BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//https://messiahofthemountains.org///NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.10.15// METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260923T104605UTC-9968Mbewja@https://messiahofthemountains.org/ DTSTAMP:20260923T104605Z 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.\nIn today’s gospel reading\, Jesus tells a vineyard parable\ , which serves as an image of Israel\, the prophets’ mission\, and Christ’ s death. For Christians\, the vineyard also speaks of God’s love poured ou t in the blood of Christ\, given to us for the forgiveness of sin. Grafted onto Christ the vine at baptism\, we are nourished with wine and bread so that we may share Christ’s sufferings and know the power of his resurrect ion.\n \nPrayer of the Day\nBeloved God\, from you come all things that ar e good. Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to know those things tha t are right\, and by your merciful guidance\, help us to do them\, through Jesus Christ\, our Savior and Lord.\n \n \nAmen.\n \nFirst Reading: Isaia h 5:1-7\nThe prophet sings a sad\, parable-like love song about the relati onship between God and Israel. In this song Israel is compared to a promis ing vineyard. Despite God’s loving care\, the vineyard that is Israel has brought forth “rotten grapes” of injustice and distress\, when fine grapes of justice and righteousness were expected.\nPsalm: 80:7-15 Look down fro m heaven\, O God\; behold and tend this vine. (Ps. 80:14\, 15)\n \nSecond Reading:  Philippians 3:4b-14\nPaul reviews some of his supposed credentia ls\, which no longer have any bearing in comparison to the right relations hip he has been given through the death of Christ. The power of Christ’s r esurrection motivates him to press on toward the ultimate goal\, eternal l ife with Christ.\n \nGospel:  Matthew 21:33-46\nJesus tells a parable to t he religious leaders who are plotting his death\, revealing that their pla ns will\, ironically\, bring about the fulfillment of scripture. [Jesus sa id:]\n33  “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard\, put a fence around it\, dug a winepress in it\, and built a wat chtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went away.\n34  When the harvest time had come\, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. \n35  But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one\, killed another\, an d stoned another.\n36  Again he sent other slaves\, more than the first\, and they treated them in the same way.\n37  Then he sent his son to them\, saying\, ‘They will respect my son.’\n38  But when the tenants saw the so n\, they said to themselves\, ‘This is the heir\; come\, let us kill him a nd get his inheritance.’\n39  So they seized him\, threw him out of the vi neyard\, and killed him.\n40  Now when the owner of the vineyard comes\, w hat will he do to those tenants?”\n41  They said to him\, “He will put tho se wretches to a miserable death and lease the vineyard to other tenants w ho will give him the produce at the harvest time.”  \n42  Jesus said to th em\, “Have you never read in the scriptures:  ‘The stone that the builders rejected   has become the cornerstone\;  this was the Lord’s doing\,   an d it is amazing in our eyes’?\n43  “Therefore I tell you\, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces its fr uits.\n44  The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces\, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”  \n45  When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables\, they realized that he was speaking abou t them. 46 They wanted to arrest him\, but they feared the crowds\, becaus e they regarded him as a prophet.\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 more enthusiasm than resolve and like Jame s and John\, disappointed and the priorities of God’s reign. Come to the t able like Martha\, hosting and leading with confidence like Mary\, full of love and grief. Come to the table like Judas\, disillusioned and rebellio us and like Mary Magdalene\, faithful till the end. Come to the table\, be cause 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 answe rs\, 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 inj ustice\, 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 rea ch 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 b elieve that we can make a difference in this world\, so that we can do wha t 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 y our way\; and the blessing of God Creator\, Redeemer and Giver of Life\, r emain with you now and forever. https://messiahofthemountains.org/events/e vent/703-19th-sunday-after-pentecost-year-a-worship-service-11-00-am-12-00 -pm-service-pastor-naomi-carriker DTSTART:20261004T150000Z DTEND:20261004T160000Z LOCATION:Messiah Of The Mountains Lutheran Church (3690 US-19E\, Burnsville \, NC 28714\, USA) SUMMARY:19th Sunday after Pentecost -- Year A - Worship Service 11:00 am - 12:00 PM Service -- Pastor Naomi Carriker URL:https://messiahofthemountains.org/events/event/703-19th-sunday-after-pe ntecost-year-a-worship-service-11-00-am-12-00-pm-service-pastor-naomi-carr iker END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR