Sunday, December 14, 2025

Sunday, December 14, 2025
Third Sunday of Advent
Worship live on Sundays in person at 11:00 am
or online via YouTube at noon.

PEOPLE GET READY!

Isaiah 55:12
For you shall go out in joy
    and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall burst into song,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Leader: light print / People: bold print / * Please stand as you are able.

GATHERING MUSIC
“Joy to the World! The Lord is Come”
led by Dana

GOD WELCOMES US
We share Community Life & greet each other.
Kids worship bags are available in the back.

WE DIRECT OUR MINDS TO GOD
DECLARING OUR UNITY IN WORSHIP
from Psalm 97:10-12
You who love the Lord, hate evil; He guards the lives of His faithful; He rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
Light dawns for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
Give thanks to His holy name! Amen.

PRAYER SEEKING GOD’S PRESENCE
Almighty Father, You created the light and banished the darkness. Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the World. Holy Spirit, by Your inspiration, we reflect the Light of Christ. Father, Son, and Spirit, fill us with Your light and Your joy this Advent Season. Amen.

SINGING OUR LOVE TO GOD
* “Joy to the World! The Lord is Come”
hymnal #146

ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING
led by Jo & T.J. Zancanaro and Cece
First Reader: Advent reminds us that we are people who share a story, the story of Jesus, who enacts peace by judging in favor of the poor and deciding with equity for the meek of the earth. We long for the day when “the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6).
All: Today, we choose to live the story of peace, believing that true peace comes when we seek the flourishing of all God’s creation.
Second Reader: We light this candle of peace as a sign of our commitment to bring Light to the places the world seeks to hide until that day when all creation lives together in harmony and abundance.

SINGING OUR LOVE TO GOD
* “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”    
hymnal #120
(verse three only)

GOD, WE’RE LISTENING
John 4:13-14                                                                
read by Jo & T.J. Zancanaro and Cece

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”

SINGING OUR DESIRE TO HEAR FROM GOD
* “Light of the World (Sing Hallelujah)”

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Children are invited to the front.

Following the message, children are invited to children’s church in the back room. A parent from the church will teach.

MESSAGE
Isaiah 55:1-5
Get Ready for Joy
Pastor Ryan

SINGING OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD
* “Our Day of Joy is Here Again”
hymnal #187

GOD HELP US
Prayer

WE CONCLUDE WITH 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.

THANKING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS
We offer God a portion of our money as a way to say we love God, and desire to encourage the ministry & mission of the church.

giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle^® to: giving@ravenscov.org

MUSIC FOR REFLECTION
“Come, Emmanuel”
led by the choir

SINGING OUR THANKSGIVING & ADORATION
* 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.
hymnal #48

PROCESSIONAL
“Sankta Lucia”

Natten går tunga fjät,
runt gård och stuva
kring jord som sol’n förlät,
skuggorna ruva

Då i vårt mörka hus,
stiger med tända ljus,
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia

Natten var stor och stum,
nu hör det svingar
i alla tysta rum,
sus som av vingar

Se, på vår tröskel står,
vitklädd med ljus i hår,
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia

“Hosanna, David’s Son”

Hosanna, Son of David,
Blessed be His holy name,
Glory to the Son of David,
Who comes in the name of the Lord

Hosanna in the highest,
Hosanna, hosanna.
Glory to the Son of David,
Who comes in the name of the Lord

“Nu Är Det Jul Igen”

Now it is Christmas time,
O now it is Christmas time
Our hearts are filled
With love and gladness

This is the time of year,
O this is the time of year
When joyous songs
Will banish sadness

GOD, WE’RE LISTENING
Genesis 1:3 (read by Jesse Carlson)
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Isaiah 60:1 (read by Elliot Anderson)
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Matthew 5:16 (read by Bertie Del Angel)
… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

”Nu Tändas Tusen Juleljus”

Nu tändas tusen juleljus
på jordens mörka rund
och tusen, tusen stråla ock
på himlens djupblå grund. 

Now shine a thousand candles bright
Around the world’s dark sphere;
The deep blue sky is set alight
As myriad flames appear. 

O star that shone o’er Bethlehem,
Now let your kindly light
With tranquil hope and glory
Shine in ev’ry home tonight. 

To ev’ry dark and anguished heart
Send down your ray divine,
And may the light of God’s own love
Like Christmas candles shine.

”Lyssna, Lyssna, Hör Du Änglasången?”

Listen, listen; hear the angels singing?
Listen, listen: “Glory be to God!”
Listen, listen; hear the angels singing?
“Glory, glory, glory be to God!”

Glory be to God, in the highest,
In the highest, in the highest.
Glory be to God, in the highest,
On earth, on earth, goodwill to all
Glory be to God, in the highest
And on earth goodwill to all!

