Sunday, January 4, 2026

Sunday, January 4, 2026
Second Sunday of Christmas
Worship live on Sundays in person at 11:00 am
or online via YouTube at noon.

COME AND SEE

John 1:35-37
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

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

GATHERING MUSIC
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
Psalm 25:1, 4-6
In You, Lord my God, I put my trust.
Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.
Remember, Lord, Your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 

PRAYER SEEKING GOD’S PRESENCE
Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let heaven and nature sing! Let fields, floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the resounding joy! Lord Jesus, prepare our hearts for the coming Kingdom where You rule the world with truth and grace and sins and sorrows no longer grow. Amen.

SINGING OUR LOVE TO GOD
* “O Thou Joyful, O Thou Wonderful”
hymnal #179

GOD, WE’RE LISTENING
John 1:29-34
read by Colleen Carlson

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ranks ahead of me because He was before me.’ I myself did not know Him, but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that He might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Chosen One.”

SINGING OUR DESIRE TO HEAR FROM GOD
* “He Shall Reign Forevermore”
Arterberry / Tomlin / Arterberry / Maher; © Capitol CMG Publishing, Essential Music Publishing

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
John 1:35-42
Come and See
Pastor Ryan

SINGING OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD
* “For All That You Have Done”
Llewellyn / Gilkeson; © Capitol CMG Publishing

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
“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”
led by Leah and Cynthia

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

You do not need to be a member of Ravenswood Covenant Church to participate in Holy Communion.
All that is required is personal faith in Jesus Christ.

SINGING OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD
* “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”               
hymnal #188

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

MUSIC ENDS OUR COMMUNAL CONVERSATION WITH GOD
“Christus, Der Ist Me in Leben”
Johann Pachelbel
led by Cynthia

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

Benevolence offering
Ravenswood Covenant takes a retiring benevolence offering on the first Sunday of the month to give people a chance to aid those in our congregation and community who are experiencing immediate financial needs (rent, food, transportation, medical issues, etc.). You can add your contribution to the monthly benevolence offering by placing it in the gray wooden box in the narthex as you leave the sanctuary.

Lunch Bunch gathering
The Lunch Bunch will be meeting downstairs on Wednesday, January 13, at 11:30 am to share lunch and fellowship. All of the women of the church are invited. Bring a friend or two! For more information, please speak to Nancy Popovich or contact the church office.

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, except during the holiday season. 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.

Confirmation
Confirmation is a two-year course of study for students around 7th-9th grade. We studied the Old Testament last year. This year we are studying the New Testament. Confirmation classes take place at 7:30 pm on Thursday evenings.

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
Psalm 104:14-16
John 2:1-11

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
* Esther Laraya
* Maria Paulette
* Tatiana Randall
* Mary Smith
* Phillip Stenberg
* Dorinne Tamras
* Lauren Vilardo
* Eric Warren
* Lydia Warrens
* the family of John Weborg
* Natalia Westlind
* the Windmiller and Hodgkinson families

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.