Alpha at St. John's

If you were able to get to Mass last weekend despite the snow, you will have heard Father Richard tell us that we shall be starting the first of a series of Alpha Courses after Easter this year. Some of you may have fond memories of the ones run here at St. John’s back in the late 90s.  As Father said in his homily, it is our responsibility to reach out to those on the outer edges of our community, those who have important questions to ask about the existence of God and what it means to be a follower of Christ. Alpha is a well proven tool for providing a welcoming non judgemental environment for people to do this. Indeed some of our own parishioners set out on their journey of faith by taking part in Alpha and have subsequently been led by the Holy Spirit to their home in the Catholic Church. Liz Duncan is leading our Alpha team and wrote an article about her journey of faith in the Eaglet last year.

What is Alpha? It is low-pressure, fun and informative. It is a place for people to relax, share their thoughts and explore the deeper meanings of life. The course is designed primarily for people who don't go to church, but are interested in the Christian faith.  Each course runs for 10 weeks and includes the sharing of a meal, a talk and a discussion with an extra introductory evening and a celebratory supper at the end. There is absolutely no commitment for anyone to attend all the sessions.  People come along for the first time, no forms to fill in, and if they want to come again that’s great.

Can you think of a family member, friend or neighbour who you would like to invite to take part in the course?

Would you like to join the Alpha team? We shall need people to provide a warm and friendly welcome, cooks, helpers to set up and clear away, small group leaders and helpers and a supporting prayer group. If so please contact Liz Duncan on 07931 545492 or Ann Hanley on 01403 210073