November 15, 2020Covenant Presbyterian Church of Chicago25th Sunday of Pentecost

Wingsof Refuge

2

Welcome

Call to Worship

Leader:

All:

from Psalm 34

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Leader:

All:

Psalm 34, Words: , Isaac Watts, 1720, Music: Paul van der Bijl, 2015, based on Sacred Harp tune

Psalm 34

Andrew Grambley, Sacred Harp, 1854, arr. Paul VDB, guitar primaryIsaac Watts

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1. Lord, I will bless you all my days! Your praiseshall dwell up on- my tongue;

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My soul shall glo ry- in your grace, Let all re joice- to hear my song!

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O, mag ni- fy- the Lord with me; Come, let us all ex alt- his name.

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I sought the e ter- nal- God and he has freed my long ing- heart from blame.

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Psalm 34

Andrew Grambley, Sacred Harp, 1854, arr. Paul VDB, guitar primaryIsaac Watts

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Psalm 34, Words: , Isaac Watts, 1720, Music: Paul van der Bijl, 2015, based on a Sacred Harp tune

4

Confession of Sin, from Romans 7.18-19

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.

For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

Leader:

All:

Silent time to pray and confess

A prayer to help with confession:

Forgive us our sins, O Lord. Forgive us the sins of our youth and the sins of our age, the sins of our soul and the sins of our body, our secret and our whispering sins, our presumptuous and our careless sins, the sins we have done to please ourselves, and the sins we have done to please others. Forgive us the sins we know, and the sins that we know not; forgive them O Lord, forgive them all because of your great goodness. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ToTheeIComeWords:SamuelMedley,1700s,addl. textvanderBijl , 2014

Music: ClintWells,2006

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weak and scarce know how to pray or speak, From fear and

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weak ness- set me free, Oh God be mer ci- ful- to me!

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To Thee I Come, Words: Samuel Medley, 1700s, addl. txt vdbijl, 2014, Music Clint Wells, 2006

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Assurance of Pardon, from Romans 8: 1-2

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of life has set us free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Leader:

All:

Sing to Assure

To Thee I Come

Words: Samuel Medley, 1700s, addl. text van der Bijl, 2014

Music: Clint Wells, 2006

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6

Lessons from the Word

Gospel Lesson - John 15.12-13New Testament Lesson - 1 Corinthians 13.8-13

The Word of the LordThanks be to God

Reader:All:

The Word

Pastor Aaron BakerRestorer of Life, Ruth 4

Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman.”

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

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Holy, holy, holy Lord,God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.

Leader: Eternal God, holy and mighty,it is truly right and our greatest joyto give you thanks and praise,

All:

Leader:

Leader:

All:

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with youAnd also with you.Lift up your heartsWe lift them to the Lord.Let us give thanks to the Lord our GodIt is right to give Him thanks and praise.

All:Leader:

All:Leader:

All:Leader:

and to worship you in every place where your glory abides.

You laid the foundation of the earth,and the heavens are the work of your hands.They will perish, but you will endure.

You are always the same and your years will never end.You made us in your image and called us to be your people,

but we turned from you, leaving sin and death to reign.Still you loved us and sought us.In Christ your grace defeated death and opened the way to eternal life.

Therefore we praise you,joining our voices with the heavenly choirsand with all the faithful of every time and place,who forever sing to the glory of your name:

All:

Come, Ho ly- Spi rit.- Come, Ho ly- Spi rit.-

Come, Ho ly- Spi rit,- a men.- A men.-

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Spirit of the living God, visit us with your presence this day.

Come, Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Receiving Communion Communion (also called The Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist) is the family meal of baptized Christians. We invite all to partake of this sacrament who trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, and seek strength to live more faithfully for him.

Distribute the Bread & CupPlease note that we serve both red wine and white grape juice. All wafers are gluten free and available in a single serve cup

Remembering your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,we take from your creation this bread and this wineand joyfully celebrate his dying and rising,as we await the day of his coming.With thanksgiving we offer our very selves to youto be a living and holy sacrificededicated to your service.

Great is this mystery of faith:Christ has died,Christ is risen,Christ will come again.

Respond to the Table

Leader:

All:

Silent prayers for reflection

Prayer for those taking communionLord Jesus, your perfect life, your death and resurrection are the source of all blessing in this life and the life to come. As I eat this bread and drink this cup, renew me in the joy and glory of knowing and serving you. I come to this table on the basis of your merit only and not my own. As you have completely and fully offered yourself for me, I now completely and fully offer myself to you as a living sacrifice. Amen.

Prayer for those searching for truthLord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Grant that I might be undaunted by the cost of following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. Give me an understanding of you that is coherent, convincing, and that leads to the life that you promise. Amen.

Prayer of beliefLord Jesus, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever before believed, but, through you, I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt, bearing my punishment on the cross and offering forgiveness and new life. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as Savior and Lord. Amen.

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News & AnnouncementsAnnouncements in our community

Let Us Pray for You. Covenant’s staff meets remotely to pray for the congregation throughout the week. We would be honored to pray for you. Please send your prayer requests to Pastor Dan (dadamson@covenantchicago.org) who will share them with the staff.

Sermon Devotional Emails: You can sign up to get an email two times a week to help you reflect on and pray through the prior week’s sermon text and Scripture lessons. To sign up, send us an email: devotional@covenantchicago.org.

