October 1, 2023

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

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC

PRELUDE
led by Dana

WELCOME, GREETING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE

CALL TO WORSHIP
from Psalm 90:1-2, 16-17
Leader: Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
People: Before the mountains were brought forth
    or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
    from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
Leader: Let Your work be manifest to Your servants
    and Your glorious power to their children.
People: Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us
    and prosper for us the work of our hands—
    O prosper the work of our hands!

PRAYER
Jehovah, Your name is above all names! You rescue the oppressed and the downtrodden. You liberate the prisoners and the slaves. You save the sick and the sinners. Only You know our personal struggles. Lead us to Your deliverance today. Amen.

* THE GOD OF ABRAHAM PRAISE
The God of Abraham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above;
The ancient of eternal days,
The God of love!
The Lord, the great I Am,
By earth and heaven confessed,
We bow before Your holy name,
Forever blest.

Your Spirit still flows free,
High surging where It will,
In prophet’s word You spoke of old
And You speak still.
Eastablished is Your law,
And changeless it shall stand,
Deep writ upon the human heart,
On sea or land.

You have eternal life
Implanted in the soul;
Your love shall be our strength and stay,
While ages roll.
We praise You, living God!
We praise Your holy name;
Who was, and is, and is to be,
Fore’er the same!

Covenant Hymnal, #37


OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
Exodus 3:1-10

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to Me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 

* GOSPEL LESSON
Mark 12:24-27

Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is God not of the dead but of the living; you are quite wrong.”

* WHEN ISRAEL WAS IN EGYPT’S LAND
When Israel was in Egypt’s land,
Let my people go!
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
Let my people go!

chorus
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt’s land.
Tell old Pharaoh:
Let my people go!

The Lord told Moses what to do,
Let my people go!
To lead the Hebrew children through,
Let my people go!

chorus

As Israel stood by the waterside,
Let my people go!
At God’s command it did divide,
Let my people go!

chorus

When they reached the other shore,
Let my people go!
They let the song of triumph soar,
Let my people go!

chorus

O let us all from bondage flee,
Let my people go!
And let us all in Christ be free,
Let my people go!

chorus

Covenant Hymnal, #119

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
Exodus 3:11-17
The Great “I AM”
Pastor Ryan

ESTABLISH THE WORK OF OUR HANDS
If You don’t build it we labor in vain
Without Your Spirit we stand with no strength
I know my time is passing away
And the works of Your hands are what will remain

pre-chorus
Let the favor of the Lord rest upon us

chorus
O Lord establish the work of our hands
O Lord establish the work of our hands

Teach us to number the length of our days
Pour out Your power we’ll pour out Your praise
Teach us to run to finish the race
For only what’s done in love will remain

ending
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

CCLI Song # 7097860 Aaron Keyes | Isaac Wardell | Liz Vice Music LLC | Madison Cunningham | Orlando Palmer | Paul Zach | Sandra McCracken © Hymns From The Porter’s Gate (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Porter’s Gate Publications (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC])

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

Ministries & Mission
Francisco & Stephanie Martins Ramos, serving in France; 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 & OFFERINGS
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@ravenscov.org

OFFERTORY
Bourrée
J.S. Bach
led by Leah and 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.

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
Jesus said: “Come to Me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is always right everywhere and at all times to give God thanks.
We thank You, God, for creating our world, taking pleasure in it, hating nothing You had made. Grudging existence to no one, You created a man and woman, sharing Your breath with them. After taking great delight in the work of Your hands, You declared a great Sabbath. Blessed with times and seasons, the earth brought forth abundantly, providing the man and woman all that was essential to life. Therefore, we join our voices with the angels and all the saints in heaven and on earth as we praise your name, saying:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Glory be to You, O Lord most high.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Congregation: An intruder appeared, intent on ruining the work of Your hands, tempting the man and woman to doubt Your word and distrust Your promise. Weakened by doubt and distrust, they acted in disregard of Your word and promise and became like homeless persons in their own garden. Aware of what they had done and knowing a shame too deep for words, they became strangers to You, to each other, and to themselves.

Knowing such is true about ourselves we say:
All: Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
How merciful You are that You took notice of lost persons, O God, not leaving them to their shame or your creation to self-destruct.
Beginning with Noah, who lived in a time of outrageous evil, and leading to Abraham and Sarah, You kept Your word always to have a people to give witness to Your name.
Promising to Abraham and Sarah that in them and their descendants all nations of the earth would be blessed, a nation came to be, Israel by name, to be a light to the nations.
How grateful we are, O God, that this light was kept burning during centuries of slavery until the time came for liberation, when Moses and Joshua, Rahab and Deborah, among many, guided Your people into their new life in a new land.
But over the centuries Your people came to think of the new land as possession more than gift. As they became ever more possessive, distrust among Your people grew into class hatred and contempt for temple festivals. Finally, made vulnerable by disregard of Your covenant with them, they became a nation ripe for captivity by other powers.
How tragic it was, O God, that Your people turned a deaf ear to the prophets and disregarded Your warning.
Then Your people were scattered again, homeless in exile and exposed to shame, only to return to a Jerusalem in ruins and the temple destroyed.
When it appeared that You had withdrawn from Your world, O God, oblivious to Your promises to help in time of need, You sent Gabriel to a virgin named Mary, telling her that she would be the mother of the One all had been looking for.
She gave birth to a son, Jesus by name. Most of His life was lived in obscurity, having been trained as a carpenter in Nazareth until He sought baptism by His relative John the Baptizer.
After forty days of harassment by the same intruder who had invaded the garden, Jesus had resisted all the enticements offered Him to forsake His single-minded devotion to Your will, O God.
He began His public ministry, first by gathering a group of persons to be His disciples, persons having little in common, often hostile to each other, each not knowing the outcome of their going with Jesus.
They went with Him, often to forbidden places and forsaken people—the lepers, the disabled, the impoverished, the non-Jews, the political enemies, the fraudulent—all to begin to gather into one the scattered people of God.
Increasingly unwanted by official leaders of temple and state, and misunderstood by those closest to Him, He came to this: On the night He was betrayed, he 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.”
So, Lord, is it I who continues to add to Your suffering?
Holy Father, who sent the Holy Spirit to equip Your Son Jesus for doing Your will, send now this same Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine returned to You from Your creation. Unworthy though we may be, may this same Spirit enable us to receive them for what Jesus said they were—His body and blood for us. So receiving, may we be the more equipped to endure testing as well as triumph in our service to You. Therefore, sustain us in faith, strengthen us to love, and season us with hope as we await the appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who, with You and the Holy Spirit, ever lives and rules, now as always. Amen.

