The Alpha Course.
Each autumn we run the nationally and globally known Alpha Course. We run the course jointly with St John’s Lawley, a church on the west of Telford. (http://stjohntelford.wordpress.com)
Alpha is a 10 week, short, practical introduction to the Christian faith. It is used in over 7000 churches now in the United Kingdom and in different denominations – Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal etc. And in many countries of the world, it can now be found being run.
Alpha is a great course. I first was involved in running the course in Durham, where I trained as a vicar, with a friend called Jen Middleton and a number of other St John’s College undergraduates who led the discussion groups, prepared the food etc. Then when we moved to Burton on Trent for our curacy, All Saints also ran the Alpha Course once a year during the autumn months. Other churches in Burton were also running the course. And now here in Telford, in Lawley with St John’s, we are running the Course. I think it is hard to live in any town in the UK where the Alpha course has not been run.
So what is Alpha?
Well the website (http://uk.alpha.org/) gives more loads of information. It is a great evening out. It is a chance to meet people, to talk, to make friends and to ask questions and to be listened to. The course begins each week with a question – Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus die? How can we have faith? Why and how should I pray? Why and how should I read the Bible? How does God guide us? Who is the Holy Spirit and what does he do? How can I resist
evil? Why and how should I tell others about Jesus? Does God heal? What about the Church? These are the questions for each of the evenings. But many other questions can be asked in the group discussions!
An Alpha Evening.
There is puddings and cake and coffee as people arrive and to start off the evening. There is a short talk – 20 minutes or so – before a chance to go into small groups, for around 30minutes, and discuss what the speaker said or other questions about the Christian faith. The evening lasts from 7.15pm until 9pm each evening.
When does all of this start?
Well, this year’s course is coming to an end. The next one planned, will be in September / October 2012.
So email us if you’d like to know more or you’d like to attend the course. It will be good fun and a great chance to grow as a Christian, or to ask those questions that you’ve wanted to – whether you would call yourself a religious person or not, whether you grew up in a home where you went to church or where you never went except for Christmas, funerals and weddings.
Summary!
The next Alpha Course will begin at the end of September, beginning of October, running on a weekday evening. We end the course with a Alpha Christmas Celebration Party in December.
It begins at 7.15pm and lasts until 9pm each week.
There is no cost to attend the Alpha Course.
It is run by Christians from St Leonard’s Church Malinslee and St John’s Church Lawley, two churches in Central Telford.
It is a great way to explore the Christian faith.
