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UID:20261101T034225UTC-6334FuzUeb@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/
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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 to to
 days service.\nOur readings during November speak of the end times. Zephan
 iah proclaims that the coming day of the Lord will be filled with wrath an
 d distress. Paul says it will come like a thief in the night and urges us 
 to be awake and sober. Jesus tells the parable of the talents\, calling us
  to use our gifts\, while we still have time\, for the greater and common 
 good. In a world filled with violence and despair\, we gather around signs
  of hope—word\, water\, bread\, and wine—eager to welcome the good news of
  Christ’s coming among us.\n \nPrayer of the Day\nRighteous God\, our merc
 iful master\, you own the earth and all its peoples\, and you give us all 
 that we have. Inspire us to serve you with justice and wisdom\, and prepar
 e us for the joy of the day of your coming\, through Jesus Christ\, our Sa
 vior and Lord.\nAmen.\n \nFirst Reading: Zephaniah 1:7\, 12-18\nZephaniah 
 (like the prophet Amos in last week’s first reading) presents the day of t
 he Lord as one of judgment and wrath. Descriptions of the last day in the 
 New Testament include details taken from Old Testament accounts of the day
  of the Lord.\nPsalm: 90:1-8 [9-11] 12\nSo teach us to number our days tha
 t we may apply our hearts to wisdom. (Ps. 90:12)\n \nSecond Reading:  1 Th
 essalonians 5:1-11\nThough we do not know and cannot calculate the day of 
 Christ’s return\, we live faithfully in the here and now as we anticipate 
 the day when we will be given eternal salvation through our Lord Jesus Chr
 ist.\n \nGospel:  Matthew 25:14-30\nJesus tells a parable about his second
  coming\, indicating that it is not sufficient merely to maintain things a
 s they are. Those who await his return should make good use of the gifts t
 hat God has provided them. [Jesus said to the disciples:]\n14  “For it is 
 as if a man\, going on a journey\, summoned his slaves and entrusted his p
 roperty to them\;\n15  to one he gave five talents\, to another two\, to a
 nother one\, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. At once
 \n16  the one who had received the five talents went off and traded with t
 hem and made five more talents.\n17  In the same way\, the one who had the
  two talents made two more talents.\n18  But the one who had received the 
 one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s mone
 y.\n19  After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled acco
 unts with them.\n20  Then the one who had received the five talents came f
 orward\, bringing five more talents\, saying\, ‘Master\, you handed over t
 o me five talents\; see\, I have made five more talents.’\n21  His master 
 said to him\, ‘Well done\, good and trustworthy slave\; you have been trus
 tworthy in a few things\; I will put you in charge of many things\; enter 
 into the joy of your master.’\n22  And the one with the two talents also c
 ame forward\, saying\, ‘Master\, you handed over to me two talents\; see\,
  I have made two more talents.’\n23  His master said to him\, ‘Well done\,
  good and trustworthy slave\; you have been trustworthy in a few things\; 
 I will put you in charge of many things\; enter into the joy of your maste
 r.’\n24  Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward\, 
 saying\, ‘Master\, I knew that you were a harsh man\, reaping where you di
 d not sow and gathering where you did not scatter\, 25  so I was afraid\, 
 and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.
 ’\n26  But his master replied\, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew\, did
  you\, that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter?
 \n27  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers\, and on m
 y return I would have received what was my own with interest.\n28  So take
  the talent from him\, and give it to the one with the ten talents.\n29  F
 or to all those who have\, more will be given\, and they will have an abun
 dance\, but from those who have nothing\, even what they have will be take
 n away.\n30  As for this worthless slave\, throw him into the outer darkne
 ss\, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ”\n \nAfter the S
 ermon\, Holy Communion will be offered. Come as you are\, the gift of the 
 Table of the Lord has been prepared as Jesus has requested and now we are 
 invited to the meal. Come to the table like Peter\, with more enthusiasm t
 han resolve and like James and John\, disappointed and the priorities of G
 od’s reign. Come to the table like Martha\, hosting and leading with confi
 dence like Mary\, full of love and grief. Come to the table like Judas\, d
 isillusioned and rebellious and like Mary Magdalene\, faithful till the en
 d. Come to the table\, because it is God who invites us and it’s God’s wil
 l that those 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 d
 iscomfort at a Easy answers\, half truths and superficial leaderships so t
 hat we may live out God’s will deep in our heartland in our world.\nMay go
 d bless with anger at injustice\, oppression and exploration and the envir
 onments that we may work for justice\, freedom and peace.\nMay God bless u
 s with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain\, rejection\, hunger a
 nd 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 wit
 h enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this worl
 d\, 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 ne
 ed.\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\, Redee
 mer and Giver of Life\, remain with you now and forever. https://www.messi
 ahofthemountains.org/events/event/709-25th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-w
 orship-service-11-00-am-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker
DTSTART:20261115T160000Z
DTEND:20261115T170000Z
LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville
 \, NC 28714\, USA)
SUMMARY:25th Sunday after Pentecost  -- Year A - Worship Service 11:00 am -
  12:00 PM Service  --  Pastor  Naomi Carriker
URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/709-25th-sunday-afte
 r-pentecost-year-a-worship-service-11-00-am-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-
 carriker
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