September 26, 2021 | Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant Church

SEPTEMBER 26, 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
led by Erin

WELCOME & GREETING

CALL TO WORSHIP
based on Psalm 13
Leader: We come trusting in the steadfast love of God;
People: Our hearts rejoice in God’s salvation.

L: Let us pray to the Lord
P: For God deals bountifully with us.

INVOCATION:
prayed together aloud: Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to You, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly Yours, utterly dedicated unto You; and then use us, we pray You, as You will, and always to Your glory and the welfare of Your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

PRECIOUS LORD, TAKE MY HAND
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Led me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light,
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When the darkness appears,
And the night draws near
And my day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand;
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Covenant Hymnal, #413

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23; 28:10-17

When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” ²He said, “See, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. ³Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me. ⁴Then prepare for me savory food, such as I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.”

[Here Rebekah hatches a plan to have Jacob, not Esau, blessed by Isaac.]

¹⁵Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob; ¹⁶and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. ¹⁷Then she handed the savory food, and the bread that she had prepared, to her son Jacob.

¹⁸So he went in to his father, and said, “My father”; and he said, “Here I am; who are you, my son?” ¹⁹Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may bless me.” ²⁰But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” ²¹Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” ²²So Jacob went up to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him.

[Here Isaac blesses Jacob (not Esau), and when Esau finds out he’s hopping mad — to the point of wanting to kill his brother. Rebekah hears of Esau’s anger and sends Jacob away.]

¹⁰Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. ¹²And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. ¹³And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; ¹⁴and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. ¹⁵Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” ¹⁶Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” ¹⁷And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

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 1:47-51

⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” ⁴⁸Nathanael asked Him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” ⁴⁹Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” ⁵⁰Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” ⁵¹And He said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

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.

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
A Little Family Drama
Pastor Phil

GOD! WHEN HUMAN BONDS ARE BROKEN
God! When human bonds are broken
And we lack the love or skill
To restore the hope of healing,
Give us grace and make us still.

Through that stillness, with Your Spirit
Come into our world of stress,
For the sake of Christ forgiving
All the failures we confess.

You in us are bruised and broken:
Hear us as we seek release
From the pain of earlier living;
Set us free and grant us peace.

Send us, God of new beginnings,
Humbly hopeful into life.
Use us as a means of blessing:
Make us stronger, give us faith.

Give us faith to be more faithful,
Give us hope to be more true,
Give us love to go on learning:
God! Encourage and renew!

Covenant Hymnal, #364

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, and Steve Hoden

Ministries & Mission
Covenant Kids Congo; 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
& PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle^® to: giving@ravenscov.org

OFFERTORY
“Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying”
Ken Medema
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.

COMMUNITY LIFE

NEVER WALK ALONE
You are my shepherd faithful forever
Your hand is strong where my faith is weak
Close as my heartbeat, You won’t forsake me
You are the love that will carry me

pre-chorus
And I won’t be afraid
I will trust Your heart and say

chorus
I will never, ever, ever walk alone
You are with us for us, always holding on
Though I wander, Your love goes further
You are my hope and future
I will never walk alone

Questions may haunt us, casting a shadow
Still You’re the hope and the fire in me
I will not tremble, I will not stumble
You are my courage, my bravery

bridge
Surely Your goodness and mercy
Will light up the way set before me
Surely Your grace will pursue me
All my days, all my days

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

POSTLUDE
Adagio du Septieme Ton
Jacques Boyvin (1653-1706)
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

Please join us on the sidewalk at the front steps for coffee and fellowship together.

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.

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, with the early bird rate available through September 30, 2021. 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!

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.”

March to End Domestic Violence
Spread awareness about domestic violence! To mark the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church, along with several community organizations is holding a short March to End Domestic Violence this coming Friday, October 1, at 5:30 pm. The march and rally begins in front of Immanuel at 5210 N Washtenaw Ave. in Chicago. Parking is available behind the church building. For more information, contact Rev. Adria Willett-Leonardo at pastor@immanuelcov.org or 773-784-6622.

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.

General fund giving:
September 12: $903

General fund giving:
September 19: $2,299

Scripture for next Sunday
Exodus 2:23-25; 3:1-15; 4:10-17
John 8:58

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.