BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//https://www.messiahofthemountains.org///NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.10.15// METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7840LaRPlV@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z DESCRIPTION:Messiah of the Mountains collects contributions and give to the Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center (ATRC)\nThe Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center (ATRC) was founded in 1986 and is located on 15 acres in th e beautiful South Toe Valley. ATRC is a 501(c)3 non-profit agency and has 3 Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship Certified instruct ors. Additionally\, physical\, occupational\, speech and mental health the rapists are often involved\, either hands on or acting as consultants. Our Mission The Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center provides therapeutic ho rseback riding and non-mounted individualized programs for people with phy sical\, cognitive and/or emotional challenges in a safe\, structured envir onment. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/620-appalachian -therapeutic-riding-center DTSTART:20260531T145800Z DTEND:20260531T145900Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/620-appalachian-ther apeutic-riding-center END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7842OtB7EM@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z 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\nThough Jesus was a devout Jew who practiced his faith\, he was criticized for eat ing with tax collectors and sinners—the religiously nonobservant. Jesus cr iticizes the self-righteous and reminds us that mercy is to be at the hear t of our religious practices. God continues to be made known in those on t he margins of society\, like Matthew the tax collector and the hemorrhagin g woman. As we gather each Lord’s day we receive the healing that makes us well and sends us forth to be signs of God’s mercy for the world.\nPrayer of the Day\nO God\, you are the source of life and the ground of our bein g. By the power of your Spirit bring healing to this wounded world\, and r aise us to the new life of your Son\, Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord. \nAmen.\nFirst Reading: \nHosea 5:15—6:6 Because the people have trusted i n military powers and not God\, God decides to withdraw from the scene unt il Israel acknowledges its guilt and seeks God’s face. The response of the people does not acknowledge this guilt and is as fickle as fog or dew bur ned away quickly by the sun. God desires loyalty rather than words or mean ingless deeds.\nPsalm: 50:7-15\nCall upon me in the day of trouble\, says your God. (Ps. 50:15)\nSecond Reading:  \nRomans 4:13-25 Paul presents Abr aham as a living model of right relationships. For Abraham and for us\, a right relationship with God involves trusting that God’s promises will be fulfilled because God makes the dead alive and calls into existence what o therwise does not exist.\nGospel:  Matthew 9:9-13\, 18-26\nJesus demonstra tes God’s mercy and power\, accepting the unacceptable and curing the incu rable. Even the dead receive new life.\n9  As Jesus was walking along\, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station\, and he s aid to him\, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.  \n10  And as he sat at dinner in the house\, many tax collectors and sinners came and wer e sitting with Jesus and his disciples.\n11  When the Pharisees saw this\, they said to his disciples\, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collecto rs and sinners?”\n12  But when he heard this\, he said\, “Those who are we ll have no need of a physician\, but those who are sick.\n13  Go and learn what this means\, ‘I desire mercy\, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come t o call the righteous but sinners.”\n \nAfter the Sermon\, Holy Communion w ill be offered. Come as you are\, the gift of the Table of the Lord has be en prepared as Jesus has requested and now we are invited to the meal. Com e to the table like Peter\, with m ore enthusiasm than resolve and like Ja mes 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 the table like Judas\, disillusioned and rebell ious 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 t o should meet God here.\nBlessing for the day (Our blessing is an adaptati on of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us with discomfort at a Easy ans wers\, half truths and superficial leaderships so that we may live out God ’s will deep in our heartland in our world.\nMay god bless with anger at i njustice\, oppression and exploration and the environments that we may wor k for justice\, freedom and peace.\nMay God bless us with tears to shed fo r those who suffer from pain\, rejection\, hunger and war so that we may r each out with hands and hearts to help them\, walk with them and turn thei r 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 that we can do w hat 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 comfor t\, 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 forever. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ev ents/event/653-2nd-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm- service-pastor-naomi-carriker DTSTART:20260607T150000Z DTEND:20260607T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:2nd Sunday after Pentecost -- Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM S ervice -- Pastor Naomi Carriker URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/653-2nd-sunday-after -pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7846u2SL59@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z 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\nMoses t ells the Israelites that they are called to be a priestly kingdom and a ho ly people. Jesus sends out the disciples as laborers into the harvest. In baptism we too are anointed for ministry\, sharing God’s compassion with o ur needy world. From the Lord’s table we go forth to proclaim the good new s\, to heal the sick\, and to share our bread with the hungry.\nPrayer of the Day\nGod of compassion\, you have opened the way for us and brought us to yourself. Pour your love into our hearts\, that\, overflowing with joy \, we may freely share the blessings of your realm and faithfully proclaim the good news of your Son\, Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord.\nAmen.