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UID:20260419T140607UTC-65046B9l4p@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\nIt is a
 n age-old question: why is there evil in the world? In the parable of the 
 wheat and the weeds Jesus suggests that both grow together until the harve
 st. With Paul\, we long for the day that all creation will be set free fro
 m bondage and suffering. Having both weeds and wheat within us\, we humbly
  place our hope in the promises of God\, and from the Lord’s table we go f
 orth to bear the fruit of justice and mercy.\nPrayer of the Day\nFaithful 
 God\, most merciful judge\, you care for your children with firmness and c
 ompassion. By your Spirit nurture us who live in your kingdom\, that we ma
 y be rooted in the way of your Son\, Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord.\n
 Amen.\nFirst Reading: \nIsaiah 44:6-8 There are no other gods besides God:
  the word of the Lord does not fail to come to pass. We can trust in God\,
  through whom Israel—and we—are redeemed.\nPsalm: 86:11-17\nTeach me your 
 way\, O Lord\, and I will walk in your truth. (Ps. 86:11)\nSecond Reading:
   \nRomans 8:12-25 For Paul\, true spirituality means that we experience t
 he reality of the Spirit\, which enables us to pray as God’s children\, ke
 eps us in solidarity with creation\, and gives us unseen hope that God wil
 l liberate us and creation from bondage to death and decay.\n \nGospel:  M
 atthew 13:24-30\, 36-43\nJesus tells a parable about the coexistence of go
 od and evil in this world. God’s judgment will remove all evildoers and ca
 uses of sin\, but not until the end of human history.\n24  [Jesus] put bef
 ore [the crowds] another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared t
 o someone who sowed good seed in his field\,\n25  but while everybody was 
 asleep an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and then went away.\n
 26  So when the plants came up and bore grain\, then the weeds appeared as
  well.\n27  And the slaves of the householder came and said to him\, ‘Mast
 er\, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where\, then\, did these wee
 ds come from?’\n28  He answered\, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves sai
 d to him\, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’\n29  But he replie
 d\, ‘No\, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with
  them.\n30  Let both of them grow together until the harvest\, and at harv
 est time I will tell the reapers\, Collect the weeds first and bind them i
 n bundles to be burned\, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”  \n36  Then
  he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached 
 him\, saying\, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”\n37 
  He answered\, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man\;\n38  th
 e field is the world\, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom\;
  the weeds are the children of the evil one\,\n39  and the enemy who sowed
  them is the devil\; the harvest is the end of the age\, and the reapers a
 re angels.\n40  Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire\, 
 so will it be at the end of the age.\n41  The Son of Man will send his ang
 els\, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all e
 vildoers\,\n42  and they will throw them into the furnace of fire\, where 
 there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.\n43  Then the righteous will 
 shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears li
 sten!”\n \nAfter the Sermon\, Holy Communion will be offered. Come as you 
 are\, the gift of the Table of the Lord has been prepared as Jesus has req
 uested and now we are invited to the meal. Come to the table like Peter\, 
 with m ore enthusiasm than resolve and like James and John\, disappointed 
 and the priorities of God’s reign. Come to the table like Martha\, hosting
  and leading with confidence like Mary\, full of love and grief. Come to t
 he table like Judas\, disillusioned and rebellious and like Mary Magdalene
 \, faithful till the end. Come to the table\, because it is God who invite
 s us and it’s God’s will that those who want to should meet God here.\nBle
 ssing for the day (Our blessing is an adaptation of a Franciscan Prayer)\n
 May God bless us with discomfort at a Easy answers\, half truths and super
 ficial leaderships so that we may live out God’s will deep in our heartlan
 d in our world.\nMay god bless with anger at injustice\, oppression and ex
 ploration and the environments that we may work for justice\, freedom and 
 peace.\nMay God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain
 \, rejection\, hunger and war so that we may reach out with hands and hear
 ts to help them\, walk with them and turn their pain into hope and joy.\nA
 nd may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a 
 difference in this world\, so that we can do what others claim cannot be d
 one. To bring justice\, peace\, hope and love to all children\, the poor a
 nd 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 Giver of Life\, remain with you now and for
 ever. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/659-8th-sunday-af
 ter-pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carrike
 r
DTSTART:20260719T150000Z
DTEND:20260719T160000Z
LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville
 \, NC 28714\, USA)
SUMMARY: 8th Sunday after Pentecost - Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM S
 ervice  --  Pastor  Naomi Carriker
URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/659-8th-sunday-after
 -pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker
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