PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
When Morning Gilds the Skies
led by Cynthia

KIDS TIME
music & a visit from some friends

PRELUDE

WELCOME & GREETING & COMMUNITY LIFE

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!

JESUS, LORD, WE LOOK TO THEE
Jesus, Lord, we look to Thee,
Let us in Thy name agree;
Show Thyself the Prince of peace,
Bid our strife forever cease.
Make us of one heart and mind,
Gracious, full of pity, kind,
Lowly, meek, in thought and word,
Altogether like our Lord.

Let us for each other care,
Each the other’s burden bear,
To thy Church the pattern give,
Show how true believers live.
Free from anger and from pride,
Let us thus in God abide,
All the depths of love express,
All the heights of holiness.

Closer knit to Thee, our Head,
Nourish us, O Christ, and feed;
Let us daily grace receive,
More and more in Jesus live.
Fill us with the Father’s love,
Never from our souls remove;
Dwell in us, and we shall be
Thine through all eternity.

Covenant Hymnal, #586

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER
led by Pastor Denise

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), Ernesto Galaviz, 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
Hannah & Jared Baker, serving in the Middle East; 
Carlos & Karen Feijoo, serving in Ecuador

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

OFFERTORY
O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
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.  

NEW TESTAMENT LESSONS
Acts 1:12-14
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

1 John 4:7-12
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us.

HELP US ACCEPT EACH OTHER
Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;
Teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us, and bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.

Teach us, O Lord, your lessons, as in our daily life
We struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.
Teach us to care for people, for all not just for some,
To love them as we find them, or as they may become.

Let Your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved
In living situations to do the truth in love;
To practice Your acceptance, until we know by heart
The table of forgiveness and laughter’s healing art.

Lord, for today’s encounters with all who are in need,
Who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread,
We need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on;
Renew us with your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!

Covenant Hymnal, #583

GOSPEL LESSON
Mark 7:1-5
 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Him, they noticed that some of His disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

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
Crumbs & Puppies
Pastor Phil 

JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE
Jesus, bread of life, manna from heaven
Broken for the world
Offered up for every man
The feast of angels
Becomes food for the weary
And hungry hearts are filled
When You open up Your hand
When You open up Your hand

chorus
O Lord, come fill us with your love
This table laid for us
There is more than enough
O Jesus, bread of life

Sister, take what you need ,anything I own
There is no famine here, Jesus’ love will multiply
Brother, what’s mine is yours, you are not alone
There is no shortage here, Jesus’ love will satisfy
Jesus’ love will satisfy

CCLI Song # 7138305 CCLI License # 349090
Audrey Assad | Fernando Ortega© 2019 Fortunate Fall Music

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CONFESSION OF SIN & PASSING OF PEACE
L: As we move towards the table let us remember that proof of God’s amazing love is this:  while we were sinners Christ died for us.  Because we have faith in Him, we dare to approach God with confidence.  In humility and faith let us confess our sin to God:

L: The Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.

L: Let us confess our sins against God and neighbor.

All:  Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.  We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.  We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your 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: 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
It is now our sacred privilege to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.  All who humbly put their trust in Christ and desire His help that they may lead a holy life; all who are truly sorry for their sins and would be delivered from them; all who would walk in love with their neighbors and intend to live a new life, following the commandments of God and walking from now on in His holy ways, are invited to draw near with faith and to receive this holy sacrament.

A PRAYER FOR COMMUNION
Holy God, we praise You.
Let the heavens be joyful and the earth be glad.

We bless You for creating the whole world,
for Your promises to your people Israel,
and for Jesus Christ in whom Your fullness dwells.

Born of Mary, He shares our life.
Eating with sinners, He welcomes us.
Guiding his children, He leads us.
Visiting the sick, He heals us.
Dying on the cross, He saves us.
Risen from the dead, He gives new life.
Living with You, He prays for us.

The Lord Jesus, on the night when 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 remembering Me.”

In the same way He took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembering Me.”

With thanksgiving we take this bread and this cup and proclaim the death and resurrection of our Lord.