\nF irst Reading: \nExodus 19:2-8a At Sinai God assured Israel\, “You shall be my treasured possession\,” and commissioned them to serve as mediating pr iests for the nations. The people commit themselves completely to God’s wi ll.\nPsalm: 100\nWe are God’s people and the sheep of God’s pasture. (Ps. 100:3)\nSecond Reading:  \nRomans 5:1-8 We are no longer God’s enemies but have peace with God because we were brought into a right relationship wit h God through Christ’s death.\nGospel:  Matthew 9:35—10:8 [9-23]\nThe miss ion of Jesus’ followers is to continue the mission of Jesus himself. Here\ , he instructs his first disciples as to how they might proclaim the gospe l through their words and deeds.\n35  Jesus went about all the cities and villages\, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of t he kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness.\n36 When he saw th e crowds\, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpl ess\, like sheep without a shepherd.\n37  Then he said to his disciples\, “The harvest is plentiful\, but the laborers are few\; 38 therefore ask th e Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”  \n10:1  The n Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits\, to cast them out\, and to cure every disease and every sickness .\n2  These are the names of the twelve apostles: first\, Simon\, also kno wn as Peter\, and his brother Andrew\; James son of Zebedee and his brothe r John\;\n3  Philip and Bartholomew\; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector \; James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus\;\n4  Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot\, the one who betrayed him.  \n5  These twelve Jesus sent out wi th the following instructions: “Do not take a road leading to gentiles\, a nd do not enter a Samaritan town\,\n6  but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.\n7  As you go\, proclaim the good news\, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’\n8  Cure the sick\; raise the dead\; cleanse th ose with a skin disease\; cast out demons. You received without payment\; give without payment.\n[9  Take no gold\, or silver\, or copper in your be lts\, \n10  no bag for your journey\, or two tunics\, or sandals\, or a st aff\, for laborers deserve their food.\n11  Whatever town or village you e nter\, find out who in it is worthy\, and stay there until you leave.\n12  As you enter the house\, greet it.\n13  If the house is worthy\, let your peace come upon it\, but if it is not worthy\, let your peace return to y ou.\n14  If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words\, shake of f the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.\n15  Truly I te ll you\, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on t he day of judgment than for that town.  \n16  “I am sending you out like s heep into the midst of wolves\, so be wise as serpents and innocent as dov es.\n17  Beware of them\, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues\,\n18  and you will be dragged before governors a nd kings because of me\, as a testimony to them and the gentiles.\n19  Whe n they hand you over\, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say\, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time\, \n20  for it is not you who speak\, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.\n21  Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his c hild\, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death\, \n22  and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who end ures to the end will be saved.\n23  When they persecute you in this town\, flee to the next\, for truly I tell you\, you will not have finished goin g through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”]\n \nAfter the Sermon\, Holy Communion will be offered. Come as you are\, the gift o f the Table of the Lord has been prepared as Jesus has requested and now w e are invited to the meal. Come to the table like Peter\, with m ore enthu siasm than resolve and like James and John\, disappointed and the prioriti es of God’s reign. Come to the table like Martha\, hosting and leading wit h confidence like Mary\, full of love and grief. Come to the table like Ju das\, disillusioned and rebellious and like Mary Magdalene\, faithful till the end. Come to the table\, because it is God who invites us and it’s Go d’s will that those who want to should meet God here.\nBlessing for the da y (Our blessing is an adaptation of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us with discomfort at a Easy answers\, half truths and superficial leadershi ps so that we may live out God’s will deep in our heartland in our world. \nMay god bless with anger at injustice\, oppression and exploration and t he 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 hearts to help them \, walk with them and turn their pain into hope and joy.\nAnd may God bles s us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in t his world\, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done. To bring j ustice\, peace\, hope and love to all children\, the poor and all others i n any need.\nGod be your comfort\, your strength\;\nGod be your hope and s upport\;\nGod be your light and your way\; and the blessing of God Creator \, Redeemer and Giver of Life\, remain with you now and forever. https://w ww.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/654-3rd-sunday-after-pentecost-y ear-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker DTSTART:20260614T150000Z DTEND:20260614T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:3rd Sunday after Pentecost - Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM Se rvice -- Pastor Naomi Carriker URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/654-3rd-sunday-after -pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7850HaV2aF@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z 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 doe s not promise that the path of the disciple will be easy. Jeremiah feels t he pain of rejection from those who do not want to hear what he has to say . Jesus declares that his words may bring stark division. Even so\, we nee d not be afraid for God accounts for each hair on our heads. Though we may experience rejection\, frustration\, division\, and death\, God’s grace a nd love make us a new creation each day. Marked with the cross and filled with holy food\, we are sent from worship to witness to Christ in the worl d.\nPrayer of the Day\nTeach us\, good Lord God\, to serve you as you dese rve\, to give and not to count the cost\, to fight and not to heed the wou nds\, to toil and not to seek for rest\, to labor and not to ask for rewar d\, except that of knowing that we do your will\, through Jesus Christ\, o ur Savior and Lord.\nAmen.\nFirst Reading: \nJeremiah 20:7-13 Jeremiah acc uses God of forcing him into a ministry that brings him only contempt and persecution. Yet Jeremiah is confident that God will be a strong protector against his enemies and commits his life into God’s hands.\nPsalm: 69:7-1 0 [11-15] 16-18\nAnswer me\, O Lord\, for your love is kind. (Ps. 69:16)\n Second Reading:  \nRomans 6:1b-11 In baptism we were incorporated into the reality of Christ’s death and resurrection. We have been made new in Chri st through his death and resurrection to live freed from sin.\nGospel:  Ma tthew 10:24-39\nJesus warns his disciples that their ministry in his name will meet with opposition. However\, he assures them that they need not fe ar for the truth will come to light. Life is found in Christ. [Jesus said to the twelve:]\n24  “A disciple is not above the teacher nor a slave abov e the master\;\n25  it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher a nd the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul\, how much more will they malign those of his household!  \n26   “So have no fear of them\, for nothing is covered up that will not be unco vered and nothing secret that will not become known. \n27  What I say to y ou in the dark\, tell in the light\, and what you hear whispered\, proclai m from the housetops.\n28  Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul\; rather\, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body i n hell.\n29  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them wi ll fall to the ground apart from your Father.\n30  And even the hairs of y our head are all counted.\n31  So do not be afraid\; you are of more value than many sparrows.  \n32  “Everyone\, therefore\, who acknowledges me be fore others\, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven\,\n33  bu t whoever denies me before others\, I also will deny before my Father in h eaven.  \n34  “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth\; I have not come to bring peace but a sword.  \n35  For I have come to set a man against his father\,  and a daughter against her mother\,  and a da ughter-in-law against her mother-in-law\,  \n36  and one’s foes will be me mbers of one’s own household.\n37  “Whoever loves father or mother more th an me is not worthy of me\, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me\,\n38  and whoever does not take up the cross and fol low me is not worthy of me.\n39  Those who find their life will lose it\, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”\n \nAfter the Ser mon\, Holy Communion will be offered. Come as you are\, the gift of the Ta ble of the Lord has been prepared as Jesus has requested and now we are in vited to the meal. Come to the table like Peter\, with m ore enthusiasm th an resolve and like James and John\, disappointed and the priorities of Go d’s reign. Come to the table like Martha\, hosting and leading with confid ence like Mary\, full of love and grief. Come to the table like Judas\, di sillusioned and rebellious 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 b lessing is an adaptation of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us with di scomfort at a Easy answers\, half truths and superficial leaderships so th at we may live out God’s will deep in our heartland in our world.\nMay god bless with anger at injustice\, oppression and exploration and the enviro nments 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 an d war so that we may reach out with hands and hearts to help them\, walk w ith 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 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 nee d.\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/655-4th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-wo rship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker DTSTART:20260621T150000Z DTEND:20260621T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:4th Sunday after Pentecost -- Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 P M Service -- Pastor Naomi Carriker URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/655-4th-sunday-after -pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-78557H1hev@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z 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 welcome of baptism is for all God’s children. This baptismal gift sets us free from the power of sin and death. In today’s gospel\, Christ promises that the disciple who gives a cup of cold water to the little ones serves Christ himself. From worship we are sent on our baptismal mission: to serv e the little ones of this world and to be a sign of God’s merciful welcome .\nPrayer of the Day\nO God\, you direct our lives by your grace\, and you r words of justice and mercy reshape the world. Mold us into a people who welcome your word and serve one another\, through Jesus Christ\, our Savio r and Lord.\nAmen.\nFirst Reading: \nJeremiah 28:5-9 Through a symbolic ac tion Jeremiah insisted that Judah and all the surrounding nations should s ubmit to the king of Babylon (Jer. 27). Hananiah contradicted the word of Jeremiah\, who in reply insisted that Hananiah’s rosy prediction should no t be believed until it came true. God confirmed the word of Jeremiah and s entenced the false prophet Hananiah to death (vv. 16-17).\nPsalm: 89:1-4\, 15-18\nYour love\, O Lord\, forever will I sing. (Ps. 89:1)\nSecond Readi ng:  \nRomans 6:12-23 Sin is an enslaving power which motivates us to live self-serving\, disobedient lives. Sin’s final payoff is death. We\, howev er\, have been set free from sin’s slavery to live obediently under God’s grace\, whose end is the free gift of eternal life.\n \nGospel:  Matthew 1 0:40-42\nWhen Jesus sends his disciples out as missionaries\, he warns the m of persecution and hardships they will face. He also promises to reward any who aid his followers and support their ministry. [Jesus said to the t welve:]\n40  “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me\, and whoever welcomes me w elcomes the one who sent me.\n41  Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name o f a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward\, and whoever welcomes a right eous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of t he righteous\,\n42  and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of t hese little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you\, none of thes e will lose their reward.”\n \nAfter the Sermon\, Holy Communion will be o ffered. Come as you are\, the gift of the Table of the Lord has been prepa red as Jesus has requested 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 l ike Martha\, hosting and leading with confidence like Mary\, full of love and grief. Come to the table like Judas\, disillusioned and rebellious 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 adaptation of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us with discomfort at a Easy answers\, h alf truths and superficial leaderships so that we may live out God’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 work for ju stice\, 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 hearts to help them\, walk with them and turn their pain i nto hope and joy.\nAnd may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world\, so that we can do what othe rs claim cannot be done. To bring justice\, peace\, hope and love to all c hildren\, 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 wa y\; and the blessing of God Creator\, Redeemer and Giver of Life\, remain with you now and forever. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/eve nt/656-5th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service- pastor-naomi-carriker DTSTART:20260628T150000Z DTEND:20260628T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:5th Sunday after Pentecost -- Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM Service -- Pastor Naomi Carriker URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/656-5th-sunday-after -pentecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7858JUtS9G@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z 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 BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7862UsNT4Z@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z DESCRIPTION:Messiah of the Mountains collects contributions and give to the local Feed-A-Child of Yancey County. Please contribute if possible.\nFeed -A-Child Yancey County was founded in the Fall of 2007 by Robert and Glend a Wyatt to provide healthy snacks for kids who need food over the weekends . Volunteers pack and deliver the snacks to the schools that have identifi ed children in need. The schools send the bags home with the children on F ridays. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/663-feed-the-ch ildren DTSTART:20260607T145900Z DTEND:20260607T150000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:Feed the Children URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/663-feed-the-childre n END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7863OwMmws@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z DESCRIPTION:Messiah of the Mountains collects contributions and give to the local Feed-A-Child of Yancey County. Please contribute if possible.\nFeed -A-Child Yancey County was founded in the Fall of 2007 by Robert and Glend a Wyatt to provide healthy snacks for kids who need food over the weekends . Volunteers pack and deliver the snacks to the schools that have identifi ed children in need. The schools send the bags home with the children on F ridays. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/664-feed-the-ch ildren DTSTART:20260705T145900Z DTEND:20260705T150000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:Feed the Children URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/664-feed-the-childre n END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7864ktvVhX@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z DESCRIPTION:Messiah of the Mountains collects contributions and give to the Reconciliation House.\nReconciliation House Mission.  Our mission is to p rovide physical assistance to families in crisis situations\, in many case s\, long-term suffering and financial poverty.\nA crisis may be defined as :\nHome fire or weather related disasters such as floods or storms\nMain b readwinner out of work due to job layoff\, injury\, or illness\nFamilies c aught up in generations of poverty due to minimal education and illiteracy \nDisabled and elderly people who cannot make ends meet on low\, fixed inc omes\nSingle parents trying to raise small children alone\nIndividuals who are under employed raising families on or barely above minimum wage\nSeas onal workers who cannot get work during the cold weather months Individual s who are transient\, homeless\, or stranded.\nPlease contribute if you ca n. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/670-reconciliation-h ouse DTSTART:20260621T145800Z DTEND:20260621T145900Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:Reconciliation House URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/670-reconciliation-h ouse END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7865GJKz91@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z DESCRIPTION:Council Meeting: Council members will meet with the Pastor to d iscuss business of the church. https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/event s/event/684-council-meeting DTSTART:20260609T140000Z DTEND:20260609T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:Council Meeting URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/684-council-meeting END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7865VE0Cnc@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z DESCRIPTION:We gather after service the first Sunday of the month for fello wship and enjoy the food members have brought to share. https://www.messia hofthemountains.org/events/event/691-pot-luck-sunday DTSTART:20260607T160100Z DTEND:20260607T180000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY: Pot luck Sunday URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/691-pot-luck-sunday END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260606T050740UTC-7866DvSdBO@https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260606T050740Z DESCRIPTION:We gather after service the first Sunday of the month for fello wship and enjoy the food members have brought to share. https://www.messia hofthemountains.org/events/event/692-pot-luck-sunday DTSTART:20260705T160100Z DTEND:20260705T180000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:Pot luck Sunday URL:https://www.messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/692-pot-luck-sunday END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR