Author Archives: joewulf

Advent Calendar December 24-30

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Our King of Glory has come! Honor and remember him this week as we step beyond Advent into present, daily acknowledgement of his reign!

  • Dec. 24 - Write to God expressing what about him you find most glorious. Read Isaiah 40.
  • Dec. 25 - Read Isaiah 43:1-7. What does it mean to you that you have been created to display God’s glory?

The King has arrived! Live under his reign this week:

  • Dec. 26 - How will you be defined by the promises of the God who remembers, instead of present struggle? Read Psalm 98; Luke 1:72
  • Dec. 27 - Justice rests in the hands of our King. How can you look on injustice with hope? Read Psalm 72; Matthew 2:11.
  • Dec. 28 - Immanuel has come and remains by his Spirit. Ask him to speak to you and lead you today. Read Psalm 46; Matthew 1:23.
  • Dec. 29 - God’s glory is openly displayed in Christ! How are you beholding it? Reflecting it? Read Psalm 24; Luke 2:9, 14.
  • Dec. 30 -  Our King of Faithfulness, Righteousness, Closeness and Glory reigns! Rest today in expectation! Read Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14.

Advent Calendar December 17-23

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Our God is near! He has cleaned us to become his dwelling place! His Spirit is in us and he will establish his throne upon the earth at the end of all things! Join into life with the One who is near!

  • Dec. 17 – What does God’s promise to make his dwelling with humanity mean to you? Read Leviticus 26:3-13; John 1:14
  • Dec. 18 – Why have you believed God to be distant from you? Read Psalm 139
  • Dec. 19 – Think about a time you felt God was distant. How did you respond? Read Habakkuk 3.
  • Dec. 20 – List seven thing that keep you from hearing the voice of God and the needy around you. Read Psalm 130.
  • Dec. 21 – How do you see the need for the nearness of God displayed in the lives of people around you? Read about God’s nearness in 2 Samuel 22.
  • Dec. 22 – Describe what it would look like for you to be fully present physically, mentally and emotionally today. Do this. Read John 15:1-7.
  • Dec. 23 – God cleanses his children of sin that he can spend time with them! Enjoy his presence today! Read Revelation 21:1-7; 22:1-5.

(Sunday’s sermon audio is available here if you missed it)

Advent Calendar December 10-16

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Our King is a King of Righteousness! He reigns in justice! Come let your week be shaped as this Advent as we remember him this Christmas!

  • Dec. 10 – Write out what you know God says he has, is and will do to respond to injustice. Read Deuteronomy 10:17-21.
  • Dec. 11 – Where do those around you celebrate justice or mourn injustice? Read: Malachi 2:17-3:12
  • Dec. 12 – What areas of your own life do you need to submit to the justice of God? Read: Isaiah 53:4-10
  • Dec. 13 – Take a walk through your neighborhood. Ask the Spirit to reveal the things that break God’s heart. Write down what you see. Read: James 1:27
  • Dec. 14 – With a friend do something, even something small, to address an injustice you have become aware of this week. Read: Luke 7:36-50
  • Dec. 15 – Identify three things in your life that perpetuate injustice. What will it take for this to change this? Read: Isaiah 58
  • Dec. 16 – Spend today resting under the reign of our King of Righteousness who will finally restore justice on the earth. Read: Isaiah 9:6-7.

If you missed Sunday’s message, you can listen to it here.

Advent Calendar December 3-9

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Rather than our parties, shopping and traditions defining Christmas, we are intentionally taking time to be shaped by the coming, or Advent, of Jesus. So, for the first four weeks of December we’ll be going through a special Advent series and inviting you to join us in allowing our weeks to be shaped by Advent as well.
Here’s what we’re inviting you to walk out with us In response to our great King of Faithfulness who has remembered us in our need:  
  • Dec. 3 – What in your life do you credit to God’s faithfulness. Read: Psalm 136.
  • Dec. 4 – Read Jeremiah 33. What do God’s dealings with Israel teach you about his dealings with you?
  • Dec. 5 - List some places in your life where you feel God has forgotten you. Ask the Spirit to show you God’s heart in these areas. Read: Isaiah 49:13-16
  • Dec. 6 - Write out three ways your life would change if it were rooted in the faithfulness of God.  Read Psalm 115:9-13
  • Dec. 7 - Make a phone call or have coffee with someone in your life who feels forgotten. Read: Isaiah 61:1-3
  • Dec. 8 - Share the things God has been teaching you about his faithfulness this week with a friend. Read: Psalm 89:1-18
  • Dec. 9. - Take today to rest in the faithfulness of our King. Read: I Thessalonians 5:23-24

Make sure to check back here for next week’s Advent calendar!

Advent 2012 Starts This Sunday!

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Perhaps more than any other month, December is a scheduling and tradition-heavy month. With all the events, preparation and parties, it is easy for Christmas itself to get lost in a sea of wrapping paper and eggnog. Often times these things can take over and shape our experience of Christmas, leaving us overbought, overfull and overtired.

Yet, even in the most hectic holiday schedules you’ll often find some shred of the Advent narrative expressing something of the coming of the baby Jesus into the world.
This Christmas, we want something different: we want to be shaped by Jesus’ Advent in even greater ways than we have been in the past.

Each Sunday at our gatherings we will be exploring the truths of Advent and providing a calendar of questions, readings or activities to help us be shaped by these truths as we scatter. We’ll also be posting our weekly schedule on the website as well as our Facebook page too, so check back here if you miss Sunday’s instert!

December 3-9

December 10-16

December 17-23

December 24-30

The MG Friday April 20th!

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All you married and engaged folk out there: We’d love to see you down here at the church building next Friday, April 20th at 6:00pm for REALITY’s Married Group! If you’ve never been, this is a great time to connect with other married and about to be married couples at REALITY.

As usual we’ll be providing dinner for the adults, childcare for the kids and inviting everyone to bring a dessert to share.  We’d love to have you out with us!

Please RSVP on Facebook to let us know you’re coming and if/how many kids will be coming with you.

March 31 Thurston County Men’s Conference

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Saturday March 31 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM we will be joining hundreds of men from churches across Thurston County for a day of teaching and worship at the Washington Center.  The main speaker will be Gayle Erwin, author of The Jesus Style, who will be helping us live out our calling to live as godly men who serve others.

Tickets for the event can be purchased from the Washington Center or at any of Reality’s gatherings from Steve Sleasman for $20 (plus a canned food item to be brought to the event). Cost of admission includes lunch and proceeds/canned food from the event will go to Care Net, Union Gospel Mission, Safe Place and the Thurston County Food Bank.

 

Daylight Savings Reminder

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Not that the astute and altogether “with it” crowd of Reality needs a reminder, but this is a…well, a reminder.  Friends its time to set your clocks cause this week is day light savings! Its “spring forward” people, so we’ll be losing an hour…and probably having a packed 11:00am gathering.  And even more packed second half of our 11:00am gathering…

Alright, this completely unnecessary reminder is finished!

Upcoming Training: Missional Community Tools

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This Saturday Reality will be having a training for anyone who is looking for additional tools for leading the church in missional community.  Topics include a foundation in the Gospel and a variety of tools related to the leading and assessment of missional community as well as the area of Gospel fluency.

We will be meeting at the church building at 9:00am to begin the training.  Childcare will not be provided and space is limited so please RSVP to joewulf [at] gmail [dot] com if you would like to participate.