BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//https://messiahofthemountains.org///NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.10.15// METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260417T050456UTC-0454goCfZn@https://messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260417T050456Z 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\nPray always. Do not lose heart. This is Ch rist’s encouragement in the gospel today. Wrestle with the word. Remember your baptism again and again. Come regularly to Christ’s table. Persistenc e in our every encounter with the divine will be blessed.\n \n \nPrayer of the Day\nO Lord God\, tireless guardian of your people\, you are always r eady to hear our cries. Teach us to rely day and night on your care. Inspi re us to seek your enduring justice for all this suffering world\, through Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord.\nAmen.\nFirst Reading:  Genesis 32:22 -31\nReturning to the home he had fled many years before after stealing hi s brother’s birthright and his father’s blessing\, Jacob wrestles all nigh t long with a divine adversary who ultimately blesses him and changes his name to “Israel\,” a name that means “he wrestles with God.”\n \nPsalm:  1 21\nMy help comes from the Lord\, the maker of heaven and earth. (Ps. 121: 2)\n \nSecond Reading:  2 Timothy 3:14—4:5\nThe writer of this letter cont inues his instruction of Timothy\, his younger colleague in ministry\, by emphasizing the importance of faithful teaching despite opposition.\n \nGo spel:  Luke 18:1-8\nJesus tells a parable of an unjust judge who is worn d own by a widow’s pleas. Jesus is calling God’s people to cry out for justi ce and deliverance. For if an unethical judge will ultimately grant the pl ea of a persistent widow\, how much more will God respond to those who cal l.\n1  Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.\n2  He said\, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people.\n3  In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying\, ‘Grant me justice against my a ccuser.’\n4  For a while he refused\, but later he said to himself\, ‘Thou gh I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone\,\n5  yet because this widow keeps bothering me\, I will grant her justice\, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ”\n6  And the Lord said\, “Listen to w hat the unjust judge says.\n7  And will not God grant justice to his chose n ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?\n 8  I tell you\, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet\, when the Son of Man comes\, will he find faith on earth?”\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://messiahofthemounta ins.org/events/event/594-19-sunday-after-pentecost-year-c-worship-service- 11-00-am-service-pastor-naomi-carriker DTSTART:20251019T150000Z DTEND:20251019T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:19 Sunday after Pentecost -Year C - Worship Service - 11:00 AM Serv ice -- Pastor Naomi Carriker URL:https://messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/594-19-sunday-after-pent ecost-year-c-worship-service-11-00-am-service-pastor-naomi-carriker END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR