Unit 1:

THE CHURCH, BEGINNINGS

AND GROWTH
Unit 1:
THE CHURCH, BEGINNINGS
AND GROWTH
Lesson 1 : The Church Originates from
the Trinity
Lesson 2 : Christ establishes the Church
Lesson 3 : The Church Sustained by the
Holy Spirit
Lesson 4 : The Church Spreads and Grows
Lesson 5 : The Church Undergoes
Renewal
 Christian Living
The Christian way of life is the best way of life
possible! Jesus said He came so His followers “may
have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”
(John 10:10 ). God’s way of living has great benefits for
this life and offers “pleasures forevermore” in the next
(1 Timothy 4:8 ; Psalm 16:11 ).
That doesn’t mean that Christian living is easy. The
challenges and difficulties of this way of life are
designed to help us grow to have Jesus Christ’s mind
and the character of God. We are to learn to think and
act like God because He wants us to be His children
forever!
Founded in 1998, Tulay ng Kabataan
Foundation is a registered NGO
whose mission is to serve the
poorest children of Metro Manila.
Their mission is to raise funds to
support the Foundation in Manila
and to help every child to reach the
fullness of his human vocation,
through his basic needs and rights,
The goal of TNK is to give back self-
dignity and confidence to the
children and to lead them to a
complete autonomous life.
A large team of Filipinos employees
(street educators, psychologists,
social workers) and community
workers are whole-heartedly
dedicated to taking care of the
1500 children. Thousands of
children have already been helped
through the 4 programs of the
foundation: Street children
Scavenger children Children in
slums Mentally challenged youth
TNK Foundation is supported by
ANAK-TNK platforms. They are
associations managed by a local
volunteer team
 Answer in your notebook
1. Who does TnK help? How does TnK
help them?
2. How does TnK Foundation help ensure
a bright future for the ones it helps?
3. In what way can TnK be considered a
community even if its residents come
from different families?
 Gospel Reading

John 15: 1-11

 According to the Gospel, who is the true vine
and the vine grower?
 What will happen if the branch is removed
from its vine? What will happen if it remains
attached to the vine?
 Why do you think Jesus calls the father as vine
grower and He is the vine?
 What is the fruit of remaining with Jesus?
WHAT IS CHURCH?
The Church is the community of baptized
people united by their faith in Jesus and
by their love for one another. They are
united in their worship of the Father.
It is a special community established by
Jesus
The Church has a beginning and will
never end. It will continue until the time
when all have been judged and are
experiencing eternal happiness with the
Trinity.
The word church comes from the
Hebrew word qahal which is the
equivalent of the Greek word
ekklesia.
both words mean people of God or
an assembly convoked by God.
God’s chosen people whom He
cared and loved, is the symbol of the
Church in the Old testament
Today, the Church is the new
people of God bound by the

Ten Commandment.

Jesus gave it a new law, the

• This Church , the new people of God,
started as a small seed planted by God in
the Old testament. It blossomed and
grew, nourished by the Blood of Jesus in
the New Testament, and strengthened
by grace of the Holy Spirit.
• Just like in the body where the different
parts perform roles that contribute to its
health and well-being. This is the reason
why one of the images used to describe
the Church is the Body of Christ.
• The Church is not the work of God the
Father alone, rather it is the work of the
Trinity that’s why it enjoys a unique
relationship with the Blessed Trinity
• Unity is one of the essential
characteristics of the life of the Church.
• The Church also gives witness to the
Trinity through its mission of leading all
peoples from all nations.
• The Church makes Jesus present in our
midst, that is why we call it the
sacrament of Jesus.
• Through the sacraments the Holy Spirit
continuously pours out to us the grace of
salvation that the sacrifice of Jesus on
the Cross brought forth.
• As members of His Church, Jesus invites
us to remain one in Him by loving others
despite our differences and by loving and
forgiving others
 True or False
¼ sheet of paper answer only
1. The church has a beginning and an end.
2. The Church shall reach its perfection when those
who have been faithful will be with God in heaven.
3. The Church is symbolized by God’s people, Israel, in
the Old Testament.
4. The Church is a community put together by the
pope, bishops, and priests.
5. The members of the Church are empowered to
engage in ministry by the power of their desire to
help the Church grow.
6. God is in our midst because of Jesus.
7. The Church has a unique relationship with the
Trinity as seen in its mission to bring all people
together in one community.
8. We “bear fruits” when we lead others to be
faithful members of the Church.
9. Those members of the Church who grow old and
pass away are symbolized by the branches that
do not remain with the vine.
10. What makes the Church a community is its
members’ faith in Jesus, love for one another, and
worship to the Father.
11. The Church is the sacrament of Jesus because
through it we experience Jesus’ presence.
12. The plan for the establishment of the Church is
born from the heart of God.
13. The one who continues to make the Church
grow is the Holy Spirit.
14. Throughout their history as God’s people, Israel
showed that they are faithful to God.
15. God sent prophets to Israel to remind them of
their promise and at the same time to give them
hope.