Worship live on Sundays in person,
or on Facebook & YouTube at 10:45 am.

Children’s Sunday School for ages K-7th grade at 9:30 am in-person.
Faith Forum (adult Sunday School) at 9:30 am in person and on Zoom.

November 27, 2022

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC

PRELUDE
led by Dana

WELCOME & GREETING, COMMUNITY LIFE

CALL TO WORSHIP
from Psalm 138

Leader: I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
People: Before the gods I sing Your praise;
Leader: I bow down toward Your holy temple
People: And give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness,
Leader: For You have exalted your name
People: And Your word above everything.
Leader: On the day I called, You answered me;
People: You increased my strength of soul.
Leader: All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
People: For they have heard the words of Your mouth.
Leader: They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
People: For great is the glory of the Lord.
Leader: For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly,
People: But the haughty He perceives from far away.
Leader: Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
People: You preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
Leader: You stretch out Your hand,
People: And Your right hand delivers me.
Leader: The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;
People: Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of Your hands.

WHO YOU SAY I AM
Who am I that the highest King
Would welcome me
I was lost but He brought me in
Oh, His love for me
Oh, His love for me

Who the Son sets free
Oh, is free indeed
I’m a child of God
Yes, I am

Free at last
He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin
Jesus died for me
Yes, He died for me

In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God
Yes, I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

(Oh) (Yes) I am who You say I am

CCLI Song # 7102401 Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan © 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
Jeremiah 1:4-10

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy,’
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
            says the Lord.”

Then the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,

“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”

CHILDREN’S MOMENT
Pastor Mark

Children 6 and under are dismissed to Children’s Church in the upstairs lounge. Parents, please pick up your children from the lounge after the worship service.

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. 

GOSPEL LESSON
(Stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel.)
Matthew 21:12-17

Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written,

‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’
    but you are making it a den of robbers.”

14 The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He cured them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did and heard the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry 16 and said to Him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies
    You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”

17 He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

Leader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

LET YOUR HEART BE BROKEN
Let your heart be broken,
For a world in need,
Feed the mouths that hunger,
Soothe the wounds that bleed;
Give the cup of water
And the loaf of bread,
Be the hands of Jesus,
Serving in His stead.

Here on earth applying,
Principles of love,
Visible expression
God still rules above,
Living illustration
Of the Living Word
To the minds of all who’ve
Never seen and heard.

Blest to be a blessing,
Privileged to care,
Challenged by the need
Apparent everywhere,
Where the world is wanting
Fill the vacant place,
Be the means through which the Lord
Reveals His grace.

Add to your believing
Deeds that prove it true,
Knowing Christ as Savior,
Make Him Master, too;
Follow in His footsteps,
Go where He has trod,
In the world’s great trouble,
Risk yourself for God.

Let your heart be tender
And your vision clear,
Rouse yourself to action,
Serve God far and near,
Let Your heart be broken
By another’s pain,
Share your rich resources,
Give and give again.

Covenant Hymnal, #642

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
The Becomers
Pastor Mark

O SEEK THE LORD IN PRAYER
O seek the Lord in prayer
And fall down at Christ’s feet,
As two or three are gathered there,
Entreaties shall Christ meet!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

Though we were reckoned lost
And numbered with the dead,
Christ came to suffer on the cross,
To grant us life instead!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

The touch of Christ brings strength,
Makes well and makes alive;
All who are languishing in pain,
Christ ventures to revive!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

Be calm and do not fear;
Be thoroughly restored!
May joy replace each anguished tear;
The joy of Christ the Lord!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

Covenant Hymnal, #478

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: Nikolas Arden, Messian Burgos, Vira Coszach, Gloria Evenson, Pedro Gomez, Art & Rosa Hamilton, Mary McKirchy, Shirley Nicholas, our Pastoral Search Committee, Gloria Rankin, Mary Smith, and Alice Westlind

Ministries & Mission
Covenant Kids Congo; 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 & OFFERING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving
@administrator

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.

KING OF KINGS
In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light
Till from Heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes

To fulfil the law and prophets
To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, three in one
God of Glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of kings

To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died

And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this Gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel, shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me

CCLI Song # 7127647 Brooke Ligertwood | Jason Ingram | Scott Ligertwood © 2019 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Fellow Ships Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) So Essential Tunes (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)

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

POSTLUDE
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
The Leadership Team of Ravenswood Covenant Church recommends mask use during services, but this is not mandatory.

Ravenswood Covenant livestreams worship each week on YouTube and Facebook, so Sunday morning worship will remain accessible to anyone who has Internet access.

Take Them a Meal program for Mary McKirchy
We periodically run Take Them a Meal programs for people in our congregation who are having difficulty with preparing meals, typically due to sickness, injury, or having recently given birth. Right now our dear sister Mary McKirchy is in ill health and has agreed to allow us to create a Take Them a Meal program on her behalf. If you are not on our church’s Take Them a Meal email list and would like to provide Mary with a meal or two, please contact Gregory in the church office at office@ravenscov.org or 773-784-7091. If you are on the list already, please consider signing up for a meal date for Mary if you are able to do so.

Congregational business meeting
Our annual December congregational business meeting will be held next Sunday, December 4 after the worship service. At this meeting we will discuss and approve the 2023 church budget. Full line-item copies of the budget will be made available upon request to the church office after December 1. Please make plans to attend this important meeting, either in person or via Zoom.

Indoor Playground
Indoor Playground is back! Our weekly cold-weather opportunity to let young children run around in our gym, play with toys, and use the bounce house. has begun again.. Indoor Playground will be open every Thursday afternoon from 4:30 to 5:30 pm.

Christmas season choir
Choir rehearsal for the Christmas season is now underway. The choir will rehearse each Sunday at 8:30 am through Christmas. This is an opportunity for everyone, not just trained singers or choir veterans, to take part. For more information, please speak to Cynthia Arden or contact the church office.

Holiday calendar
Parenting ProGRESS Christmas party – Dec. 7
Sankta Lucia festival – Dec. 11
Children’s Christmas program – Dec. 18
Christmas Carol Jeopardy! – Dec. 18
Community dinner – Dec. 19
Axiom Brass concert – Dec. 19
Christmas Eve service – Dec. 24
Christmas Day worship service – Dec. 25

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

Thursday evening Bible study
The weekly Bible study meets Thursdays at 7 pm. We are currently studying the book of Romans. The Bible study meets in the lounge, and is also accessible by Zoom. For more information, please contact Gregory Sager in the church office at (773) 784-7091 or office@ravenscov.org

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 December
December 4: Gregory Sager
December 11: Pastor Denise
December 18: Children’s Christmas program
December 25: A service of lessons & carols

Scripture for next Sunday
Matthew 5:13-16
Esther 4:1-17

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)