Sunday, June 29, 2025

Sunday, June 29th

Sunday, June 29, 2025
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Worship live on Sundays in person at 10:00 am
or online via YouTube at noon.

PRELUDE
“Come, Celebrate the Presence of the Lord”
Richard Carlson
led by Mary and Cynthia

WELCOME, GREETING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 113:1-3
Leader: Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you His servants.
People: Praise the name of the Lord.
Leader: Let the name of the Lord be praised,
People: Both now and forevermore.
Leader: From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
People: The name of the Lord is to be praised.

UNISON PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we glorify Your name!
Lord Jesus, we glorify Your name!
Holy Spirit, we glorify Your name!
Father, Son, and Spirit, we glorify Your name! Amen.

* COME, CELEBRATE THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
hymnal #512

NEW TESTAMENT LESSON: Jim Anderson
Acts 14:8-18

In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been lame from birth. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And the man sprang up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, “People, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.In past generations He allowed all peoples to follow their own ways, yet He has not left Himself without a witness in doing good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.” Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

* WE PLOW THE FIELDS AND SCATTER THE GOOD SEED
hymnal #655

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
This Is Reality
Gregory Sager

* WE’VE A STORY TO TELL TO THE NATIONS
hymnal #688

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; Veronica Clarke; Shirley Deliberto; Frank Coszach; Vira Coszach; Art & Rosa Hamilton; Trevor Hanks; Lidija Jagustin; Mary McKirchy; Maria Paulette; Kathleen Sager; Mary Smith; Mary Spriggs; Dorinne Tamras; Lauren Vilardo; and Lydia Warrens

Ministries & Mission
Cheryl & Craig Wickstrom, serving in the Democratic Republic of 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
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle^® to: giving@ravenscov.org

OFFERTORY
Prelude No. 6
Frédéric Chopin
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.

* THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
hymnal #696

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

POSTLUDE
Finlandia
Jean Sibelius
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.

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 remaining sessions of the Summer Book Club are July 10 and 24, and August 7 and 21. Participants are asked to please read pages 65-115 for the July 10 session.

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
The bad weather held off last Wednesday, leading to a very successful edition of the Ravenswood Community Farmers Market! There were 911 adults who visited the market, which meant happy vendors, and a lot of children were there as well to enjoy the bounce house, the art tent, and the water play area.

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
Many, or perhaps most, of our congregation is up in Lake Geneva, WI celebrating our church’s Covenant Harbor Sunday. Pastor Ryan is preaching at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp’s 10:30 am worship service on the camp grounds, and many from the Ravenswood Covenant community are there to attend the service and spend part of the day enjoying the camp’s waterfront for lunch and swimming, and they will be witnessing some baptisms in the lake as well.

Ravenswood Covenant T-shirts
We are going to be handing out the new Ravenswood Covenant t-shirts next Sunday, July 6. If you have not yet paid for your t-shirt, please bring your $10 to purchase the shirt next Sunday.

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. The Zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83923376849?pwd=YUlYVXBmOVdwV0d5L20ySng3aHU3Zz09 .

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
Psalm 29
Isaiah 43:1-7
Acts 8:14-17

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.