1. 6 th Grade Mrs. Bilodeau (Teacher)

2. Church began … With the coming of the Holy Spirit Jesus passed his mission on to his disciples Jesus wanted his disciples to bring in more people into the community of believers

3. Challenges: Apostles and disciples were frightened because of arrests and crucifixion. They needed him as hope. They needed the power of the Holy Spirit to guide them as a community of believers.

4. Jesus : 1. Told his disciples that they are his witnesses; 2. Told them to bring the good news of the Kingdom of God; 3. Sent the Holy Spirit to help and guide them; Jesus blessed his disciples, parted from them, and was take up to heaven – called ASCENSION. Peter then headed the choosing of the apostles left by Judas - the person was Matthias – who took Judas’ place.

5. Pentecost – the day on which the Holy Spirit came upon the first disciples. Pentecost – start of the Church (birthday) Christ’s message of love and peace is for everyone. The apostles baptized thousands of people. Christian Feast of Pentecost occurs 7 weeks after Easter Sunday.

6. The Church’s Mission Acts of the Apostles, written by the same author as the Gospel according to Luke – often called the “fifth gospel.” It records: 1. how the good news took root in the life of the early Christian community; 2. how the early Church began to carry out the mission of Jesus.

7. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the followers of Jesus spread the good news in different ways. They worshipped together in local communities (public). Some disciples served as missionaries in faraway lands in order to bring the good news to those who had never met Christ. Peter, who had been designated by Christ as the first leader, AND Paul, who had once persecuted Christians = MEN WHO SPREAD THE WORD OF CHRIST

8. The Apostolic Church Through prayer and laying on of hands, the successors of the Apostles, later known as “bishops’, were designated in local communities to teach, govern, and make holy the growing Church. The handing on of apostolic preaching and authority throughout generations of bishops – called “apostolic succession.” Through apostolic succession, Jesus continues the mission he received from the Father.