Sunday, June 8, 2025

Sunday, June 8th

Sunday, June 8, 2025
Pentecost Sunday
Worship live on Sundays in person at 10:00 am
or online via YouTube at noon.

PRELUDE
“On Pentecost They Gathered”
led by Leslie and Cynthia

WELCOME, GREETING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE

PRAYER
Leader: Holy God, we come today because You have called us.
People: We come today because Your Holy Spirit is at work within us.
We come today because we believe You are here among your people.
We come today because we need You to work in us and through us so that all we do may be a lived response to the gospel message that we love because You first loved us. On this day when we remember the first Pentecost, we pray that Your Spirit may move among us, filling us with love. Amen.

CALL TO WORSHIP
Acts 2:1-4
Leader: When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

“On Pentecost They Gathered”
(verse 1)
Covenant Hymnal, #272

Leader: Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability.

“On Pentecost They Gathered”
(verses 2 and 3)

People: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful people; and kindle in us the fire of Your love.

* KING OF KINGS
(words on the screen)

EPISTLE LESSON: Colleen Carlson
Galatians 4:1-7

My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than those who are enslaved, though they are the owners of all the property, but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Pastor Ryan

Children 6 and under are dismissed to the gym. Parents can pick up their children after the service.

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
Acts 2:22-24, 38-41
The Gift of Repentance
Pastor Ryan

* FRESH WIND
(words on the screen)

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: We continue to pray for: the Anderson family; Cynthia Arden; Nikolas Arden; the Binag family; Messian Burgos; Shirley Deliberto; Frank Coszach; Vira Coszach; Art & Rosa Hamilton; Trevor Hanks; Lidija Jagustin; Mary McKirchy; Maria Paulette; Mary Smith; Mary Spriggs; Dorinne Tamras; Lauren Vilardo; and Lydia Warrens

Ministries & Mission
Evens & Karina Paul, serving in Haiti;
Renee Nicholas, serving as the national director for InterVarsity’s Graduate Healthcare Ministries

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
“Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart”
George Croly / Frederick C. Atkinson
led by Leslie 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.

* BUILD YOUR KINGDOM HERE
(words on the screen)

THE LAST WORD
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God

POSTLUDE
Moderato 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 stand as you are able.

Year to Date Revenue: $87,323.26
Year to Date Expense: $112,148.72
Year to Date Deficit: $24,825.46

Congregational business meeting
Ravenswood Covenant will hold a congregational meeting today after worship. We will be voting upon candidates to serve on the Leadership Team and as our church’s Gather (Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church) delegates, and there are other important business items that need to be decided by the congregation. We hope to have Zoom access available for members who are unable to be present in person to attend and vote remotely. Please plan to attend this important meeting.

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 let them attach a name to a face. Please wear a nametag and let visitors know who you are! Blank nametags and Sharpies are available in the narthex.

Summer worship schedule
We are now in our summer worship schedule, which means a 10:00 am worship hour. Sunday School and Faith Forum are now on summer hiatus. Sunday worship will return to the 11:00 am hour the Sunday after Labor Day.

Summer Book Club
You are invited to take part in the Summer Book Club, led by Pastor Ryan, which will meet two Thursday evenings in each of the three summer months, at 7:00 pm in the upstairs lounge. The book is The Great De-churching by Jim Davis and Michael Graham. The Summer Book Club will meet on June 12 and 26, July 10 and 24, and August 7 and 21.

Books cost $17. Pastor Ryan has 10 copies available for purchase.

Our 2025 graduates
Congratulations to Ravenswood Covenant’s 2025 graduates!

Zoe Brask graduated from Amundsen High School. Zoe will attend University of Illinois-Champaign next year.

Ella Brask graduated from Coonley Elementary. Ella is headed to Amundsen High School.

Peter Eikenbary-Barber graduated from Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center. Peter will attend Seattle Pacific University next year.

Scripture reader sign-up
We’re seeking people to read the scripture passages of the day in the worship service for the coming months. If you are willing to be a scripture reader this summer, please add your name to the sign-up sheet in the church office or in the narthex on Sundays, or contact Gregory Sager or Pastor Ryan. Feel free to sign up for more than one Sunday if you like.

Farmers market
It was the third straight rainy and unseasonably cold Wednesday in a row, so the numbers were down again at yesterday’s Ravenswood Community Farmers Market. But 423 adult visitors still made it out to our parking lot to shop at our vendor’s tents, grab a meal, and mingle with neighbors, not countiing all of the many children in attendance as well.

The market will run every Wednesday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the church parking lot until the middle of October. The church not only hosts the market, it also operates the children’s activities that are a part of the market — and this year we are also going to reinstate our greeting tent, so that our neighbors visiting the market can get to know the church that hosts it a little better. If you would like to help staff our activities — you are free to volunteer for as little or as much of the farmers market calendar as you see fit — please speak to Bekah Carlson or the church staff.

Farmers market supplies
The farmers market is off to a great start! If you are looking for a way to help support the market, we have a need for supplies that we use quite a bit throughout the summer at the science table and at the art table, both of which the church runs for the children visiting the market. Please consider buying any of the following:

Paper Towels – Baby Wipes – Blue Dawn Dish Soap – Corn Starch – Baking Soda –
White Vinegar (1/2 to 1 gallon size)

We will continue to update this list throughout the season as our needs change. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers.

Covenant Harbor Sunday
Ravenswood Covenant has not held a Covenant Harbor Sunday since before COVID, and this is a tradition that we’d like to revive. On Sunday, June 29, Pastor Ryan will preach at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp’s worship service in Lake Geneva, WI, and the Ravenswood Covenant community is encouraged to attend. Plan to pack lunch, as we’ll eat at the camp’s waterfront picnic tables afterwards, and the waterfront will be open for swimming. The camp’s boathouse has been reserved for Ravenswood Covenant as well. Announcements regarding rides to Lake Geneva will be made as Covenant Harbor Sunday approaches. Worship will still be held at Ravenswood Covenant that Sunday for those who aren’t going up to Covenant Harbor.

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.

We have Zoom available for those who would like to take part in the Bible study but cannot be physically present. Here is the Zoom link for the Bible study.

Meeting ID: 839 2337 6849
Passcode: 318853

Pastor Ryan’s office hours
Pastor Ryan is in the office Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you would like to meet with Pastor Ryan, please call the church office in advance to schedule an appointment.

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!

Scripture for next Sunday
Acts 10:9-23
Acts 10:34-43

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.