Sunday, May 18, 2025

Sunday, May 18th

Sunday, May 18, 2025
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Worship live on Sundays in person at 11:00 am
or online via YouTube at noon.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Gathering-1.png

PRELUDE
“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”
James Ellor
led by Leslie and Cynthia

WELCOME, GREETING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE

* YESU AZALI AWA (JESUS CHRIST IS WITH US)
Yesu azali awa. Jesus Christ is with us
Yesu azali awa. Jesus Christ is with us
Yesu azali awa na biso, Jesus Christ is with us, He is here
(repeat)
Alleluia, alleluia, Hallelujah, hallelujah
Alleluia na Yesu, Hallelujah, He is here.
(repeat)

CALL TO WORSHIP
based on Psalm 96
Leader: Sing a new song to the Lord!
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
People: Sing to the Lord; bless His name.
Each day proclaim the good news that He saves.
Leader: Publish His glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things He does.
People: For great is the Lord!
He is worthy of our praise.

UNISON PRAYER
Great and wondrous God, Your love and Your mercy are new every morning. Do not let your people be content with the repetition of threadbare praise. Inspire us to join all of Your creation in offering fresh songs of love and adoration to You, our living and risen Savior. Amen.

* WORTHY OF IT ALL / ALL HAIL THE POWER
All the saints and angels bow before Your throne
All the elders cast their crowns before the
Lamb of God, and sing:

chorus
You’re worthy of it all, You’re worthy of it all,
For from You are all things
And to You are all things You deserve the glory
All hail the power of Jesus’ name

Let angels prostrate fall
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all.

chorus

Let every kindred every tribe on this terrestrial ball
To Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all.
To Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all.

chorus

Day and night, night and day, let incense arise.
Day and night, night and day, let incense arise
(repeat)

chorus

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Rod Kutz
Isaiah 42:1-7

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
    he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry out or lift up his voice
    or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
    he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
    until he has established justice in the earth,
    and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the Lord,
    who created the heavens and stretched them out,
    who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
    and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
    I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
    a light to the nations,
    to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
    from the prison those who sit in darkness.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Pastor Ryan

Children 6 and under are dismissed to Children’s Church in the upstairs lounge. Parents can pick up their children in the lounge after the service.

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
Matthew 22:34-40
Kent Egging

* FOR THE FRUIT OF ALL CREATION
For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For his gifts to every nation, thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
Silent growth while we are sleeping,
Future needs in earth’s safekeeping,
Thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labor, God’s will is done.
In the help we give our neighbor, God’s will is done.
In our worldwide task of caring
For the hungry and despairing,
In the harvests we are sharing, God’s will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
For the truths that still confound us,
Most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God.

Fred Pratt Green

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
Julio & Katie Isaza, serving in Colombia;
Barb & Steve Swanson, serving in Sweden

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
Serve Globally video

* DOXOLOGY & PRAYER
Yesu azali awa. Jesus Christ is with us
Yesu azali awa. Jesus Christ is with us
Yesu azali awa na biso, Jesus Christ is with us, He is here
(repeat)
Alleluia, alleluia, Hallelujah, hallelujah
Alleluia na Yesu, Hallelujah, He is here.
(repeat)

* LET US BE KNOWN BY OUR LOVE
Let us be known, by our love.
Let ev’ry word and ev’ry deed honor the Son.
Let our light shine, in ev’ry eye,
Let us be known by our love.
For the glory of the Father,
For the glory of the Son,
For the glory of the Spirit,
Let us be known by our love.

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

POSTLUDE
In Dulci Jubilo
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.

We welcome as our guest preacher today the Rev. Kent Egging, who serves as partner engagement representative for the Paul Carlson Partnership. The Paul Carlson Partnership assists with the medical and economic development of the northwestern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Covenant’s traditional mission field and our Congolese partner denomination, the CEUM, are located.

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

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
Today is our last 11:00 am worship hour until September! The school year is drawing to a close, which means that it’s time again for Ravenswood Covenant’s annual shift to the summer worship schedule. Beginning on Memorial Day weekend (Sunday, May 25), Sunday School and Faith Forum go on summer hiatus and the worship service will be moved up to 10:00 am. Sunday worship will return to the 11:00 am hour the Sunday after Labor Day.

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 tenth season of our farmers market began this past Wednesday in fine fashion with a record-breaking opening day! We had 1,118 adults visit our market (along with a whole lotta children, of course), which is the most we’ve ever had for an opening day since the market moved up the starting date to mid-May.

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.

Mayfestiversary volunteers for the Friendship Center
The Friendship Center, our local food pantry, is partnering with local businesses to host Mayfestiversary on Memorial Day weekend (May 24-25). This event is community-organized, and the Friendship Center’s role is to run the gates by checking IDs and asking guests to donate $5 to support the Friendship Center and thus support our neighbors in need.

This year the organizers hope to see 10,000 guests attend the fest and raise $40,000, which will help generate 200,000 meals!

The Friendship Center is still in need of about 20 gate volunteers, so please consider helping if you have time to spare that weekend, so that the Friendship Center can fill all the roles. Volunteers will get to enjoy engaging their neighbors to do good, great music and food, and a fest t-shirt.

Please visit the Mayfestiversary sign-up page to see the available shifts.

Congregational business meeting
Ravenswood Covenant will hold a congregational meeting on Sunday, June 8 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 mark your calendar and plan ahead to attend this important meeting.

Annual Meeting delegates needed
Ravenswood Covenant needs delegates for the annual meeting of our denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church, which will be held June 25-28 in Orlando, FL but which our delegates will attend remotely via Zoom from here in Chicago.

If you are a member of Ravenswood Covenant who is willing and interested in remotely attending this meeting on our behalf, please contact the church office or the pastor, or speak to one of the members of the church’s Leadership Team.

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. 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 9:1-9
Galatians 1:11-17
Acts 9:10-19

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.