The ALPHA Course

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In the sprint of the year 2000, ten parishioners from Saint Stephen’s went to Holy Trinity Parish and participated in the first Catholic ALPHA course on the north shore. Later that year, an ALPHA course was organized for Saint Stephen’s under the direction of Farrell Hopwood. Since then five such courses have been offered in our parish.

 The ALPHA course lasts for ten weeks and the emphasis is on the basics of our Christian faith and its relevance to our lives today. Although the ALPHA course is aimed primarily at non-church goers, it has also proven to be a great blessing for parishioners seeking to revitalize their faith.

Each evening session begins with dinner followed by a video presentation dealing with a subject central to Christian beliefs: Who is Jesus? Why did He die? How can I be sure of my faith? The video presentation is followed by a group discussion that takes place in an environment where each person feels free to ask questions or express doubts.

The ALPHA program originated in England, and the videos feature Reverend Nicky Gumbel, who was previously a trial lawyer. It is very interesting and engaging to hear him examine the facts of our faith. In 1999, Vernon Robertson of our parish brought the program forward to Archbishop Exner, and he gave his permission for the program to be used in the archdiocese. In the past ten years, over five million people in Christian churches around the world have participated in an ALPHA course.

What’s so special about ALPHA? It provides answers for the kinds of questions people are asking today and does so without being confrontational. Typical of the comments heard from participants in the program are the following:

  •  “Each evening was pleasant. I always went home feeling better.”
     

  •  “I found the inner peace and strength I had been looking for.”
     

  •  “ALPHA brought me back to Jesus. I realized how much I had strayed.”

About 150 people have participated in ALPHA courses at Saint Stephen’s, with about two-thirds being members of the parish. About 15 people have joined the parish following their participation in the course. Many ALPHA participants choose to continue to meet in small groups after their course is complete. They find it helps them to support one another and to deepen their faith.

More ALPHA sessions will be held at Saint Stephen’s in the future. This may be your opportunity to introduce someone to Jesus or bring someone back to Him.

Visit the ALPHA website at www.alphacanada.org for more details.

 

 

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