November Mercy Bin: This month, Covenant is collecting donations for Breakthrough Urban Ministries and Sunshine Gospel Ministries. Both organizations are hosting Christmas stores to help families on the south and west sides celebrate the joy of the season through gift giving despite financial difficulties. You can support these organizations by visiting their online registries and ordering a gift or two (https://covenantchicago.org/november-mercy-bin/). Gifts can be brought or sent to Covenant through December 1. Questions? Contact Pastor Dan (dadamson@covenantchicago.org).

Trivia Night: Join us for a virtual trivia night on Friday, November 20 at 7:30 pm. You’re welcome to create your own team of 4 to 8, or let Covenant assign you a team as a way to get to meet others at Covenant. Registration deadline is November 20 at noon. You can sign up here: https://covenantchicago.org/events/trivia-night/

Ushers Needed: Covenant is looking for additional volunteers to serve as ushers at one of our Sunday morning services. Ushers remain in the narthex at the start and end of service to greet attendees and answer any questions they may have. If you’d be willing to serve in this way, please contact Jenny Smith (jenny.smith@yale.edu).

Do you need help? If the ongoing repercussions of covid-19 present a financial or physical hardship for you, please contact our deacons (diaconate@covenantchicago.org). Your email will go directly to the deacons, and they’ll treat it with confidence. If you’re able, now is a great time to contribute to the Deacons Fund to meet the needs of others in our congregation.

Women’s Book Discussion: Join women from Covenant to discuss Liturgy of the Ordinary this Thursday, November 15 from 7:30 to 9 pm. This will be the second week of the discussion, but it’s not too late to join. Contact women@covenantchicago.org for additional details and the link to join.

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BenedictionLeader:

Romans 15:5–7 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Go With Joy

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Pastoral Staff

Aaron BakerPastor: x31, abaker@covenantchicago.org

David SalsedoAssociate Pastor: x39, dsalsedo@covenantchicago.org

Dan AdamsonAssociate Pastor: x24, dadamson@covenantchicago.org

Jeff SchneiderChurch Planting Pastor: jschneider@covenantchicago.org

Support Staff

Larissa BossemeyerDirector of Ministries: x40, lbossemeyer@covenantchicago.org

Sherri BredenbergDirector of Children’s Ministries: x38, sbredenberg@covenantchicago.org

Michele DillonDirector of Care and Counseling Ministry (CCM): mdillon@covenantchicago.org

Your email inquiry will be promptly answered.

Gene PiersonDirector of Finance & Property: x35, gpierson@covenantchicago.org

Ian TrollDirector of Youth Ministries: ian@covenantchicago.org

Paul van der BijlDirector of Worship and Music: x33, pvanderbijl@covenantchicago.org

Session

Aaron Baker (Moderator), Dan Adamson, Dave Hoover, Kevin Jones, Brad Lewis, Steve Lehmann, David Salsedo, Ryan Von Drehle. Please direct correspondence for the Session to session@covenantchicago.org.

Diaconate

Rich Lane, Andrew Dykstra, Jonathan Ellison, Phil Koerner, Paul Leo, Joel Miller, Shane Rector, Jenny Smith, Deb Van Der Molen, Matt Ver SteegTreasurer: Ben Meyer

If you’re in need or wish to speak with a deacon, you can email us at diaconate@covenantchicago.org.

We encourage everyone to get connected to the life of the church in these three ways:

Worship Together. We believe that humans are worshiping beings, made for communion with the Triune God, and that ordering our common worship around the Gospel on Sunday has a profound, formative effect on every part of our lives. The rhythm of Sunday worship is the rhythm of the whole Christian life and it stands counter to lots of other rhythms that clamor for our attention and allegiance in this world. Ordering ourselves together around it strengthens our appetites, imaginations and abilities to live as followers of Jesus wherever we find ourselves. Come to church on Sunday!

Grow and Learn Together. We believe that learning about our faith and growing together in it are necessary for flourishing in the Christian life. The goal of Christian learning is to form us into human beings who are fully swept up into the work God is doing in his world. Learning is more than simply knowing; it is the internalization of truth that leads to mature thinking and acting.

We’d like for everyone to take two core classes while you’re here: the Covenant Life Class, an introduction to Christianity and to our church, and The Story of Scripture, which traces themes through Scripture and applies them to our everyday lives. After those classes, consider joining a more intimate Discipleship Cohort that meets with a mentor. For information about these opportunities, contact Pastor David Salsedo (dsalsedo@covenantchicago.org).

We’d like for everyone to consider joining a small group which meets together regularly to build meaningful relationships and live out the Christian life together. They’re one of the most important ways of getting care and being connected at Covenant. To find out more about small groups, or to join the small group that meets at church on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, contact Pastor Dan Adamson (dadamson@covenantchicago.org).

Serve Together. We believe the natural outcome of receiving and experiencing grace is to be propelled outward into mission and service. Every one of us has been given gifts to use for the good of our common life and for the good of the broken world around us. We’re called to give of ourselves because we’re part of the story of God’s reconciliation of all things. Every week there are numerous opportunities to serve at Covenant and elsewhere listed in the order of worship. We encourage everyone to regularly use their gifts in service. To learn more about opportunities to serve, contact Pastor Dan Adamson (dadamson@covenantchicago.org).

Covenant LifeCovenant Lifeworship | worship | grow and learn | grow and learn | serveserve

a church, a city, and a world continually made new by the grace of Christ2012 W. Dickens, Chicago, IL 60647 | 773.486.9590 | www.covenantchicago.org