Pentecost is the Birthday of the church! 2000 or so years ago as those first followers of Jesus were together in the Upper Room, suddenly something extra happened! The Holy Spirit gave them power to be the people God wanted them to be!

On the first day of the church Peter spoke to the crowd of visiing Jews to Jerusalem and when the invitation to "Change you hearts and lives and be baptised, each and every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" three thousand accepted and responded!

In the following days those early Christians went around doing many miracles, sharing everything, giving to those in need, meeting in the Temple and their homes every day, praising God - and daily more people became part of this group of believers!

From this start in Jerusalem, by the added dimension of power and life that the Holy Spirit had brought, these first Christians travelled widely round the Mediterranean telling others about the great things God through Jesus had done. It wasn't all an easy ride - as they were thrown into jail and even killed because of what they stood for. But they didn't back down - their determination spread the Christian faith world-wide and 2000 years later is still going strong!

So celebrate the Birthday at Pentecost!