October 17, 2021 | Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant Church

OCTOBER 17, 2021
Adult Sunday School convenes at 9:30 on Zoom and in-person
Children’s Sunday School for ages 3-12 meets at 9:30 am at church

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
led by Cynthia

PRELUDE
“Come, Thou Almighty King”
led by Erin and Cynthia

WELCOME, COMMUNITY LIFE, & GREETING

CALL TO WORSHIP
based on Psalm 8

Leader: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Whose Name is majestic in all the earth!

L: Who are we that You are mindful of us, Lord?
P: Human beings that You care for us?

L: You’ve welcomed us to join Your work in the world.
P: You’ve given us dominion over the works of Your hands.

L: Let us bless the Lord.
P: God’s name is majestic in all the earth!

COME, THOU ALMIGHTY KING
Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise:
Father all glorious, o’er all victorious,
Come, and reign over us, Ancient of Days!

Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend:
Come, and Thy people bless,
And give Thy Word success;
Spirit of holiness, on us descend!

Come, Holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour:
Thou who almighty art,
Now rule in ev’ry heart,
And ne’er from us depart, Spirit of pow’r!

To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be hence, evermore:
Thy sov’reign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity love and adore!

Covenant Hymnal, # 101

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
1 Samuel 3:1-21

3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

²At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; ³the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. ⁴Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” ⁵and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. ⁶The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” ⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if He calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” ¹¹Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. ¹²On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. ¹⁴Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”

¹⁵Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. ¹⁶But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” ¹⁷Eli said, “What was it that He told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that He told you.” ¹⁸So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to Him.”

¹⁹As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of His words fall to the ground. ²⁰And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. ²¹The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD NEVER CEASES
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new ev’ry morning, new ev’ry morning,
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord,
Great is Thy faithfulness

Music & Words, Edith McNeill, Copyright 1986
Celebration Services Ltd. CCLI#349090

GOSPEL LESSON
(Stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel.)
John 20:21-23

²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” ²²When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

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.

Children ages 3-5 are dismissed to the fellowship hall at this time for Children’s Church.

CELEBRATION OF BAPTISM
This past Saturday we baptized Everett Maurice Nicholas. Trevor and Renee and the family that gathered made promises to Everett and to God. As a continuation of that service we invite you too into the promises of baptism:

The Christian nurture of Everett cannot be assumed by parents alone. Since we are members of one another in the fellowship of the church, the responsibility of caring for the newly baptized must be shared by all. In receiving and caring for Everett, will you as members of the Church of Jesus Christ do your part, by word and deed, with love and prayer, to guide and nurture Everett, encouraging him to know and follow Christ and caring for him as Christ’s own? If so, say

L: “With God’s help we will.”
P: With God’s help, we will.

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.

Covenant Hymnal, #423

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
And So It Begins…
Pastor Phil

EMMANUEL, EMMANUEL
Emmanuel, Emmanuel,
His name is called Emmanuel.
God with us, revealed in us,
His name is called Emmanuel.

Covenant Hymnal, #183

KING OF THE BROKEN
We, Your children, pray, Lord
Humbly seek Your face
We turn from our sin, Lord
You hear us as we pray

Healing King of nations
Let Your kingdom come
Purify Your church
Lord, Your glory over us

pre-chorus
Heal us, forgive us
Restore our hearts again
Fill us, breathe upon us

chorus
Jesus, Jesus
Healer of nations
Hope of salvation
Jesus, Jesus
King of our hearts
King of the broken

Lover of the wounded
Defender of the weak
Friend of the forgotten
You wipe our tears away

chorus 2
Jesus, Jesus
Healer of nations
Hope of the world
Jesus, Jesus
King of our hearts
Hope of the world
Jesus, Jesus
King of our hearts
King of the broken

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER

We continue to pray for: Katie Gieseke, Kari Hutson, Ernesto Galaviz, Kristine Brandel’s friend Terrie, Nikolas Arden, Katie Collier, Chuck & Shirley Nicholas, Art & Rosa Hamilton, Esther Stoel, Carol Koeller’s mother Barbara, Joyce Andrews, Paul Mounts, Brianna Randall, the Figved family, and Steve Hoden

Ministries & Mission
Joshua & Lori Shinar, serving in Cameroon; Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp

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
& PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle^® to: giving@ravenscov.org

OFFERTORY
“Amazing Grace”
arr. Mark Hayes
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.

PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM!
Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed redeemer!
Sing, O earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! highest arch-angels in glory;
Strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long:
Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness
Praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song!

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins He suffered, and bled, and died;
He our rock, our hope of eternal salvation.
Hail Him, hail Him, Jesus the crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows;
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep, and strong:
Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness,
Praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song!

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever.
Crown Him, crown Him, Prophet and Priest and King!
Christ is coming, over the world victorious,
Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong:
Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness.
Praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song!

