Sunday, December 7, 2025
Sunday, December 7th
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Second Sunday of Advent
Worship live on Sundays in person at 11:00 am
or online via YouTube at noon.
PEOPLE GET READY!
Ezekiel 37:13-14
And you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O My people.I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.
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 85:8-13
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, to His faithful, to those who turn to Him in their hearts.
Surely His salvation is at hand for those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before Him and will make a path for His steps.
PRAYER SEEKING GOD’S PRESENCE
Almighty God, the Bible declares You are Jehovah Shalom; “the Lord is Peace.” Lord Jesus, Isaiah welcomed You as the Prince of Peace. Spirit of God, You produce the fruit of peace in our lives. Father, Son, and Spirit, teach us to bend our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Amen.
SINGING OUR LOVE TO GOD
* “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
hymnal #120
(verse two only)
ADVENT READING 2: PEACE
led by Bekah & Dan Carlson and family
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.
the second candle of the Advent wreath is lit
HYMN
* “Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates”
hymnal #126
GOD, WE’RE LISTENING
John 11:25-26
read by Bekah & Dan Carlson and family
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?
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
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Get Ready for Peace
Pastor Ryan
SINGING OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD
* “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”
hymnal #127
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 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
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 DESIRE FOR GOD’S REIGN
* “Peace Has Come”
THE LAST GOOD WORD
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
MUSIC ENDS OUR COMMUNAL CONVERSATION WITH GOD
TBA
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.
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.
Congregational business meeting
A congregational business meeting will be held downstairs today after the service to approve the 2026 church budget. All members of the church are strongly encouraged to attend. Your input and your presence are valued!
RECC 2025 holiday schedule
The dates and times for Ravenswood Covenant’s 2025 holiday season activities and special services has been announced:
Sun., Dec. 14: Sankta Lucia festival, during the service
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 the worship service on the third Sunday of Advent (December 14), Ravenswood Covenant will hold its annual Sankta Lucia festival. This Swedish tradition commemorates the fourth-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.
All of the children and young people of Ravenswood Covenant are encouraged to be a part of the festival. During coffee hour downstairs after the service, the children will serve us traditional Swedish treats with coffee. For more information, contact the church office.
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.
Ravenswood Community Winter Market
Did you know that the farmers market continues on through the winter months now? The Ravenswood Community Winter Market, a scaled-down version of the farmers market that our church hosts in our parking lot from May to October, will again be open on December 13, January 17, February 21, and
March 21. For more information, please speak to Bekah Carlson.
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
John 4:13-14
Isaiah 55:1-13
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.
2025 Fall/Winter choir season
The annual Fall/Winter choir season at Ravenswood Covenant, which will continue for ten weeks, has begun. The choir meets at 9:00 am on Sundays in the sanctuary to rehearse. All are welcome to join, regardless of experience or music-reading ability. For more information, please contact the church office or speak to our church’s organist, Cynthia Arden, who also serves as our choir director.
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
* 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.