Details of the Course

Useful Alpha Links
Central Site http://www.alpha.org.uk/
Detailed UK information http://www.brainsys.com/haddon/alpha.htm
World wide links http://www.iinet.net.au/~nosnikta/alpha.html
UK Catholic Office http://www.catholicalphaoffice.org

ALPHA

Alpha is a programme of evangelisation, with the emphasis on Christianity rather than a particular denomination. It was started in the early 1990s by the curate in the Anglican parish church of Holy Trinity in Brompton, West London (HTB). The programme gained popularity very quickly and the number of "courses" being run is now into the thousands. It was/is primarily aimed at the "unchurched" but established churches are now using it as a way to re-start the spiritual formation of their members.

 

Outline of the Alpha Course

Alpha consists of a 10 weekly sessions covering key questions about Christianity, an Awayday at which three related questions about the Holy Spirit are tackled, and a final session which acts as both a celebration of the course and as an invitation to friends and relatives of the course members to join an Alpha course.

Session Topic

1: Who is Jesus?
2: Why did Jesus die?
3: How can I be sure of my Faith?
4: Why and how should I read the Bible?
5: Why and how do I pray?
6: How does God guide us?

Awayday:

Session I Who is the Holy Spirit?
Session II What does the Holy Spirit do?
Session III How can I be filled with the Spirit?

7: How can I resist evil?
8: Why and how should we tell others?
9: Does God heal today?
10: What about the Church?

Celebration: How can I make the most of the rest of my life?

Timetable - Sessions and Awayday

HTB recommend a format/timetable for the first 10 sessions:

6.45pm - 7.00pm Assemble
7.00pm Meal
7.45pm Talk on the topic of the session
8 .30pm/8.45pm 15 minute break (tea/coffee)
8.45pm/9.00pm Group discussion based on the talk
9.45pm Close

The final session has a slightly different objective and timing. It is a Celebration. It marks the end of the course for the course members, it gives them an opportunity to think about how their lives have been changed by Alpha and it is an opportunity for them to bring one or two friends to the course (with a view to them becoming the members of the next course). The format for the session could be:

7.l5pm - 7.30pm

Assemble

7.30pm

Meal

8.30pm

Talk: How can I make the most of the rest of my life?

9.00pm

Liturgy

9.l5pm

Reflections from course members
9.45pm Close

The Awayday is not timetabled by HTB, but may be along the following lines:

9.00am - 9.15am Assemble/coffee
9. 15am Opening liturgy
9.30am Talk I: Who is the Holy Spirit?
10. 15am Group discussion
11.00am 15 minute break (tea/coffee)
11. 15am Talk II: What does the Holy Spirit do?
12.00pm Group discussion
12.45pm Lunch and free time
2.00pm Talk III: How can I be filled with the Spirit?
2.45pm Group discussion
3.30pm 15 minute break (tea/coffee)
3.45pm Closing liturgy
4. 15pm/4.30pm Depart

When and where it is running

Details for Sept 2001 available soon

 

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