The Alpha Course
ALPHA September to December 2007
Commences 19th September 2007 at Norbury Church.
The Alpha Course is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed, non-threatening manner, over 10 thought-provoking weekly sessions. It’s low key, friendly and fun.
If you are interested in joining, please contact Kate Smith 0776 989 4190 or email: kate.smith04@btconnect.com
The Course runs as follows:
- 19th September Introduction: Christianity-boring, untrue, irrelevant?
- 26th September Who is Jesus?
- 3rd October Why did Jesus die?
- 10th October How can I be sure of my faith?
- 17th October Why and how should I rend the Bible?
- 24th October Why and how do I pray?
- 31st October How does God guide us?
- 7th November How can I resist evil?
- 14th November Who is the Holy Spirit?
- 17th November, Saturday. Away Day, Higher Poynton. 10:00am-4:00pm. Two
sessions:
- What does the Holy Spirit do?
- How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
- 21st November Why and how should we tell others?
- 28th November Does God heal today?
- 5th December What about the Church?
- 12th December How can I make the most of the rest of my life?
So! What is Alpha all about?
It’s Alpha time again! Would you consider inviting members of your family, or friends or work colleagues to come on the Alpha Course? If not, is it because you are afraid of being too pushy, or getting rejected, or are you maybe just not sure of the value of the course? OK – let’s look at what Alpha is 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.
