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- Do you sometimes wonder what life is all about?
- Why are we here?
- Is there a loving God?
- What do Christians really believe?
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What is Alpha?
The Alpha course is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith. The
10-week course is a relaxed, non-threatening, low key, friendly and fun. There is
a meal together at the beginning of each session which gives you an opportunity to
get to know each other. Listen, learn, discuss and discover. And ask anything. Alpha
is a place where no question is too simple or too hostile. And it's supported by
all the main Christian denominations.
What's involved?
The Alpha course consists of a series of talks looking at topics such as 'Who is
Jesus?' and 'Why and how do I pray?' After each talk we have a time of discussion in a
small group.
Who is Alpha for?
If you have important questions about the basics of your faith or you have no faith
at all but want to explore what Christianity is about, this course is for you.
Alpha is for everyone especially:
- Those wanting to investigate Christianity
- New Christians
- Newcomers to the church
- Those who want to brush up on the basics
What will it cost?
There is no charge for the Alpha course, although you may be asked to make a
contribution towards food.
When is the next course?
Our new Alpha course will start with an invitation supper on 2nd October 2008 at
7.30pm in the church hall. Following a meal there will be an introduction to the
Alpha course.
We will also be running an Alpha Express course available for those who are unable
to fit a 10 week course into their busy life. This may/will be held over a lunch time.
What do I do if I want to know more?
For more information please contact our church office or our Alpha administrator, Alan:
Telephone: +44 (0)1689 824707
or email alan@ccorpington.org
For more details please visit http://uk.alpha.org/
A while ago Alan Goddard asked me if I would like to enjoy co-leading and co-hosting one of
the Alpha groups being conducted at Christ Church in late 2002. My leader would be the peerless
Mrs Pat Bills. I had a question. What would be involved?
The first thing seemed to be food. Immediately my interest was awakened! As a co-host with
Graham and Cecilia Bartlett, I would be responsible for providing a meal for around ten
people on alternate weeks in our home. It appears that a meal, eaten not at the table but
on laps, (with a plate in between) is the best way to break the ice between people new to
Alpha. (This is not to mention breaking the teeth for anybody unfamiliar with my relatively
modest culinary expertise!!)
Then, after the meal and Alka Seltzer tablets, a 40-minute Alpha video talk by Nicky Gumbel,
one of ten to be shown during the ten weeks of the course, would be screened. This would be
followed by an opportunity to discuss the content and relate our experiences. Easy Peasy!!
Yes Alan, I'd help lead a course.
Alpha is predominantly an introductory course for non-Christians to hear in a non-threatening
manner, the message of the Gospel. I suppose in keeping with the majority of late 20th and
early 21st Century thinking, Alpha gave me the impression of being more a broad based Christian
Lifestyle course leading perhaps to more in depth study of God's word for those wishing to
pursue further learning.
The group, which attended the ten-week course, was as far as we knew, Christian by faith;
surely this defeats the purpose. Alpha is for non-Christians is it not? My answer to that is
it did no harm for THIS Christian to re-hear some of the basics in a new and modern way. I
believe this view to have been shared by the other course members too....... GUYS?
As for rumours of people braying like donkeys and rolling around the floor babbling incoherently
... the nearest our group got to that was the murmurings of satisfaction after the meals!
Seriously, the day away at Burrswood looking at the Holy Spirit was enjoyed by us all and
many felt it was a day of peace and an opportunity to fellowship more deeply with each other
and with our Lord. Besides, Pat Bills' donkey impression is strictly for closed parties only!!!
My overriding feeling having helped on an Alpha course is that we are never too old to learn,
re-learn or discover for the first time this wonderful God who loves us without condition and
longs for us to be in a relationship with his only Son, Jesus Christ. Oh, and the food......
absolutely key!
Mark Whiting