PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
Joe Clifton Music
Joe is a friend of our church and has played at our farmers market. We recorded this music last spring.

KIDS TIME
Music & Easter Memories

PRELUDE
led by Dana

WELCOME & GREETING

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: O Lord, open our eyes,
People: that we may see the beauty of goodness.

L: O Lord, open our ears,
P: that we may hear the truth.

L: O Lord, open our lips,
P: that we may show forth Your praise.

L: Christ is Risen!
P: He is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!

LOW IN THE GRAVE HE LAY
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus, my Savior!
Waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose, (he arose,)
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes; (he arose;)
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with this saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose ! (He arose!)
Hal-le-lu-jah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watched His bed, Jesus, my Savior!
Vainly they sealed the dead, Jesus, my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose, (he arose,)
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes; (he arose;)
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with this saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose ! (He arose!)
Hal-le-lu-jah! Christ arose!

Death could not keep its prey, Jesus, my Savior!
He tore the bars away, Jesus, my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose, (he arose,)
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes; (he arose;)
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with this saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose ! (He arose!)
Hal-le-lu-jah! Christ arose!

Covenant Hymnal, #245

NEW TESTAMENT LESSONS

Acts 1:1-3
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. After His suffering He presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

1st John 1:1-2:2
We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

ALL PRAISE TO GOD WHO REIGNS ABOVE
All praise to God who reigns above
In majesty supreme,
Who gave His Son to die for all,
that He might all redeem!
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord;
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

His name above all names shall stand,
Exalted more and more,
At God the Father’s own right hand,
Where angel hosts adore.
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord;
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Redeemer, Savior, friend of those
Once ruined by the fall
You have devised salvation’s plan,
For You have died for all.
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord;
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

His name shall be the Counselor,
The mighty Prince of Peace,
Of all earth’s kingdoms Conqueror,
Whose reign shall never cease.
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord;
Blessed be the name, blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Covenant Hymnal, #246

GOSPEL LESSON
Mark 6:14-29

14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in Him.” 15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” 23 And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.  27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Leader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God

(sung)
Glory be to the Father, 
And to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
So, who do you say Jesus is?
Pastor Phil .

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME
You were the Word at the beginning
One with God the Lord Most High
Your hidden glory in creation
Now revealed in You our Christ

What a beautiful Name it is
What a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King
What a beautiful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus

You didn’t want heaven without us
So Jesus You brought heaven down
My sin was great Your love was greater
What could separate us now

What a wonderful Name it is
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King
What a wonderful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus

Death could not hold You
The veil tore before You
You silence the boast of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring
The praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again

You have no rival
You have no equal
Now and forever God You reign
Yours is the kingdom
Yours is the glory
Yours is the Name above all names

What a powerful Name it is
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King
What a powerful Name it is
Nothing can stand against
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus

What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus

CCLI Song # 7068424 CCLI License # 349090
Ben Fielding | Brooke Ligertwood © 2016 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
led by Chaplain Eric

Folks We Are Praying For:
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.

Church family who work in and around hospitals & nursing homes:
Alex A, Kyra A, Hannah A, Sam A, Linda C, Carl G, Katie G, Eric H, Rachel H, Chona I, Abby H, Dana J, Bryan J, Kari J, Neal J, Eric S, Don T.

(If we missed any people’s names above please let us know.)

We continue to pray for: Phyllis Levinson (Joyce Oseland’s sister), Kathy Salzano, Nikolas Arden, Katie Collier, Art and Rosa Hamilton, Shirley Nicholas, Paul Mounts, Joyce Andrews, Steve Hoden, Mary Spriggs, Alice Nilsson (Nancy Popovich’s sister), the Brandel-Tanis family, the Morales/Randall family.

Ministries & Mission
Robert & Rae Rife, serving in Great Britain; Renee Nicholas, serving local graduate students & faculty with InterVarsity

GIVING OF OUR TITHES & OFFERINGS
& PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle® to: giving@ravenscov.org

GOD THE MAKER
We bring our time we bring our treasure
We lay them down before Your throne
You will make them something greater
More than we could ever know

We bring our gifts we bring our power
Place them in Your sov’reign hand
You will take what we have given
You will use it for Your plan

chorus
Glory be to God the Maker
Glory be to God Creator
Take our time use our treasure
Turn them into something greater
Glory be to God the Maker

Though our hearts are weak from failure
Broken dreams and failed attempts
Show us that in ev’ry season
You will fill our emptiness

CCLI Song # 7097863 CCLI License # 349090
David Gungor | Isaac Wardell | Paul Zach © Hymns From The Porter’s Gate

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.  

COMMUNITY LIFE

.

THE DAY OF RESURRECTION!
The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness, the Passover of God.
From death to life eternal, from earth to heav’n on high,
Our Christ has brought us over with hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light;
And, listening to His accents, may hear so calm and plain
His own “All hail,” and, hearing, may raise the victor strain.

Now let the heav’ns be joyful, let earth its song begin,
The round world keep high triumph, and all that is therein;
Let all things seen and unseen, their notes of gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord is risen, our joy that has no end!

