The Alpha Course

ALPHA

Our next Alpha Course starts in January.

Alpha is a one-evening-a-week, 10 week course (free!)offering a chance to explore and chat about many of the essential elements of the Christian faith. Each evening consists of a meal, a video presentation on a particular theme, and group discussion time. It’s a great chance to learn, ask questions, enjoy yourself and make new friends.

Alpha is helpful either as an introduction for people with little or no knowledge, or as a refresher for seasoned church-goers!

Our Alpha Course will run on Tuesday evenings (7.30-9.30pm), beginning on 12 January 2009. The course is open to any interested adults–existing church members, baptism parents, marriage couples, those considering confirmation, or people who’ve never had any contact with Norbury at all - anyone is welcome! We’ve all got questions to ask! Please consider it for yourself, or suggest it to a friend.

Booking forms will be available in church, giving information on the content of the course, how it works, and how to book. For more information, please contact the vicarage (0161-483 8640) or the church office (0161-483 6325).

The Course has sessions as follows:

• Introduction: Christianity-boring, untrue, irrelevant?
• Who is Jesus?
• Why did Jesus die?
• How can I be sure of my faith?
• Why and how should I rend the Bible?
• Why and how do I pray?
• How does God guide us?
• How can I resist evil?
• Who is the Holy Spirit?
• What does the Holy Spirit do?
• How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
• Why and how should we tell others?
• Does God heal today?
• What about the Church?
• How can I make the most of the rest of my life?

So! What is Alpha all about?

The course was primarily designed for non-Christians, those people outside the church – and we all know a few of those! It was a much shorter course then but has since been adapted to suit many needs.

There may be new Christians who may just be starting to come to Church and want to know more. There may be existing church-goers who have never experienced the love of God or the Holy Spirit. Some find it difficult to understand what it is like to have a relationship with Jesus. Alpha can help them to experience that relationship.

More recently, Alpha has become a way for Christians who are not regular church-goers to find out more about their faith. I would say that the majority of us know a lot of people who fall into this category. How often has someone said to you “Of course I believe in God, but I don’t need to go to church every Sunday – I can pray on my own at home?” I was in that same category (preferring to play golf on a Sunday – and I still meet many golfers with a similar attitude).

If you were learning a language, or yoga, or had any other interest, would you really be taking it seriously if you studied alone and didn’t tell anyone about it? Why then shouldn’t we invite others along to Alpha to ask their questions and to seek some answers for themselves?

Let us share in the Good News of our risen Saviour.