Covenant Hymnal, #319

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

POSTLUDE
Gavotte in D
J.S. Bach
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

Covid restrictions for in-person worship
Chicago is now requiring the use of masks for indoor public gatherings, so Ravenswood Covenant has reinstated safety protocols for Sunday morning worship. This means that within the building masks are required at all times, regardless of vaccination status; seating is socially distant; and handshakes and hugs are avoided.

We are still observing precautions regarding children, specifically with regard to the cry room. As was the case before, if you and your family would like to worship in the cry room, please reserve it in advance by contacting Gregory Sager at office@ravenscov.org or 773-784-7091. One family may choose to use the cry room upon arrival if it hasn’t already been reserved. Children of all ages are always welcome to be in the sanctuary with their parents for the worship service!

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.

String quartet concert
Cynthia Arden invites you to hear a Lake County Symphony Orchestra string quartet concert next Saturday, October 23, at 7:30 pm at Gurnee Community Church, located at 4555 Old Grand Ave. in Gurnee. Tickets are $20. The program is “Music of Larks and Waltzes,” and a delightful evening is promised!

A farmers market thank-you!
Another farmers market season has come to an end, with a well-attended and much-enjoyed Harvest Fest closing thie season yesterday. In spite of the pandemic restrictions that curbed much of the usual activity of the market for the second year in a row and the difficulties in getting vendors and (especially) food trucks as local businesses have suffered under current pandemic conditions, the market nevertheless had another successful year. It continues to be one of the primary ways in which our church reaches out to the local community and helps foster a sense of neighborliness and service to others.

A special thank-you to market director Sneha John and to all of the various volunteers from RECC who helped out throughout the 2021 market season.

We hope to see everyone again at the farmers market in 2022!

Covenant Point fall work day
Covenant Point Bible Camp is asking for volunteers to take part in a fall work day at CPBC on Saturday, October 23.

Projects will likely include:

roofing a building (Lindstrom’s Landing)
dock removal
wood splitting / moving
deep-cleaning cabins
door replacement
and more!

Work begins at 9 am. The camp will feed you lunch at midday, and work will wrap up around 2 pm. All are welcome!

Accessible to All? A Faithful Response to Disabilities (A virtual conference)
On Saturday, November 6, 2021, from 10 am to 3:30 pm, a virtual symposium will be held to discuss issues related to accessibility for the disabled in the church setting.

Join others to imagine how the well-being of everyone in the church would be strengthened and better reflect the kingdom of God by being fully welcoming of persons of all abilities. The keynote speaker is Benjamin Conner, Ph.D., Professor of Practical Theology and Director of the Center for Disability and Ministry at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI and author of Disabling Mission, Enabling Witness: Exploring Missiology through the Lens of Disability Studies (IVP Academic, 2018).  Plenary sessions and workshops will provide the opportunity to explore how congregations and healthcare professionals can collaborate in responding faithfully to the challenge of disabilities, considering what can be done together that neither can do alone.

This fourth faith and health symposium is offered by North Park Theological Seminary and North Park University School of Nursing and Health Sciences, with the support of the Good Shepherd Initiative.

Registration is now open. For more information go to: https://www.northpark.edu/event/accessible-to-all-a-faithful-response-to-disabilities/

Sunday School and Children’s Church are back in session!
Classes meet every Sunday morning at 9:30 am for ages 3-12. The teachers and students will all wear masks. All our teachers have been vaccinated, as has the church staff. Contact Pastor Denise for more information. Sunday School lesson videos made weekly and emailed out for children who are unable to attend church in-person.

Children’s Church has restarted as well. Children ages 3 to 5 are dismissed mid-service and will meet downstairs in the fellowship hall. The lounge will continue to be used as a nursery space for families during the service, with the service livestreamed on the lounge’s television.

Faith Forum returns
Faith Forum, our adult Sunday School class, meets every week in the upstairs lounge at 9:30 am. It operates in a hybrid format; you are invited to attend in person, but if you do so, please wear a mask. As was the case last year, the class will also have a Zoom component for those who wish to attend remotely. The Zoom link can be found at the top of the online bulletin every week.

Pastor Phil is taking us through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians for the first few weeks of Faith Forum. Join us next week!

Thursday evening adult Bible study studies Galatians
The adult Bible study has begun a chapter-by-chapter journey through the book of Galatians. The adult Bible study meets on Thursday evenings at 7 pm.

We are now welcoming anybody to the lounge on Thursday evenings who wants to take part in the Bible study. Please wear a mask. If you would prefer to participate remotely, or if you are out of town, the Bible study will continue to provide Zoom access as well for online participants.

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.”

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 773-784-7091 for more information.

General fund giving:
October 3: $5,444

General fund giving:
October 10: $1,510

Scripture for next Sunday
1 Samuel 16:1-13
John 7:24

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.