s love to girls and women from Chicago who often had nowhere to turn. It is fitting that the scholarship in Audrey’s name can be an enduring legacy of her work by allowing a deserving Chicago resident an opportunity to provide nursing care for the people of Chicago.
If you are interested in contributing to the Audrey R. Hodgkinson Scholarship Fund please contact Bud Hodgkinson at 773-509-0002 or Don Hodgkinson at 773-784-4848. Commitment forms are also available that you can fill out and send along with a check to North Park University.
General fund giving:
February 21: $3,780
General fund giving:
February 28: $4,476
Scripture for next Sunday
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
Mark 4:1-2; 5:2-43
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.