BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//https://www.messiahofthemountains.org///NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.10.15// METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260419T124508UTC-9132ruIRTz@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260419T124508Z DESCRIPTION: \nWe gather each Sunday at 11:00 am for worship by singing hym ns\, hearing readings from the bible\, praying together and a celebration of Holy Communion. Communion is the spiritual bread our bodies need to liv e. All are invited to join us at the Lord's table to be fed by his heavenl y food\, There are no strangers in God’s house\, and if you choose to wors hip with us\, we would be honored by your presence.\n \nIntroduction\nThe mystery of God’s ways is sometimes hidden from the wise and intelligent. J esus associates with those often excluded from the religious community. Li ke Paul\, we struggle with our own selfish desires and seek God’s mercy an d forgiveness. We gather to be refreshed by Christ’s invitation: “Come to me\, all you that are weary.” Gathered around word\, water\, and meal\, we find rest for our souls.\nPrayer of the Day\nYou are great\, O God\, and greatly to be praised. You have made us for yourself\, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Grant that we may believe in you\, call u pon you\, know you\, and serve you\, through your Son\, Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord.\nAmen.\nFirst Reading: \nZechariah 9:9-12 The coming mes sianic king will inaugurate an era of disarmament and prosperity. Because of God’s covenant with Israel\, the people are designated as “prisoners of hope.”\nPsalm: 145:8-14\nThe Lord is gracious and full of compassion. (Ps . 145:8)\nSecond Reading:  \nRomans 7:15-25a Life captive to sin is a catc h-22 existence in which we know good but do not do it and do things we kno w to be wrong. Through Jesus Christ\, God has set us free from such a futi le existence.\nGospel:  Matthew 11:16-19\, 25-30\nJesus chides people who find fault with both his ministry and that of John the Baptist. He thanks God that wisdom and intelligence are not needed to receive what God has to offer. [Jesus spoke to the crowd saying:]\n16.  “To what will I compare t his generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and callin g to one another\,  \n17  ‘We played the flute for you\, and you did not d ance\;   we wailed\, and you did not mourn.’\n18  “For John came neither e ating nor drinking\, and they say\, ‘He has a demon’\;\n19  the Son of Man came eating and drinking\, and they say\, ‘Look\, a glutton and a drunkar d\, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by h er deeds.”  \n20  Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of hi s deeds of power had been done because they did not repent.\n21  “Woe to y ou\, Chorazin! Woe to you\, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in y ou had been done in Tyre and Sidon\, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.\n22  But I tell you\, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you.\n23  And you\, Capernau m\,  will you be exalted to heaven?   No\, you will be brought down to Had es. “For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom\, it wou ld have remained until this day.\n24  But I tell you that on the day of ju dgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.”  \n2 5  At that time Jesus said\, “I thank you\, Father\, Lord of heaven and ea rth\, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intellige nt and have revealed them to infants\;\n26  yes\, Father\, for such was yo ur gracious will.\n27  All things have been handed over to me by my Father \, and no one knows the Son except the Father\, and no one knows the Fathe r except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.\n28  “C ome to me\, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens\, and I w ill give you rest.\n29  Take my yoke upon you\, and learn from me\, for I am gentle and humble in heart\, and you will find rest for your souls.\n30  For my yoke is easy\, and my burden is light.”\n \nAfter the Sermon\, Ho ly Communion will be offered. Come as you are\, the gift of the Table of t he Lord has been prepared as Jesus has requested and now we are invited to the meal. Come to the table like Peter\, with m ore enthusiasm than resol ve and like James and John\, disappointed and the priorities of God’s reig n. Come to the table like Martha\, hosting and leading with confidence lik e Mary\, full of love and grief. Come to the table like Judas\, disillusio ned and rebellious and like Mary Magdalene\, faithful till the end. Come t o the table\, because it is God who invites us and it’s God’s will that th ose who want to should meet God here.\nBlessing for the day (Our blessing is an adaptation of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us with discomfort at a Easy answers\, half truths and superficial leaderships so that we ma y live out God’s will deep in our heartland in our world.\nMay god bless w ith anger at injustice\, oppression and exploration and the environments t hat we may work for justice\, freedom and peace.\nMay God bless us with te ars to shed for those who suffer from pain\, rejection\, hunger and war so that we may reach out with hands and hearts to help them\, walk with them and turn their pain into hope and joy.\nAnd may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world\, so th at we can do what others claim cannot be done. To bring justice\, peace\, hope and love to all children\, the poor and all others in any need.\nGod be your comfort\, your strength\;\nGod be your hope and support\;\nGod be your light and your way\; and the blessing of God Creator\, Redeemer and G iver of Life\, remain with you now and forever. https://www.messiahofthemo untains.org/events/event/657-6th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-worship-ser vice-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker DTSTART:20260705T150000Z DTEND:20260705T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:6th Sunday after Pentecost-- Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM Se rvice -- Pastor Naomi Carriker URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/657-6th-sunday-after -pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR