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School Rhythms

"One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple." - Psalm 27:4

Welcome to this "School of the Spirit". For the duration of the school, we are not merely students in a classroom; we are a community of seekers practicing the presence of God. To guard our peace and foster our union with Christ, we commit to the following rhythms.

I. The Rhythm of Stillness​

We recognise that God speaks in the "still, small voice." Therefore, we guard the silence of our environment.

  • The Great Silence: From 22:00 until after morning prayer, we observe total silence. We refrain from talking, music, or noise to allow the heart to rest in God.
  • The First Fruits: We give the first moments of our day to the Lord before engaging with others or on our devices.
  • Punctuality as Sacrifice: We arrive early to sessions, treating our start times as a "sacred appointment" with the King.

II. The Rhythm of the Fast​

We voluntarily abstain from certain "good things" so that we may hunger more for the "Best Thing."

  • Single-Heartedness: During this school, we fast from pursuing romantic relationships. We offer our affections exclusively to Christ, trusting Him with our future and guarding the hearts of our brothers and sisters.
  • Digital Fasting: Our lecture space, mealtimes, and worship spaces and "Sacred Zones." Devices are put away to ensure we are fully present to the person in front of us and the Spirit among us.
  • Substance Control: We abstain from smoking and vaping, as well as being mindful of excessive alcohol consumption. We keep our bodies--the temples of the Holy Spirit--sober and vigilant.

III. The Rhythm of Communion​

We are the Body of Christ. How we treat one another is the true measure of our love for God.

  • The Way of Metanoia: When conflict arises, we do not vent or gossip. We practice Metanoia (repentance). We will be quick to say, "Forgive me," even before we defend our rights.
  • The Liturgy of Labour: We treat our work duties (cleaning, cooking, serving) as "Obediences." We work with excellence and joy, knowing that to serve the community is to wash the feet of Christ.
  • Stability of Presence: We commit to being "here while we are here." We limit outside distractions and weekend departures to stay rooted in the process God is doing in this specific place.

IV. The Rhythm of Image Bearing​

We believe that every person is an Image Bearer of God and every space can be holy.

  • Modesty of Presence: We dress with a "holy decorum" that reflects the dignity of our calling, especially during lectures and worship.
  • The Guarding of the Tongue: We practice "Watchfulness" over our speech, avoiding sarcasm, coarse jesting, and complaining, seeking only to speak words that "give peace to those who hear."

Scripture: The One Another Passages​

The Bible teaches us how we should live in a community that loves one another. We encourage you to read and meditate on the following verses.

  • Be devoted to one another in brotherly love (Rom 12:10)
  • Give preference to one another in honour (Rom 12:10)
  • Accept one another (Rom 15:7)
  • Serve one another (Gal 5:13)
  • Submit to one another (Eph 5:21)
  • Teach and admonish one another (Col 3:16)
  • Encourage one another (1 Thes 5:11)
  • Build up one another (1 Thes 5:11)
  • Stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24)
  • Confess sins to one another (James 5:16)
  • Pray for one another (James 5:16)
  • Be hospitable to one another without complaint (1 Peter 4:9)
  • Speak truth in love to one another (Eph 4:15-16)

Facility Guidelines

In order to keep the YWAM facilities an environment that fosters a focus on God, and a loving community, we have some facility guidelines.

General​

  • Keep ALL areas (both communal & bedroom) clean and tidy.
  • If you are given keys, do not lose them! You will be charged a replacement fee if this happens.
  • After taking off your shoes at the entrance, move them to the shoe storage on the side (keep the entrance area shoe-free).

Bedrooms​

  • Don’t enter the sleeping areas of the opposite gender.
  • For bedding, each person will be provided with bedding either on a mattress, or a futon. Bed sheets and a pillowcase will also be provided. Please wash the sheets and pillowcase regularly (at least once every one to two weeks).
  • When departing the property, take off the sheets and pillowcase and leave them on the floor. If you slept on a futon set, please fold them neatly.

Kitchen & Dining Hall​

  • Whenever you cook and eat in the kitchen/dining area, make sure to wash and dry everything you used and return it to its original place. This needs to be done BEFORE you leave the area!
  • Please write your name on all personal food items stored in the fridge. If this is not done, your food item may be disposed of without notice.

Garbage​

Please separate the garbage into the different bins/bags in the kitchen.

  • Rinse out cans, PET bottles, and glass jars, then put them into the designated bag.
  • Plastic is to be put into the plastic bin. Please rinse any food is necessary.
  • Cardboard can be piled neatly, and paper placed in the paper bag.
  • Everything else goes into the normal household garbage bin.

Shower, Washing Machine & Toilets​

  • Make sure to finish your shower within around 20 minutes, to ensure other people can use it too! Please bring your own towel, shampoo and body soap.
  • You may use the washing machine (please provide your own detergent). Hang your laundry where it won't get in the way, or use the coin laundry near Ayashi station.