* “Silent Night”

Stilla natt, heliga natt,
allt är frid,
stjärnan blid
Skiner på barnet i stallets strå,
och de vakande fromma två
Kristus till jorden är kommen,
oss är en frälsare född 

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace. (2x) 

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born! (2x) 

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth. (2x)

RECESSIONAL
“Sankta Lucia”

THE LAST GOOD WORD   
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

MUSIC ENDS OUR COMMUNAL CONVERSATION WITH GOD
“Santa Lucia”
led by Cynthia

GOD INVITES US TO GATHER AGAIN
We’ll be back here next Sunday. We hope you can join us.
Information on ravenscov.org.

RECC 2025 holiday schedule
Sun. Dec. 21: Christmas Carol Jeopardy! and Cookie Exchange, after the service

Wed., Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols, 6:00 pm

Sankta Lucia festival
As part of today’s worship service on the third Sunday of Advent, Ravenswood Covenant holds its annual Sankta Lucia festival. This Swedish tradition commemorates the 4th-century Sicilian martyr St. Lucy of Syracuse, whose name means “light” and who was renowned for her charity. It is a celebration of light and of giving, at the time of the church year when those two Christian ideals are prominent.

During coffee hour downstairs after the service, the children will serve us traditional Swedish treats with coffee. Please join us!

Christmas Carol Jeopardy! and Cookie Exchange
Two annual traditions at Ravenswood Covenant, a Cookie Exchange and a rousing game of Christmas Carol Jeopardy!, will be part of our coffee hour next Sunday, December 21 following the worship service. Once again, emcee Jim Anderson, RECC’s own Ken Jennings, will give the Christmas music answers and you provide the questions. Hang out with us after the service and enjoy the game while you partake in cookies from the Cookie Exchange! Bring your own cookies to church and leave with cookies others have brought.

RC4 Giving Tree
Ravenswood Community Child Care Center has set up its Christmas tree, “the Giving Tree,” in the C.E. lobby, as it does every year, with a sign-up sheet on the table next to it. This is your opportunity to sign up to provide a Christmas present for the child of a teen mom who may not have the money to give her child the gift that that child would like. If you want to sign up to be a Giving Tree gift-giver, please bring the wrapped present to Stacey Johnson or the RC4 office no later than Tuesday, December 23.

Schedule change
Confirmation class is canceled for this coming week. Confirmation will next meet on January 8.

Covenant Home Altar
Free copies of the winter issue of the Covenant Home Altar, the daily devotional guide of the Evangelical Covenant Church (our parent denomi-nation), are on the back table in the sanctuary.

Sunday School
Sunday School at Ravenswood Covenant meets every Sunday, starting at 10:00 am. We encourage everyone to bring their children to Sunday School to learn about the Bible so that they can grow in faith and knowledge of God. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Faith Forum
Faith Forum, the adult Christian education class that meets during the Sunday School hour (starting at 10:00 am) during the school year, is now in session. Plan to join us each Sunday as we learn and grow in our faith as a community of believers.

Registering for 2026 summer camps
Registration for the 2026 summer camping season of both of the Central Conference’s Bible camps, Covenant Harbor and Covenant Point, began three weeks ago. For more information, go to https://covenantharbor.org/ and https://www.cpbc.com/ .

Scripture for next Sunday
I John 1:1-10
John 1:6-18

If you enjoy reading scripture out loud, please sign up to read scripture in worship. The sign-up sheet is on the table in the back of the sanctuary, or you can talk with Pastor Ryan or Gregory Sager.

RECC weekly newsletter
Ravenswood Covenant has a weekly newsletter that keeps you informed of all of the church’s ongoing and upcoming events and programs, as well as the church’s prayer list, calendar, giving information, and updates about Covenant Harbor and Covenant Point. If you would like to be added to the email list for the newsletter, please speak to Gregory Sager or call the church office.

Coffee hour serving committees
With the start of a new school year we are seeking volunteers to serve during coffee hour. Volunteers are divided into committees that rotate coffee-hour responsibilities between the committees on a monthly basis, with members of each committee taking charge of one Sunday coffee hour during each month that her or his committee serves.

If you would like to sign up for a coffee hour serving committee, or if you just want more information before you decide whether or not to sign up, please email Kari Johnson at karinelson88@gmail.com or contact her at 847-772-5016.

Thursday evening Bible study
The weekly Bible study meets Thursdays at 7:00 pm. We are currently studying the Gospel of Luke, to be followed by its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles. 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.

* Cynthia Arden
* Nikolas Arden
* the Binag family
* Messian Burgos
* Shirley Deliberto
* Veronica Clarke
* Frank Coszach
* Vira Coszach
* Andrea Feijoo
* Fran Fostey
* Sandra Gooden
* Art Hamilton
* Trevor Hanks
* Bud Hodgkinson
* Esther Laraya
* the Olsen family
* Maria Paulette
* Tatiana Randall
* Mary Smith
* Tom Spriggs
* Phillip Stenberg
* Dorinne Tamras
* Lauren Vilardo
* Eric Warren
* Lydia Warrens
* Natalia Westlind

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.