Let us proclaim the mystery of our faith.
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

BREAKING OF THE BREAD
When we break the bread, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?

A moment of silence follows. Then, having filled the cup, the pastor lifts it in the view of the people, saying:

When we give thanks over the cup, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?

After a moment of silence, the pastor says:

Christ our Passover is offered for us. Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

SHARING THE BREAD AND CUP

PRAYER
After all have been served, the pastor says:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.”

* LOVE WILL NEVER FAIL
Love is patient, love is kind
It has no arrogance or pride
It seeks the good of others first
It keeps no record of wrong or hurt
It finds no joy in wickedness
But rejoices in the truth
Through it all, it will endure
Love will never fail

chorus
Love will never, never fail
Love will never, never fail
Love will never, never fail
Love will never fail

Though all prophecy will cease
Though all knowledge, it will fade
Oh, an end will come to speech
Even death will pass away
We will see You face to face
And Your mercy will prevail
Faith and hope they will remain, oh-oh
Love will never fail

chorus

bridge
Love, love, will never fail
Love, love, will never fail
Never, never, love will never fail (Love, love, will never fail)
Never, never, oh, love will never fail (Love, love, will never fail)
Never, never, love will never fail (Love, love, will never fail)
Never, never, love will never fail (Love, love, will never fail)

chorus

Written by Isaac Wardell, Leslie Jordan, Aaron Keyes, iAmSon & Paul Zach © Integrity Music

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

POSTLUDE
Postlude in C
J.S. Bach
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.

Background check consent form
If you’re working with the church’s children or youth in the 2023-24 school year, please remember to have your background check consent form completed and submitted no later than Wednesday, October 11. You can submit it to Pastor Ryan or to Gregory Sager.

Offerfest volunteers needed
Ravenswood Covenant’s annual Offerfest celebration is scheduled for Sunday, November 5, so it’s fast approaching! Volunteers are needed, particularly in the food preparation and post-dinner clean-up departments. If you’re willing to help, please speak to Pastor Ryan, Gregory Sager, or Alice Westlind, or to any member of the church’s Leadership Team.

Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts One Day Retreat
Led by:      Pastor Ryan Eikenbary-Barber
When:       October 28 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm
Where:      Nelson Lounge at Ravenswood Covenant Church
Cost:         Lunch 
Who:         Couples interested in building a marriage that lasts a lifetime
RSVP:         ryan@ravenscov.org

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.

“Covenant Affirmations” Faith Forum series
Faith Forum, Ravenswood Covenant’s adult Sunday School class, meets Sundays at 10:00 am in the upstairs lounge. Last Sunday began a series of Faith Forum classes centered around the six primary teachings of our denomination, better known as the “Covenant Affirmations”.
  
September 17: “The Centrality of the Word of God” (taught by LeRoy Carlson)             
September 24: “The Necessity of the New Birth” (taught by Gregory Sager)
October 1: “A Commitment to the Whole Mission of the Church” (taught by Pastor Ryan)
October 8: “The Church as a Fellowship of Believers” (taught by Paul Shaheen)
October 15: “A Conscious Dependence on the Holy Spirit” (taught by Colleen Carlson)                        
October 22: “The Reality of Freedom in Christ” (taught by Jim Anderson)
 
Coffee and treats are provided each week at Faith Forum, Please join us!                   

Choir to return for fall/winter season
Calling all singers! The Ravenswood Covenant choir will begin rehearsals on Sunday, October 22, as we begin our fall and winter choir season.

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.

New Covenant Home Altar available
The fall issue of the Covenant Home Altar, the daily devotional produced by our parent denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church, is now available in the narthex. Pick up a free copy!

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 Tuesday thru Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you would like to meet with Pastor Ryan during his afternoon hours, please call the church office to schedule an appointment.

Farmers market
The numbers are a bit down for the farmers market, as school now being in session is decreasing the number of families bringing their children to the parking lot. But there are still kids enjoying the activities there, and still plenty of shoppers perusing the vendors at the market.

The market will run until mid-October every Wednesday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm in our parking lot. This year the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce has taken over locating and contacting possible vendors for the market, so we anticipate a busier and more crowded market than has been true since Covid hit.

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
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Deuteronomy 5:1-21
Mark 12:28-31

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.

"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)