Covenant Hymnal, page 260

BENEDICTION                             
L: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
P: Thanks be to God

POSTLUDE
Allegro in F major by J.S. Bach
led by Cynthia

INVITATION & FINAL SLIDES
We’ll be back here next Sunday.
We hope you can join us.
Information on ravenscov.org.

music as we go, by maxeltoft

Reopening the sanctuary for worship
We have reopened the sanctuary for a small group of people to join in person for worship. Reservations are required, so if you would like to be a part of this group, contact the church office by phone (773-784-7091) or email (office@ravenscov.org) each week that you would like to attend. Ravenswood Covenant will continue to livestream worship each week on YouTube and Facebook; this is now a permanent feature of our ministry, so Sunday morning worship will remain accessible to anyone who has Internet access.

We have increased the number of people in the sanctuary we will accommodate to 35. We will continue to follow all of the current local and state safety protocols, including: temperature checks when you arrive; masks required at all times; sitting socially distant; avoiding handshakes and hugs; changes to communion and offering; and discouraging singing.

There will be no nursery, and all Sunday School classes will remain virtual at this time.

Delegates sought for Annual Meeting
Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant Church is a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church. As such, our church takes part in the governance of the denomination by sending delegates to its governing body, the Annual Meeting. RECC is seeking interested members of the church to serve as delegates to this year’s Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church, which will be held June 24-26. All business sessions of the Annual Meeting will be held virtually via Zoom, so there is no travel involved. If you do not have Zoom, or if you wish to have the church’s resources at hand, you may use the Zoom link and the big screen in the church’s Nelson Lounge as your venue from which to participate in the Annual Meeting.

If you are interested in being a delegate to the Annual Meeting, please contact a member of the Leadership Team (listed at the bottom of this email), or contact the church office.

Book study
In May we will begin discussing Race and Place: How Urban Geography Shapes the Journey to Reconciliation. The author, David Leong, is a professor of missiology at Seattle Pacific Seminary. 

“Race and Place reveals the profound ways in which these geographic forces and structures sustain the divisions among us. Urban missiologist David Leong, who resides in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country, unpacks the systemic challenges that are rarely addressed in the conversation about racial justice.

“The evening news may deliver story after story that causes us to despair. But Leong envisions a future of belonging and hope in our streets, towns, cities, and churches. A discussion about race needs to go hand in hand with a discussion about place. This book is a welcome addition to a conversation that needs to include both.”

The book can be purchased through InterVarsity as paperback or ebook.  https://www.ivpress.com/race-and-place

Contact Pastor Denise for more information. denise@ravenscov.org.

Faith Forum


Faith Forum meets via Zoom at the traditional meeting time of 9:30 am on Sunday. This is the Zoom link for Faith Forum. The link is also provided at the top of the bulletin every week.

Thursday evening Zoom Bible study on two-week hiatus


The Thursday evening Bible study is taking a two-week hiatus before returning for good on Thusday, April 29 at 7 pm. The Bible study meets each Thursday at 7 pm and is currently studying the book of
1 Corinthians.

The Zoom link for the Bible study is https://zoom.us/j/95052558015?pwd=N3d1eFpUUmUwenhCSzNJNUk3WEV2QT09

Meeting ID: 950 5255 8015
Passcode: 141628

Worship bags for kids
Each week there will be worship bags for children ages 2 to 12 attending worship. The bag will have the child’s name on it and will only be used by that child. Parents are asked to inform the church office when registering for worship that they will be bringing a child or children between 2 or 12 with them, so that Pastor Denise can provide a bag for each child.

2021 camp registration update from HarborPoint Ministries
Spring may just have started … but at Covenant Harbor and Covenant Point Bible camps, the staffs are already thinking about summer! For those who are wondering about camp options for summer 2021, you may check out day, overnight, and family camp options at posted at www.covenantharbor.org and www.cpbc.com. Register now … spaces are filling up fast!

Prayer meeting to return after Easter


The church’s biweekly prayer meeting that gathers every second and fourth Monday night each month is coming back! After being shut down due to the city’s pandemic guidelines, the city’s reduced infection rate and the upswing in vaccinations has led the church’s leadership to once again allow the prayer meeting to convene. The first meeting will be at 7 pm tomorrow, Monday, April 12. Masks and social distancing will still be required, as before.

Prayer requests
A group of women in our church are meeting every night at 7 pm via phone calls and texts in order to keep our various needs before God in prayer. They are asking the congregation to bring their needs to them to be lifted up in prayer as part of this evening prayer time. If you have any needs that you would like to have added to their prayer list, please contact the church office.

Free masks available
The church is offering free masks to anyone in the congregation who is in need of one. If you would like, you may make a donation to our benevolence fund when you come to the church building to pick yours up. Please contact the church office at office@ravenscov.org or 773-396-6175 for more information.

Our response to the current health crisis
As a community of faith we continue to pray for the health and welfare of our church and community as we resist the temptation to fall prey to fear. We do, however, want to continue to look out for the welfare of our friends and neighbors. We are doing our best to stay current with best practices for this unique time — please stay tuned as these may change. Our primary place for timely communication will be our website, ravenscov.org. We will also offer reminders and notes on our Facebook page and by email. We are livestreaming our Sunday morning worship on Facebook Live and YouTube so that you may continue to be a part of our worship. Do not, however, become isolated. If you need any help there are folks in our church who can do so. Call the office (773-784-7091) or email the office (office@ravenscov.org).

General fund giving:
March 28: $12,716

General fund giving:
April 4: $5,731

Scripture for next Sunday
Mark 6:30-45, 8:1-12
Acts 1:4-7
1 John 3:1-7

Art Used in this Bulletin: Steve Erspamer, SM
Clip Art for Year A © 1992, Archdiocese of Chicago.

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.

"With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." (Mark 4:30-32 NRS)