April 17, 2022 | Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant Church

April 17, 2022
Easter breakfast in the fellowship hall (downstairs) at 9:30 am
Egg hunt in the playground outside at 10:15 am, ages 10 and under

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC

PRELUDE
led by Dana

GOOD NEWS PROCLAIMED
Leader: Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen!
People: The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
L: We shall not die, but we shall live,
P: That we may recount the deeds of the Lord.
L: Christ is risen!
P: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

WELCOME & GREETING

CHILDREN’S PROCESSIONAL

CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
All creation joins to say: Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, O heav’ns, and earth reply: Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now your sting? Alleluia!
Dying once He all does save, Alleluia!
Where your victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Covenant Hymnal #258

RESPONSIVE READING
Psalm 118:21-29
Leader: I thank You that You have answered me
    and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.
People: This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Leader: Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
    O Lord, we beseech You, give us success!

People: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
    and He has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
    up to the horns of the altar.

Leader: You are my God, and I will give thanks to You;
You are my God, I will extol You.

People: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever.

WE’LL JOIN THE EVERLASTING SONG
Led by the choir

GOSPEL LESSON
(Stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel.)
John 20:1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ²So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” ³Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples returned to their homes.

¹¹But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹²and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to Me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that He had said these things to her.

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

Children ages 3-5 are dismissed to the gym

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
Don’t lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him
And He will direct your paths.
Al-le-lu-ia, Al-le-lu-ia, and
He will direct your paths.

REFLECTING ON THE WORD
Daring to Enter the Tomb
Pastor Denise

FOREVER (We Sing Hallelujah)
The moon and stars they wept
The morning sun was dead
The Savior of the world was fallen
His body on the cross
His blood poured out for us
The weight of every curse upon Him

One final breath He gave
As heaven looked away
The Son of God was laid in darkness
A battle in the grave
The war on death was waged
The power of hell forever broken

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting
Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated

Now forever He is glorified
Forever He is lifted high
And forever He is risen
He is alive and He is alive

We sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah, the Lamb has overcome

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
We continue to pray for: Kristine Brandel’s family, Nikolas Arden, Pastor Phil and Kerry Staurseth, Jon and Jamie Kratowicz and baby Sullivan, Shirley Nicholas, Art & Rosa Hamilton, Esther Stoel, the Koeller family, Mary Smith, Delores and Steve Staurseth, Jane Auger, Mary McKirchy, and Barb Cannon.

Ministries & Mission
Joshua & Lori Shinar, serving in Cameroon; Renee Nicholas, serving as the national director for InterVarsity’s Graduate Healthcare Ministries.

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 & OFFERING
giving opportunities: ravenscov.org/giving/
Zelle^® to: giving@administrator

OFFERTORY
“Easter Song”
Anne Herring
led by Dana and 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.

CONFESSION OF SIN
All: Gracious God, we confess that we have longed too much for the comforts of this world. We have loved the gifts more than the giver. In Your mercy, help us to see that all the things we pine for are shadows, but You are substance; that they are quicksands, but You are mountain; that they are shifting, but You are anchor. We plead Your forgiveness on the merits of Jesus Christ. Accept His worthiness for our unworthiness, His sinlessness for our transgressions, His fullness for our emptiness, His glory for our shame, His righteousness for our dead works, His death for our life. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

PASSING THE PEACE
L: Since in Christ we are reconciled to God, so also we are reconciled to each other, the members of His body, the Church. May God’s peace extend throughout this congregation.

L: The peace of Christ be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Let us extend to each other signs of that peace.

(Extend greetings to those you’re with; comments online are welcome.)

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
This is the Lord’s Table. Our Savior invites those who trust Him to share the feast that He has prepared.

THE APOSTLES CREED
All: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

WORDS OF INSTITUION
The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said: “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying. “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, blest forever! To You be praise and honor for giving Yourself, shedding Your blood, and letting Your body be broken in death for our sake, so that we might have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Bless, O God, this bread which we together eat, and the cup which we together drink. Let us through this blest bread and this blest cup become partakers of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

SHARING OF THE BREAD AND CUP
Take and eat, this is the body of Christ, which is broken for you.
This cup is the new covenant in the blood of Christ. Drink of it.

SPECIAL MUSIC
led by Trevor Nicholas

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Father of all, we give You thanks and praise, that when we were still far off You met us in Your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, He declared Your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live His risen life; we who drink His cup bring life to others; we who the Spirit lights give light to the world, through Christ our Lord.

SENDING
Go in peace. And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain whith us always. Amen.

HE IS AMONG US
You’ll find Me with the broken and the weak
In the spaces in between
You’ll hear My voice cry out with those who weep
Only if you’re listening

chorus
Whatever you do for the least of these
You do it unto Me

You’ll find Me with the ones without a voice
The forgotten and ignored
My blessing is on those who love the poor
‘Til you open up the door

chorus
Whatever you do for the least of these
You do it unto Me
Whatever you do for the least of these
You do it unto Me

bridge
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us

bridge
By this the world will know the Father’s love
We will know the Father’s love

A Song by Porter’s Gate

COMMUNITY LIFE

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

POSTLUDE
The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done
Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina
led by Cynthia

AMAZING GRACE
led by Sam Vetter

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 axiom.brass

Worship update
Due to an uptick in Covid-19 cases in Chicago, the Leadership Team of Ravenswood Covenant Church recommends mask use during services, but this is not mandatory.

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.

Fellowship hour returns
Fellowship hour is back! The aim is to hold fellowship hour every other week until there is a full roster of volunteers for each of the fellowship hour serving teams, at which point it will again be a weekly aspect of our community life. We are in need of people who are willing to make coffee and set out food downstairs as well as clean up afterwards. If you would like to bake or bring treats to donate, you can also volunteer in that way. Please connect with Kari Johnson or Beth Anderson if you are willing to help out. We will teach you what you need to know for making coffee and finding what you need in the kitchen. We will pair people up so that no one has to do it all themselves. Contact Kari by email at Karinelson88@gmail.com.

Aid for Ukrainian refugees
Jeremy and Amanda Foster, who attend our church, have a direct connection to a mission that is serving refugees who have fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Jeremy’s parents Don and Beatrice Foster are in Hazebrouck, France as tentmaker missionaries and have prepared rooms in their home for refugees coming from Ukraine. If you would like to donate to help them pay for extra food and supplies, please give a donation to Ravenswood Covenant that is specially designated for Ukrainian refugees. If you would like to give directly, please connect with Jeremy Foster for information to donate to Youth with a Mission (Beatrice Foster account).

The Covenant denomination is also raising funds for Ukraine through Covenant World Relief. Here is the link if you would like to donate through the Covenant’s program. https://giving.covchurch.org/priorities-detail/ukraine-response

Pastor Denise’s office hours
Pastor Denise will be working full-time until Ravenswood Covenant has an interim pastor. She will be at the church Tuesdays through Fridays 10 am to 4 pm unless she is out visiting someone. Please call the church office if you would like to make an appointment with her or email denise@ravenscov.org. Office Manager Gregory Sager’s church office hours are 8 am to 1 pm Mondays through Fridays.

Mother’s Day market
Ravenswood Covenant will hold a Mother’s Day market on Saturday, May 7 from 10 am to 1 pm outside by the front of the church. Vendors will include Patyk Farms (potted flowers), Hilary’s Cookies, and Tamales Express. Stop by to purchase a Mother’s Day gift and to welcome back some of our long-time vendors as farmer’s market season approaches!

Wanted: Church directory coordinator
Ravenswood Covenant is in the process of updating its online church directory, with the intention of eventually making paper copies of the directory available. We are seeking a volunteer who is willing to take on this project, which means gathering information and photographs and inputting them onto the church’s WordPress-based website. If you are interested in coordinating the directory update, please contact Gregory Sager in the church office at 773-784-7091 or office@ravenscov.org.

Thorek Retirement Community open houses
Thorek Retirement Community (formerly known as Bethany Retirement Community), located at 4950 N. Ashland Ave., will be hosting open house tours on April 16, 24, and 30 from 10 am to 2 pm. TRC is licensed as a shelter care facility, but it offers supportive services for a fee to those seniors that may need some assistance in their daily tasks. They have studios and 1 BR apartments ready to be rented for seniors! Their prices are hard to beat compared to other facilities located in Chicago. Please RSVP to David at 773-750-2730 to attend one of TRC’s open houses.

Faith Forum
Faith Forum, our adult Sunday School class, meets every week in the upstairs lounge at 9:30 am. It operates in a hybrid format; you are invited to attend in person, but the class will also have a Zoom component for those who wish to attend remotely. The Zoom link can be found at the top of the online bulletin every week.

Thursday evening adult Bible study
Our weekly Bible study meets on Thursday evenings at 7 pm. We are currently studying the book of Romans. We welcome anybody to the upstairs lounge on Thursday evenings who wants to take part in the Bible study. If you would prefer to participate remotely, or if you are out of town, the Bible study will continue to provide Zoom access as well for online participants.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95052558015?pwd=N3d1eFpUUmUwenhCSzNJNUk3WEV2QT09

The Zoom meeting ID for the Bible study: 972 871 4458
The Zoom passcode for the Bible study: 1qa3CD

Join Us in Sponsoring a Student in the NPTS SRA Program
North Park’s School of Restorative Arts offers a MA in Christian Ministry and Restorative Arts, allowing free and incarcerated students to study together. This unique degree program is designed to prepare individuals for ministries of restoration in contexts susceptible to violence and includes courses in trauma, race relations, nonviolent communication, conflict transformation, restorative practices, and transformative justice, in addition to Bible, theology, and history. In partnership with the Illinois Department of Corrections, this four-year degree is currently offered at Stateville Correctional Center with 80 incarcerated men and a first cohort of 20 women at Logan Correctional Center.

We, Ravenswood Covenant Church, have partnered with North Park Theological Seminary by committing to sponsor a student in this program. To help us support an SRA student please send a check to church or give online and in the memo line write: “SRA Sponsorship.”

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 773-784-7091 for more information.

Scripture for next Sunday
Psalm 118:14-29
Acts 5:27-32

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.