Receive our sacrifice of praise.
Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us
that this meal may be a communion in the body and blood or our Lord.

Make us one with Christ
and with all who share this feast.

Unite us in faith,
encourage us with hope,
inspire us to love that we may serve

As Your faithful disciples
Until we feast at Your table in glory.

We praise you, eternal God,
through Christ Your Word made flesh,
in the holy and life-giving Spirit now and forever.  Amen.

SHARING IN COMMUNION

SPECIAL MUSIC
led by Cynthia

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Eternal God, heavenly father, You have graciously accepted us as living members of Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and You have fed us with spiritual food in the sacrament of His body and blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A SENDING FROM COMMUNION
What we have been about here is not separate from life. Rather these acts have been a reminder that we belong to Christ always and everywhere. We carry Christ’s Spirit into our homes, our daily activities, all our relationships. We are Christ’s people. By God’s grace let it be so. Amen.

WE ARE A NEW CREATION
We are a new creation
Of Christ, the living Word.
Our song of jubilation
Shall everywhere be heard.
New life blooms fresh and glorious
For those who heed the call
Of Christ who reigns victorious
O’er sin and death and all.

We are a new creation
Of God for this new day.
As partners let us follow
The life, the truth, the way.
Christ bids us work together
As colleagues, old and young,
As women, men, and nations,
God’s own of ev’ry tongue.

We are a new creation
For service here on earth.
We live our faith in action
To tell our Savior’s worth.
Let love and justice blending
Now show for all to see
God’s grace is never ending.
It reaches you and me.

We are a new creation
By God’s own gracious hand,
Old burdens cast behind us,
A daring future planned.
In ministry and mission,
United let us live,
In Christ a shining vision
To God’s wide world to give.

Covenant Hymnal, #590

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

POSTLUDE
Largo by Giles Julien (1650-1703)
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.

Congregational business meeting scheduled
The Leadership Team of Ravenswood Covenant has scheduled a congregational business meeting to be held after today’s worship service. The meeting is contingent upon achieving a quorum of 25 members. On the agenda will be formally approving the 2021 budget, voting in new Leadership Team members, approving a bylaw amendment to allow for virtual Leadership Team Meetings, and voting to approve a few new members. If you are a member of the church, please make plans to attend. Of course, masks and social distancing will be in effect for the meeting.

Mother’s Day plant sale
Ravenswood Covenant will be hosting a Mother’s Day plant sale on Saturday, May 8 from 10 am to 1 pm. Fresh flowers and potted plants from Patyk Farms, our farmer’s market vegetable and flower vendor, will be sold on the church’s front steps.

Mother’s Day crafts available
Mother’s Day crafts are available for children to make for a special person in their lives. The craft supplies will be available for the next two Sundays and at the plant sale on Saturday, May 8. Thank you to Bekah Carlson for organizing the crafts!

Let’s honor our graduates!
Are you, or a member of your family, graduating this spring? The church office would love to have the details (name, grade or degree, school) of your graduate to share with the congregation. This will be a comprehensive list that goes from preschool graduates all the way up to those receiving doctorates. Please let us share the joy of your, or your loved one’s, accomplishment!

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.

Upcoming Covenant Harbor events
The Mother/Daughter Retreat is May 7-8 at Covenant Harbor. This event is geared for mothers and daughters ages K-8, but aunts, grandmas, friends, and sisters are invited to be a part of this weekend. See the website for more details: https://covenantharbor.org/moms-daughters-retreat/

Book study
On Monday, May 24 at 7 pm 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.

Thursday evening Zoom Bible study continues


The Thursday evening Bible study will resume this coming 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
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 has returned
The church’s biweekly prayer meeting that gathers every second and fourth Monday night each month has resumed! 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 next meeting will be tomorrow night, Monday, April 26, at 7 pm. Masks and social distancing will still be required, as before.

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:
April 18: $1,825

General fund giving:
April 25: $2,124

Scripture for next Sunday
Mark 7:5-13, 17-23
Acts 1:15-26
1 John 5:1-6

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)