YAM eNews Week of July 6, 2003
If you would like to contribute to the YAM eNews, send an email to tfbyam1@hotmail.com.
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IN THE eNEWS THIS WEEK
Calendar
Summer Events
NewsFlash—YAM Gets FotoLog!
[Your Contribution Could Be Here]
The Gathering—What is Church? AKA Orientation--Church as a relational community
Tuesday Bible Study—Romance… Sacred? The Song of Songs
Studying Romans with Pastor Charlie
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CALENDAR
SUNDAYS
Worship @ 8:45 am—Main Worship Center
Current Study: Pastor Charlie is teaching through Paul’s Letter to the Romans
The Gathering @ 10 am—YAM room
Current Study: “What is church?—AKA Orientation” taught by Laura
An online summary is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
Eating together (most weeks) @ 11:45 am
TUESDAYS
Bible Study @ 8 pm—YAM room
Current Study: Romance? Sacred? Song of Songs
An online version (with more stuff) is available weekly at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/
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SUMMER EVENTS
Experience: Prayer Space—Living Bread
Saturday, July 19 @ 8:00 pm
Movie Night—send your theme ideas to Megan
Saturday, July 26 @ TBA (evening)
WNBA Basketball: Sparks v. Charlotte
Saturday, August 2 @ 6 pm
Hollywood Bowl
Yoyo Ma’s Sounds of Brazil
Sunday, August 10 @ TBA (evening)
Experience: Holy Wind
Saturday, August 16 @ 8 pm
Getty Museum
Saturday, August 23 @ TBA
COLLEGE BRIEFING
August 29 to September 1
Forest Home
…CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS… Colossians 3:11 NLT
Cost: $145, $25 non-refundable deposit due at sign-up
Scholarships available, ask Laura or Tom
Visit http://www.gospelcom.net/foresthome/collegebriefing2003.htm for info
Dodger Baseball—early September
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NEWSFLASH—YAM Gets FotoLog
We have a new Fotolog where we can post one picture everyday—no cost!! So, if you’re a digital camera buff, send your photos to tfbyam1@hotmail.com and (given the usual editorial stuff) I’ll post them!
As of today, we have a group shot from last year’s College Briefing, an art photo of the cross in our room, and last year’s freshman drag. Check it out.
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[YOUR CONTRIBUTION COULD BE HERE]
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THE GATHERING—What is church? AKA “Orientation”
[also available at http://tfbyam.blogspot.com/]
Today we looked at the church as relational community. The New Testament uses a number of metaphors to teach us about the church, and we looked at three of them today: the body, the flock, and the temple.
Ephesians 4:10-16 describes the church as Body. The parts are distinct, but they are all the body. All the parts come together to make one.
John 10:7-16 describes the church as Flock. There are many sheep in the flock, but there is only one shepherd.
1 Corinthians 3:15-23 describes the church as Temple. The members are different, but like the stones that make up a temple, they are only one temple. The congregation interacts with God—the Trinity—and with one another.
What does this mean for YAM? We are the church. We are this relational community. The “look” of YAM—its ethos—is determined by the body parts-sheep--stones, that make up this body-flock-temple. In other words, if you want YAM to be a great group, let’s make it a great group. Dream big! We have Jesus for our head-shepherd-God—we can do anything he wants us to do.
Next week we’ll talk about the shape of YAM and what it means to be a relational community that is also a learning community. If you want to start thinking ahead, read Matthew 11:28-30
- Laura
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TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
YAM Tuesday—Romance… Sacred? The Song of Songs
Here’s the lowdown on the Song of Songs—See the bible study blog
for the full summary—and more explanations.
The place in scripture: Song of Songs is in the Ketuvim—the Writings—of the Hebrew Bible. The Song is also classified as “wisdom literature” along with Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.
The date: if written by Solomon—and I believe it is—it was written in the mid-10th century BC, between 971 and 931 BC.
The interpretation: The “natural” interpretation is the only one that takes the Song at face value—it is a love poem.
The structure: The structure of the Song is difficult to discern. There are two repeated phrases/ideas that help. The repeated phrase is found in 2:7; 3:5; and 8:4. The repeated idea (the idea of “bringing in”) is found in 5:1b and 8:14.
The purpose: The Song celebrates humanity, romance, and/or marriage.
What the Song is NOT: it is NOT a dating guide and it is NOT a how-to manual. Remember, the bible is about God and God’s stuff!!!
The writer: Most likely Solomon since he is mentioned or referred to a number of times: 1:4-5, 12; 3:7, 9, 11; 6:12; 7:5; 8:11-12 (also see 1 Kings 4:33).
The writing style: The Song is poetry. Much like English poetry, it is difficult to understand Hebrew poetry, but it is doable.
Does it belong in the Bible? Yes. Though there are those who say No.
I know this is a difficult subject—judging from the amount of giggling—but it is an important subject. Sexuality is probably one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented things in our culture. Our culture represents sex as something we “do for ourselves.” God represents sex as something we do for the person to whom we have committed ourselves. Have the courage to set aside what the media has taught you and come see what God says about this important subject.
--Laura
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STUDYING ROMANS WITH PASTOR CHARLIE
The Christian View of Life, part 17
THE CIVIL WAR INSIDE YOU
Romans 7:14-25
Pastor Charlie
THE CAUSE:
EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS TWO NATURES THAT OPPOSE EACH OTHER.
Ephesians 4:22-24
Galatians 5:16,17
THE EXPERIENCE
EVERY CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE TO LIVE THE GOD-LIFE
We All Experience Confusion (V.15)
We All Experience Frustration (V.17-19)
We All Loose Some Battles. (V.21-23)
We All Feel Trapped. (V.24)
THE RESPONSE
CONFRONTING THE WAR WITHIN US
Admit It When We Are Confused.
Accept Our Own Imperfections. (18)
Leave Room For Failure. (19)
Admit Our True Feelings To God.
Stop Depending On Rules And Resolutions For Our God-Life.
Surrender Our Will-Power To God’s Spirit-Power. (V.25-8:2)
