BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//https://messiahofthemountains.org///NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.10.15//
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:20260809T013610UTC-2024FZCUx5@https://messiahofthemountains.org/
DTSTAMP:20260809T013610Z
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 for the 
 service today.\nIn Isaiah the people are advised to look to their spiritua
 l ancestors as the rock from which they were hewn. Jesus declares that the
  church will be built on the rock of Peter’s bold confession of faith. God
 ’s word of reconciliation and God’s mercy are keys to the church’s mission
 . Paul urges us to not be conformed to this world but to offer our bodies 
 as a living sacrifice\, using our individual gifts to build up the body of
  Christ. From the table we go forth to offer our spiritual worship through
  word and deed.\nPrayer of the Day\nO God\, with all your faithful followe
 rs of every age\, we praise you\, the rock of our life. Be our strong foun
 dation and form us into the body of your Son\, that we may gladly minister
  to all the world\, through Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord.\n \nAmen.
 \n \nFirst Reading: \nIsaiah 51:1-6 Just as God had called Abraham and Sar
 ah and given them many descendants\, so now God offers comfort to Zion. Go
 d’s deliverance will come soon and will never end.\n \nPsalm: \nPsalm 138 
 O Lord\, your steadfast love endures forever. (Ps. 138:8)\n \nSecond Readi
 ng:  \nRomans 12:1-8 In response to God’s merciful activity\, we are to wo
 rship by living holistic\, God-pleasing lives. Our values and viewpoints a
 re not molded by the time in which we live but are transformed by the Spir
 it’s renewing work. God’s grace empowers different forms of service among 
 Christians\, but all forms of ministry function to build up the body of Ch
 rist.\n \nGospel:  \nMatthew 16:13-20\nAt a climactic point in Jesus’ mini
 stry\, God reveals to Peter that Jesus is “the Messiah\, the Son of the li
 ving God\,” and Jesus responds with the promise of a church that will over
 come the very gates of Hades.\n13  Now when Jesus came into the district o
 f Caesarea Philippi\, he asked his disciples\, “Who do people say that the
  Son of Man is?” 14  And they said\, “Some say John the Baptist but others
  Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”\n15  He said to
  them\, “But who do you say that I am?”\n16  Simon Peter answered\, “You a
 re the Messiah\, the Son of the living God.”\n17  And Jesus answered him\,
  “Blessed are you\, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not reveal
 ed this to you but my Father in heaven.\n18  And I tell you\, you are Pete
 r\, and on this rock I will build my church\, and the gates of Hades will 
 not prevail against it.\n19  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of he
 aven\, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven\, and whatev
 er you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”\n20 Then he sternly order
 ed the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.\n \nAfter the
  Sermon\, Holy Communion will be offered. Come as you are\, the gift of th
 e Table of the Lord has been prepared as Jesus has requested and now we ar
 e invited to the meal. Come to the table like Peter\, with m ore enthusias
 m than resolve and like James and John\, disappointed and the priorities o
 f God’s reign. Come to the table like Martha\, hosting and leading with co
 nfidence 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 (O
 ur blessing is an adaptation of a Franciscan Prayer)\nMay God bless us wit
 h discomfort at a Easy answers\, half truths and superficial leaderships s
 o 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 en
 vironments that we may work for justice\, freedom and peace.\nMay God bles
 s us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain\, rejection\, hunge
 r and war so that we may reach out with hands and hearts to help them\, wa
 lk 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 w
 orld\, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done. To bring justic
 e\, 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 suppor
 t\;\nGod be your light and your way\; and the blessing of God Creator\, Re
 deemer and Giver of Life\, remain with you now and forever. https://messia
 hofthemountains.org/events/event/678-12-th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-w
 orship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker
DTSTART:20260816T150000Z
DTEND:20260816T160000Z
LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville
 \, NC 28714\, USA)
SUMMARY:12 th Sunday after Pentecost-- Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM 
 Service  --  Pastor  Naomi Carriker
URL:https://messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/678-12-th-sunday-after-p
 entecost-year-a-worship-service-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR