BETTER TOGETHER

Discover how Jesus has been at work in our community and relationships through inspiring RealLife stories.

Below, reflect on the highlights in our 2024 Year in Review.

INTRODUCTION

Read a heartfelt message from our pastor, celebrate the milestone of moving into our new office at the Lake Chelan Community Center, and meet the wonderful new team members who have joined us on this journey. Let’s take a moment to reflect on all God has done!

PASTOR LETTER

Everything we do is connected to a soul

As we approach the end of this calendar year and look ahead to 2025, my heart is filled with gratitude.

I am deeply thankful for your unwavering dedication to our mission at RealLife—to help people who are far from God find real life in Christ. Your time, energy, and gifts have been instrumental in making this mission a reality. Thank you.

As you reflect on all that God has done through RealLife this year, I hope you, too, are overwhelmed with gratitude for what has been accomplished. I have immense appreciation for the staff and volunteers who make RealLife possible week after week. Looking to the future, I am excited about the direction God is leading us.

Together, through the partnership of our staff and volunteers, we are living out the desire of James, the brother of Jesus, who said: “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for those who are turning to God.” This vision came alive in 2024 through learning, investing, following, and engaging. It is a joy to see lives transformed.

Looking forward to 2025, we anticipate even greater things. One of the most exciting developments is the launch of Celebrate Recovery (CR) in January—a biblically based 12-step program. This has been a prayerful and carefully planned initiative for several years, and I cannot wait to witness how God uses it to bring healing and transformation to individuals and families alike.

On a personal note, this past year brought challenges for Darlene and me as we walked through family loss and sadness. Yet, we have been profoundly blessed by the love and care many of you have shown us. Your kindness has been a reminder of God’s goodness and the strength of our RealLife family. I have never felt more grateful to be part of this community than I have in recent months.

As you finish reading this letter, I pray that you feel encouraged, that your faith is strengthened, and that you join me in trusting God for even greater things in 2025. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Kyle

New Offices at the Lake Chelan Community Center

Getting it ready

We have many people to thank for getting the offices ready. Over many months, walls were built, the rooms were dry walled, textured, and painted by teams of volunteers who we can’t thank enough. Furniture was ordered and assembled to make our beautiful office that is enjoyed by the staff and many RealLife teams and L.I.F.E. groups.

Move In Day

In early September the day arrived to move in. Staff packed up, said goodbye, and moved out of the downtown office we had occupied for eleven years in the Chelan Realty building. Then began the work of assembling furniture and making our new space into a home for the RealLife family. We are grateful to God for his provision, all the donations and volunteers who made it happen, and the benefits of this new Community Center.

Open House

On October 6, the community was invited to attend an Open House. We had a great attendance and all were able to tour the space, share lunch, and celebrate this memorable milestone in our history.

NEW STAFF MEMBER
Lynette Parkhurst

Lynette leads Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered program for everyone seeking healing and freedom. CR provides a safe, grace-filled community where we face our struggles together. Using a biblical approach, we address hurts, habits, and hang-ups to find lasting recovery. Join us as we launch in January 2025.

NEW STAFF MEMBER
Hannah Wilson

Hannah moved to Chelan two years ago with her kids, Addie and Austin, and quickly fell in love with the area and Real Life. Now serving as Real Impact Director, she works with a dedicated team and volunteers to meet needs locally and globally. Through Real Impact, she shares God’s unconditional love and grace in practical, meaningful ways.

NEW STAFF MEMBER
Matt Mathews

Matt Mathews, a lifelong valley resident, has been part of RealLife since its inception. He leads a volunteer team to set up Sunday services in Chelan and stream to Brewster and online viewers. Grateful for his role and the congregation’s support during a challenging year, Matt looks forward to many more years and moving services to the Community Center.

NEW STAFF MEMBER Tiffany Woelber

Tiffany is the Real Kids Director at the Brewster Campus, she has been in children’s ministry since age 12 and is a certified counselor who served in the Brewster school district for 6 years. She believes that helping kids experience Jesus on Sunday mornings and giving them opportunities to grow in their faith can change the world. When she isn’t hanging out with kids you can find her trail running, drinking decaf lattes or reading!

LEARN

One of the most reliable ways to experience real life in Christ is to learn who God is, together.

Sunday Mornings

People of all ages enjoyed learning about God this year with our Sunday messages. Some choose to enjoy the sermons from the PAC, participating in our online campus, or sitting at a table in the video venue.

LIFE Groups

Did you know we have L.I.F.E. Groups for people ages sixth grade to 100? Our Groups are always learning about who God is, together, through preaching, sermon discussion, Bible studies, and spiritual practices.

Rondayvoo
SALT retreat

Kids on our Teen Leadership Team retreated this fall to Lake Wenatchee. They dove deeper into their faith by examining how the habits, environments, and stories that surround them affect their faith. It was an awesome weekend!

Vacation Bible School

This year RealLife was excited to partner with three other local churches for Vacation Bible School! Almost one hundred kids attended, and thirty kids requested their own Bible. Our theme was: “Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus” and the children learned how God is with us in every storm.

INVEST

Relationships are important! We serve and enjoy one another, together.

L.I.F.E. GROUPS

Small groups are one of the best ways to experience the love of God. Our Groups are committed to eating meals together, having fun together, celebrating milestones, sharing in grief, and experiencing real life in Christ by doing life together.

Newcomer Events

The Connection Team hosted three Newcomer Events in 2024. These events provided a fun and meaningful way for staff and elders to connect with people who are new to RealLife.

RealKids

Volunteers in RealKids are awesome at going the extra mile to invest in the lives of kids to help them learn and grow. We are so grateful that they invest in fun activities like Sunday Funday, teaching Bible lessons, and Easter egg hunts to make our kids love church and give them a place to belong. Check out our RealKids performing their Christmas song this year!

Rondayvoo

Our youth & youth staff definitely enjoy being together! Family style meals, mission trips, games, and encouragement from leaders are building lifelong relationships and helping youth know they are loved by God.

Groups Launch & Soup-er Sunday

This year we had three On Ramp Group Launches by adding a summer session. We took time to share a meal, serve one another, and celebrate all God has done, is doing, and will do through L.I.F.E. groups.

Worship night meal for Youth

Pastor Graham teams up with Aly Powers to make an extra investment in our youth at worship nights. They were able to serve them dinner together before the event and experienced a great turnout each time for these special nights at RealLife.

Spiritual practices and applying what we learn enables us to follow Jesus’ example and strengthen our faith as followers, together.

L.I.F.E. Groups

Our L.I.F.E. Groups are committed to following Jesus together! We have about 350 people in small groups at RealLife! They apply what they have learned, practice spiritual disciplines, take communion, pray for one another, worship, and learn about God through Bible study and sermon discussion. We can’t thank all the leaders and everyone who participated in a group enough for all the ways you showed up this year for each other and hope to grow more in 2025.

Baptisms

We had many powerful baptism celebrations this year. We love to see people of all ages declare their decision to follow Jesus and the way our community shows up to support each other. We are praying for each person who was baptized in 2024 and your journey with Jesus!

ENGAGE

RealImpact is all about making a positive difference in our community through generosity, together. Thank you for your generosity.

Real Impact

The RealImpact team leverages the generosity of RealLife to show the love of God to people in our community and all over the world. We do this through investing in our many partners, creating opportunities like meal trains or coat drives to give and serve, and encouraging these values in the individuals, programs, and L.I.F.E. groups at RealLIfe. Thank you so much for your contributions, big and small. Together we were able to do so much!

Operation Christmas Child

We were delighted to partner with Samaritan’s Purse for Operation Christmas Child. RealLife was able to share the gospel and the love of God with over 200 children in need.

Back to School Fair

RealLife was proud to partner with Thrive Chelan Valley again this year to help local youth with backpacks, school supplies, and other essentials. Several hundred kids from around North Central Washington received help from this event, which was held in Manson for the first time.

Halloween

This year we handed out almost 2,000 full size candy bars along with hundreds of cups of warm apple cider and hot cocoa. People love coming to the RealLife booth! Big thanks to the RealImpact Team, the Young Adult L.I.F.E. Group, and all the families who came down to say hello. We love taking part in this community event.

Chelan Valley Mobile Pack: Feed My Starving Children

This year we took on a huge project to provide over 100,000 meals to children suffering from starvation and malnutrition around the world. Thanks to the great generosity of L.I.F.E. groups, families, businesses, and civic clubs throughout our community, we raised over $32,000 and had tons of fun packing meals together. We found out that our 468 boxes were shipped to Guatemala this year. We are so grateful for the impact this gift from the Chelan Valley is having on so many children this year. Global Feed The Hungry

Alaska Youth Mission Trip

Often the youth lead the way in service and generosity and this year’s mission to Alaska was no exception. This year 36 people went and Pastor Graham continues to be reminded that this is the best way a teenager can spend their week. Check out this video of their trip!

Follow Rondayvoo on Instagram here!

Manson Apple Blossom Parade

One of RealImpact’s projects was to hand out 350 bags to kids this year at the Manson Apple Blossom parade to collect their candy.

L.I.F.E. Group activities

Many L.I.F.E. groups serve quietly behind the scenes with projects and gifts for needs they see. We don’t have pictures of all these efforts, but we hear about their impact and are incredibly grateful for all the generous people in our church.

Our Partners

We are so thankful for our Partners! RealLife supports many agencies who help us meet needs locally and globally.