Chapter Six One in the Spirit

Nicene Creed The name of the creed typically recited during mass Declaration of the Christian faith to promote unity and hope during a time of hatred and despair It represents the faith of the Christians in Rome in the first centuries of the Christian era It expresses the basic beliefs about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjDrr0LHb0M

One in the Spirit What is meant by a mark of the church? Why is unity so important in the church? Please look up the following passages and explain how they relate to church unity: John 1:12 John 13:34-35 Matthew 18:19-20 Luke 22:19-20 John 20:22-23

How do we promote unity daily? ALWAYS REMEMBER: the other person is sacred, a child of God who deserves respect and gentleness In facing conflicts: Keep your point brief Look at and listen to the other person Talk about how you feel using “I” statements Suggest several solutions

Read Matthew 5:38-48 What does Jesus require? Why does Jesus say that even our enemy deserves love? Why is this law difficult? What does it mean to solve problems according to the gospel?

Marks of the church 1. One: united, only one valid church 2. Holy: we must be a good model for others to follow 3. Catholic: We are universal, we are everywhere and embrace everyone 4. Apostolic: Jesus gave the Twelve Apostles the power to celebrate the sacraments

History of the church Jesus ascended into heaven, twelve apostles were sent out to spread his word The Jerusalem community: one of the earliest community of Christians The age of persecution: Roman Emperor considers Christians to be atheist, illegitimate faith The Middle Ages: The church became powerful and involved with authorities

What is false unity? Sometimes we are torn between the unity we have with our friends and doing the right thing? Have you ever experienced false unity? In what other areas a unity essential? Can you share an example in which lack of unity destroyed a community?

Lent “From dust you came, to dust you shall return” Objective Question: Why must we continue to give thanks to God, especially during this season? Why do we repent and make ‘sacrifices’ during Lent? What are you giving up for Lent? Why will this commitment be difficult?

Ash Wednesday Jonah goes to Nineveh: What were the ways in which the people of Nineveh showed their repentance? Lent = 40 days until Easter From the New Testament story of Jesus in the desert Ashes: all that we have is just dust, our bodies, our life Repent: John the Baptist reminds us that all we have is a gift from God We are preparing for the new life we will have joined by Jesus after his resurrection on Easter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLepTrsmB5o

Three Pillars of Lent 1. Prayer: should be done daily, stations of the cross, practice Eucharistic Adoration, pray for reconciliation 2. Fasting: no meat on Fridays, make sacrifices, focus and strengthen will power and self control. To demonstrate our ability to turn away from sin. 3. Almsgiving: serving those who have less

Why is the church’s apostolic work so important? How do we develop apostolic relationships? What is another example in which you could carry out Corporal Works of Mercy? What is a “mark of the church”? How many marks of the church are there and what are they? How is unity achieved? Why is it important? With whom were the early Christians united? What aspects of our faith unify us? How do family and friends show the strongest type of unity? What are 4 visible signs of unity in the Catholic church?

The church of 207

One in Faith We are one in what we believe A creed is a statement of the truths we believe At the beginning of the rosary we pray the Apostles Creed At Sunday mass we say the Nicene Creed to profess our faith in God and the church

One in Worship All members are united in celebration of sacraments We are united with Jesus and one another Nourished by the Word and Body of Christ, we are empowered to work for unity

One in Governance We are joined together under the leadership of popes and bishops They teach us the truths of our faith through church councils, encyclicals, pastoral letters and talks We are one with the whole church through our diocese and parish

One in Charity By practicing virtues of faith, hope and love, we come to live in a relationship with the Trinity We are one with Christ and with one another in love By putting our faith in God, we deepen our friendship with God and grow in love Charity is the most powerful route in which to encourage unity

The church as a machine The catholic church is one in faith, worship, governance and charity towards the completion of one goal. Directions: With your group members, envision the church as a machine, needing essential parts to accomplish the goal of spreading God’s word Step 1: Design the machine- A metaphor to represent the different components of the church Step 2: Make sure the machine includes the essential parts: faith, worship, governance and charity Faith: Which creed or rally cry would you use to inspire parishioners? Worship: Which customs would be important? How would this part of the machine be symbolized? Governance: Who would be responsible for different parts of the machine? Charity: Which charities would you endorse? How would each of these parts run?

Unity in the church How is unity achieved? Why is it important? With whom were the early Christians united? What aspects of our faith unify us? How do family and friends show the strongest type of unity? What are 4 visible signs of unity in the Catholic church?

Confiteor Please copy into notebooks: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God **Strike chest 3x while saying bolded words**

Terms for Chapter six Mark of the church Charismatic gift One Eucharist Encyclical Ecumenism Creed

Gifts for everyone All the spirit’s gifts can be used for church unity. The body of Christ has been broken throughout history What is ecumenism? What is a charismatic gift? What are ways to reach out to people of other faith traditions?