The eNews Week of January 18, 2004

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

REGULAR HAPPENINGS
COMING UP
LIFE TOGETHER
THE ONE THING
THE STORYLINE READING SCHEDULE
TFB: OUR PURPOSE
ON THE WEB

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REGULAR HAPPENINGS

WORSHIP @ 8:45 am—Main Worship Center


EATING TOGETHER, 4th Sunday @ 11:45 am
Next EATING TOGETHER is January 26
Meet in the TFB patio


THE GATHERING @ 10 am—TFB College Room
Current Study: Life Together, led by Laura

BIBLE STUDY @ 8:00-9:00 pm on Tuesdays— TFB College Room
Current Study: Jesus

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COMING UP

MIDNIGHT BOWLING, January 30, contact Laura Salzar for details
SUPERBOWL PARTY, February 1, 2 pm until it’s over, Cost: $1

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LIFE TOGETHER

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
"Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this. Whether it be a brief, single encounter or the daily fellowship of years, Christian community is only this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

The Psalmist wrote Psalm 133 praising God for the life together:

How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
It's like costly anointing oil
flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron's beard,
flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It's like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that's where GOD commands the blessing,
ordains eternal life.

Think over the past few months. Among the many worship services and Sunday Schools and bible studies, is there one experience of Christian community that stands out? Think about that experience and how you felt. Take some time this week to write your own psalm—in your own words, the way you normally speak. Next Sunday, we’ll have some time to share our psalms.

WAYS TO RESPOND
- Join the Discussion Blog; send an email to: tfbyam1@hotmail.com to receive the sign-up instructions.
- Make a phone call.
- Send an email.
- Go out to lunch.
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THE ONE THING

Defining Spirituality, by Dr. Andrew Weil


Read the article linked above, and then answer the following:

Do you agree or disagree with Dr. Weil? Why?


What do you think is the difference between spirituality and Christianity? Should there be?


According to Micah 6:8, spirituality that God desires has three components:
1. Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
2. Be compassionate and loyal in your love
3. And don't take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.”

Think about the Christians you know. How well are they living the “spirituality that God desires”?

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THE STORYLINE READING SCHEDULE

Read through the Storyline of Scripture in 2004.
This week’s reading:
Storyline: Genesis 18-26
Worship and Wisdom: Psalms 8-10

Here are a couple of options:
1. For those with lots of time, hunger, or both, read through all the passages.
2. For those with less time, skim the Storyline passage, pick one story to concentrate on and read that, then read the Worship and Wisdom passages during a personal time with God.

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TFB: OUR PURPOSE
Pastor Charlie

Jeremiah 20:18

TO GLORIFY AND ENJOY GOD FOREVER
BY LOVING HIM WITH ALL MY HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH.

WE WERE CREATED TO GLORIFY GOD.

Glorifying: giving credit, honor
1 Corinthians 10:31

We bring glory to God when we are fruitful.
John 15:8
Galatians 5:22, 23, 25

We bring glory to God when we obey Christ.
John 15:5
John 15:10

We bring glory to God when we praise Him.
Hebrews 13:15
Psalm 50:23


WE WERE CREATED FOR A LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

God created us to be loved by Him.
Ephesians 1:4
John 3:16,17
1 John 4:9, 10

God created us to love Him.
Mark 12:29, 30
John 3:36


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ON THE WEB

COLLEGIATE SPIRITUALITY


Some of the key findings include:

78% discuss religion/spirituality with friends
77% report that they pray
71% find religion to be personally helpful
73% said their religious/spiritual beliefs helped develop their identity
62% report their professors never encourage discussions of religious/spiritual issues

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