BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//https://www.messiahofthemountains.org///NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.10.15//
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:20260419T140607UTC-4204Kpzulu@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/
DTSTAMP:20260419T140607Z
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.\nIntroduction\nGod’s w
 ord is like the rain that waters the earth and brings forth vegetation. It
  is also like the sower who scatters seed indiscriminately. Our lives are 
 like seeds sown in the earth. Even from what appears to be little\, dorman
 t\, or dead\, God promises a harvest. At the Lord’s table we are fed with 
 the bread of life\, that we may bear fruit in the world.\nPrayer of the Da
 y\nAlmighty God\, we thank you for planting in us the seed of your word. B
 y your Holy Spirit help us to receive it with joy\, live according to it\,
  and grow in faith and hope and love\, through Jesus Christ\, our Savior a
 nd Lord.\nAmen.\nFirst Reading: \nIsaiah 55:10-13 God’s word to Israel’s e
 xiles is as sure and effective as never-failing precipitation. Their retur
 n to the Holy Land in a new exodus is cheered on by singing mountains and 
 by trees that clap their hands.\nPsalm:  65:[1-8] 9-13\nYour paths overflo
 w with plenty. (Ps. 65:11)\nSecond Reading:  \nRomans 8:1-11 There is no c
 ondemnation for those who live in Christ. God sent Christ to accomplish wh
 at the law was unable to do: condemn sin and free us from its death-dealin
 g ways. The Spirit now empowers proper actions and values in our lives and
  gives us the promise of resurrected life.\nGospel:  Matthew 13:1-9\, 18-2
 3\nIn Matthew’s gospel\, both Jesus and his disciples “sow the seed” of Go
 d’s word by proclaiming the good news that “the kingdom of heaven is near.
 ” Now\, in a memorable parable\, Jesus explains why this good news produce
 s different results in those who hear. \n1  That same day Jesus went out o
 f the house and sat beside the sea.\n2  Such great crowds gathered around 
 him that he got into a boat and sat there\, while the whole crowd stood on
  the beach.\n3  And he told them many things in parables\, saying: “Listen
 ! A sower went out to sow.\n4  And as he sowed\, some seeds fell on a path
 \, and the birds came and ate them up.\n5  Other seeds fell on rocky groun
 d\, where they did not have much soil\, and they sprang up quickly\, since
  they had no depth of soil.\n6  But when the sun rose\, they were scorched
 \, and since they had no root\, they withered away.\n7  Other seeds fell a
 mong thorns\, and the thorns grew up and choked them.\n8  Other seeds fell
  on good soil and brought forth grain\, some a hundredfold\, some sixty\, 
 some thirty.\n9  If you have ears\, hear!”  \n18  “Hear\, then\, the parab
 le of the sower.\n19  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does n
 ot understand it\, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in th
 e heart\; this is what was sown on the path.\n20  As for what was sown on 
 rocky ground\, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives
  it with joy\,\n21  yet such a person has no root but endures only for a w
 hile\, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word\, tha
 t person immediately falls away.\n22  As for what was sown among thorns\, 
 this is the one who hears the word\, but the cares of this age and the lur
 e of wealth choke the word\, and it yields nothing.\n23  But as for what w
 as sown on good soil\, this is the one who hears the word and understands 
 it\, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold\, in anot
 her sixty\, and in another thirty.”\n \nAfter the Sermon\, Holy Communion 
 will be offered. Come as you are\, the gift of the Table of the Lord has b
 een prepared as Jesus has requested and now we are invited to the meal. Co
 me to the table like Peter\, with m ore enthusiasm than resolve and like J
 ames and John\, disappointed and the priorities of God’s reign. Come to th
 e table like Martha\, hosting and leading with confidence like Mary\, full
  of love and grief. Come to the table like Judas\, disillusioned and rebel
 lious and like Mary Magdalene\, faithful till the end. Come to the table\,
  because it is God who invites us and it’s God’s will that those who want 
 to should meet God here.\nBlessing for the day (Our blessing is an adaptat
 ion of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us with discomfort at a Easy an
 swers\, half truths and superficial leaderships so that we may live out Go
 d’s will deep in our heartland in our world.\nMay god bless with anger at 
 injustice\, oppression and exploration and the environments that we may wo
 rk for justice\, freedom and peace.\nMay God bless us with tears to shed f
 or 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 the
 ir pain into hope and joy.\nAnd may God bless us with enough foolishness t
 o believe that we can make a difference in this world\, so that 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 comfo
 rt\, your strength\;\nGod be your hope and support\;\nGod be your light an
 d your way\; and the blessing of God Creator\, Redeemer and Giver of Life\
 , remain with you now and forever. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/e
 vents/event/658-7th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm
 -service-pastor-naomi-carriker
DTSTART:20260712T150000Z
DTEND:20260712T160000Z
LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville
 \, NC 28714\, USA)
SUMMARY:7th Sunday after Pentecost  -- Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM 
 Service  --  Pastor  Naomi Carriker
URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/658-7th-sunday-after
 -pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR