For 2017, Olympic View Friends as a community will seek to know God and follow Jesus more through reading the whole Bible and spending time to hear what Jesus has to say to us through what we read.

For many Christians, the practice of reading the Bible has become a lost art.  It's easy to get frustrated or confused as you progress through the many stories, themes, books, chapters and verses found in the Scriptures. We believe, if properly understood, the Bible reveals the story of a Loving God who has been working with humanity to bring the world back to restoration with Himself. It also, through God's Sprit, works in our hearts to change who we are and how we live. Therefore, knowing and responding to Scripture, as the Spirit of God leads, is vastly important. 

The Year of Studying the Bible and Seeking after Jesus is a collaborative effort between The Bible Project and Olympic View Friends to teach God's people to know and love the Scriptures.

This year has been designed to be participated through four experiences. Each experience is designed to work together to help orient our year around the Scriptures both individually and as a community.

The personal experience is about learning the Scriptures through a daily commitment to opening your heart and mind to God through the spiritual discipline of Bible reading and Lectio Divina (an ancient way of studying and listening to the Spirit of God). 

The Bible Project has created a unique and powerful tool, called Read Scripture, to help us engage with the text throughout the year. Watch the video below and download the Read Scripture App to get started.  The Read Scripture App includes the year long reading plan we will be following as well as videos to help bring the story of the Bible to life.

Don't have a smart phone or tablet?  You can download the BIBLE READING PLAN in PDF format below or pick up a printed copy located by the Entry Way. We've also provided a link so you won't have to miss out on the videos that are strategically placed throughout the reading plan.  

The communal experience is about studying Scripture together in a weekly Community Group. Most of the Bible is written to a people, a nation, or a church, not necessarily to one individual person. While we know the Spirit of God speaks to each of us, the Bible was meant to be read, interpreted and discussed in community.

Every week we will update our Community Group page to help guide Olympic View Friends' Community Groups in their discussion and journey in Studying the Bible and Seeking after Jesus.

Not part of a Community Group?  You can learn more about our groups and find the one closest to your home below.

The worshipful experience is our Sunday morning gatherings. Our messages will be focused on maximizing our understanding of what we will be reading and learning, leading us into reflection and response to Jesus.

You can find audio recordings of this year's messages below.

The celebration experience is meant to help us better comprehend and understand the hope and promise of Jesus. In the Bible, God ordained certain Biblical Festivals that the Jewish community was to celebrate as a whole.  The Festivals were God appointed holidays designed to point people towards the coming Messiah (Jesus) and the New Creation, which would bring about the restoration of all things back to God.  While we don't be celebrating the festivals, we will be gathering as a community to celebrate and to intentionally seek after Jesus as one Body.  

A calendar of these celebrations will be posted online and handed out in early 2017.