BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//https://messiahofthemountains.org///NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.10.15//
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:20260421T085354UTC-0382NIH7EW@https://messiahofthemountains.org/
DTSTAMP:20260421T085354Z
DESCRIPTION:We are a small church\, but big on Grace. We gather each Sunday
  at 11:00 am for worship by singing hymns\, hearing readings from the bibl
 e\, praying together and a celebration of Holy Communion. Communion is the
  spiritual bread our bodies need to live. All are invited to join us at th
 e Lord's table to be fed by his heavenly food\, There are no strangers in 
 God’s house\, and if you choose to worship with us\, we would be honored b
 y your presence.\nIntroduction\nCalled to contemplate the cost of disciple
 ship\, we might be helped by translating Paul’s request to Philemon into o
 ur prayer of the day: Refresh my heart in Christ. Strengthened by the comp
 any and forgiveness of Christ in holy communion and recalling God’s grace 
 in remembrance of baptism\, we can be strengthened in this hour to “choose
  life”—to choose life in God as our own.\n \n \nPrayer of the Day\nDirect 
 us\, O Lord God\, in all our doings with your continual help\, that in all
  our works\, begun\, continued\, and ended in you\, we may glorify your ho
 ly name\; and finally\, by your mercy\, bring us to everlasting life\, thr
 ough Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord.\nAmen.\nFirst Reading: \nDeuteron
 omy 30:15-20 Moses speaks to the Israelites\, who are about to enter the l
 and promised to their ancestors. In this passage\, he lays out the stark c
 hoice before them: choose life by loving and obeying the Lord\; or choose 
 death by following other gods.\n \nPsalm: 1 They are like trees planted by
  streams of water. (Ps. 1:3)\n \nSecond Reading:  \nPhilemon 1-21 Onesimus
 \, a new Christian and a man enslaved by Philemon\, has helped Paul\, who 
 is in prison. Paul writes this letter to his friend Philemon to encourage 
 him to receive Onesimus\, upon his return\, as a sibling in Christ.\n \nGo
 spel:  Luke 14:25-33\nJesus speaks frankly about the costs of discipleship
 . Those who follow him should know from the outset that completing the cou
 rse of discipleship will finally mean renouncing all other allegiances.\n2
 5  Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus]\, and he turned and said t
 o them\,\n26  “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother\, w
 ife and children\, brothers and sisters\, yes\, and even life itself\, can
 not be my disciple.\n27  Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me ca
 nnot be my disciple.\n28  For which of you\, intending to build a tower\, 
 does not first sit down and estimate the cost\, to see whether he has enou
 gh to complete it?\n29  Otherwise\, when he has laid a foundation and is n
 ot able to finish\, all who see it will begin to ridicule him\,\n30  sayin
 g\, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’\n31  Or what 
 king\, going out to wage war against another king\, will not sit down firs
 t and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who 
 comes against him with twenty thousand?\n32  If he cannot\, then while the
  other is still far away\, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of
  peace.\n33  So therefore\, none of you can become my disciple if you do n
 ot give up all your possessions.”\n \nAfter the Sermon\, Holy Communion wi
 ll be offered. Come as you are\, the gift of the Table of the Lord has bee
 n prepared 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 Jam
 es and John\, disappointed and the priorities of God’s reign. Come to the 
 table like Martha\, hosting and leading with confidence like Mary\, full o
 f love and grief. Come to the table like Judas\, disillusioned and rebelli
 ous and like Mary Magdalene\, faithful till the end. Come to the table\, b
 ecause 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 adaptatio
 n of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us with discomfort at a Easy answ
 ers\, 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 in
 justice\, oppression and exploration 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 re
 ach 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 that we can do wh
 at others claim cannot be done. To bring justice\, peace\, hope and love t
 o 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 Giver of Life\, 
 remain with you now and forever. https://messiahofthemountains.org/events/
 event/587-13th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-c-worship-service-11-00-am-serv
 ice-pastor-naomi-carriker
DTSTART:20250907T150000Z
DTEND:20250907T160000Z
LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville
 \, NC 28714\, USA)
SUMMARY:13th Sunday after Pentecost Year C - Worship Service - 11:00 AM Ser
 vice  --  Pastor  Naomi Carriker
URL:https://messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/587-13th-sunday-after-pe
 ntecost-year-c-worship-service-11-00-am-service-pastor-naomi-carriker
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR