November 12, 2023

Worship live on Sundays in person at 11:00 am,
or on YouTube at noon.

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC

PRELUDE
“This Is My Father’s World”
led by Erin and Cynthia

WELCOME, GREETING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE

CALL TO WORSHIP
from Psalm 46:8-11
Leader: Come, behold the works of the Lord, how He has brought desolations on the earth.
People: He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire.
Leader: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
People: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

PRAYER
God of Jacob, You are our Mighty Fortress. Lord Jesus, You are our foundation and cornerstone. Holy Spirit, You are God’s presence and power working among us. Father, Son, and Spirit may we learn to trust You with the best and worst moments of our life, confident in Your redeeming love. Amen. 

THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening 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 our Father’s world:
O let us ne’er 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


OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Erin Stoel
Job 42:1-9

Then Job answered the Lord:

2 “I know that you can do all things
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me that I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
    I will question you, and you declare to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering, and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

NEW TESTAMENT LESSON: Erin Stoel
James 5:7-16

Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Brothers and sisters, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Indeed, we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about, for the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 Above all, brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up, and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

* GOSPEL LESSON: Erin Stoel
Mathew 16:24-26

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If any wish to come after Me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

HOLD IT ALL
God, we bring you the work of our hands now
Lay it down, lay it at your feet
What we’ve done, what we’ve built, what we’ve broken
Lay it down, lay it at your feet

God, we bring you the work of our hands now
Lay it down, lay it at your feet
What we’ve done, what we’ve built, what we’ve broken
Lay it down, lay it at your feet

chorus
You hold it all, Jesus
You hold it all

Worried hearts, wearied hands, weakened bodies
Lay it down, lay it at your feet
What we’ve used, what we’ve lost, what we’ve wasted
Lay it down lay it at your feet

chorus

All our plans, all our dreams, our ambitions
Lay them down, lay them at your feet
Even if nothing comes to fruition
Lay it down, lay it at your feet
Lay it down, lay it at your feet

CCLI Song # 7215626 Gustavo Santos / Laura Fanucci / Leslie Jordan / Matthew Kaemingk © 2023 Integrity’s Praise! Music; Little Way Creative; Remaining portion is unaffiliated
CCLI License # 349090

CHILDREN’S MOMENT
Pastor Ryan

JESUS LOVES ME
Jesus loves me! This I know
For the Bible tells me so,
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak, but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Covenant Hymnal, #443

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
Standing in the Need of Prayer
Rev. Karen Hinz

THERE’S A WIDENESS IN GOD’S MERCY
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice
Which is more than liberty.

There is welcome for the sinner
And more graces for the good;
There is mercy with the Savior,
There is healing in His blood.

For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of our mind,
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more simple,
We would take Him at His Word,
And our lives would be illumined
By the presence of our Lord.

Covenant Hymnal, #71

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: Nikolas Arden, Messian Burgos, Frank Coszach, Vira Coszach, Art & Rosa Hamilton, Trevor Hanks, Kathy Sager, Mary Smith, Steve Staurseth, and Phillip, son of Iris Velez

Ministries & Mission
Joel & Kim Delp, serving in Ecuador; 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
“I’m Amazed”
Rory Noland
led by the choir (with soloists Josie Strathmann and Nolan Baumgartner)
the congregation is invited to sing the chorus:

I’m amazed at all You’ve done for me;
Who am I that You’d bless me so?
I stand in awe of all Your wondrous deeds;
You’ve dealt with me so graciously,

* 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.

HOW LONG?
How long, will you turn Your face away?
How long, do You hear us when we pray?
On and on, still we walk this pilgrim way
How long?

How long, till Your children find the rest?
How long, till You draw them to your breast?
We go on, holding to Your promises
How long?

Till You wipe away the tears from every eye
Till we see our home descending from the sky
Do we wait in vain?
Jesus, give us hope again

How long, till Your word will still the storm?
How long, till You bare your mighty arm?
How we groan, till you snatch us from the thorns
How long?

Till You wipe away the tears from every eye
Till we see our home descending from the sky
Do we wait in vain?
Jesus, give us hope again

Amen, Jesus, come
Amen, Jesus, come
Amen, Jesus, come
Amen, Jesus, come
Amen, Jesus, come

The Porter’s Gate: Isaac Wardell
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

BENEDICTION   
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God

POSTLUDE
Chaconne in D minor
Johann Pachelbel
led by Cynthia
please remain seated during the postlude

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.

Centerpiece auction
The centerpieces that were used last week to adorn the tables in the fellowship hall for the Offerfest dinner will be auctioned off during coffee hour today. If you appreciate the beautiful work that Sandra Gooden and her decorating committee did, please feel free to put in your bid for the centerpieces!

Sunday School and Faith Forum
Sunday School and Faith Forum will meet at 10:00 am every week, unless otherwise noted. We are still looking for folks who are willing to help out with Sunday School. Please speak with Beth Anderson, Bekah Carlson, or Kelly Vetter if you’re interested. Also, please check with the church office to make sure that you have an up-to-date background check if you are going to work with the church’s children in 2023-24.         

Choir to return for fall/winter season
Calling all singers! The Ravenswood Covenant choir has started rehearsals for our fall and winter choir season. It’s not too late to join!

Choir rehearsal is at 9:00 am Sunday mornings in the sanctuary. Anyone with a heart for singing is welcome to join the choir. Please speak to our organist and choir director Cynthia Arden if you’re interested in joining.

Thanksgiving Eve worship and pie
On Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday, November 22) we will be holding an informal worship service in the fellowship hall at 7:00 pm. This is a chance to take time out from the start of the busy holiday season to thank God for all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. Please plan to bring a pie with you; either homemade or store-bought is fine. After the service, all that delicious pie will be served, so … come for the worship, stay for the pie!

Scripture reader sign-up
We are seeking people to read the scripture passages of the day as part of the worship services this fall. If you are willing to be a scripture reader, please add your name to the sign-up sheet in the church office or contact Gregory Sager or Erin Stoel.

Operation Christmas Child
Samaritan’s Purse is currently looking to hire approximately 150 Christian men and women to fill paid positions for a three-week project with Operation Christmas Child, an annual relief ministry that Ravenswood Covenant has supported in the past.
 
Their seasonal positions include a wide variety of customer service positions, such as team coaches, greeters, and floor coordinators. There are also a variety of warehouse positions, including dockworkers, quality/inventory control, class A CDL drivers, and forklift drivers. The ideal candidates for these positions will have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, align with the mission of Samaritan’s Purse, work well with volunteers, be flexible, and be able to function well in a fast-paced environment. 

If you know anyone who would be interested and matches this description, please feel free to share this information with them. 

God is so amazing. Last year Operation Christmas Child packed around 10.5 million shoeboxes, and each shoebox can impact around 10 people for Jesus.
 
If you have any questions or would like Samaritan’s Purse to send you more information, please contact Philip King at Samaritan’s Purse, 331-271-3917 or at pking@samaritan.org . Their website is https://www.samaritanspurse.org/ .

Covenant Harbor is hiring
Covenant Harbor is still looking for some kitchen staff and volunteers. All inquires can be made to Sandy Wendtland at swendtland@covenantharbor.org .

Summer staff applications for 2024 are now open on the Covenant Harbor website as well. They are already hiring for next year’s summer camp positions. If you have any questions, please contact Emma Mueller at emueller@covenantharbor.org.

All of these details can also be found on the camp’s website at www.covenantharbor.org. 

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. We are studying the Gospel of Mark. 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
Isaiah 11:1-5
Isaiah 5:1-7
Mark 12:1-3

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.

"With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." (Mark 4:30-32 NRS)