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The purpose of
Trinity Evangelical Church is to experience the joy of God's
presence through worship, build up one another, teach Christ-like
character, demonstrate God's love and share Jesus with others.
Alpha Course Info
Everyone
is welcome on an Alpha course and people attend for a wide variety
of reasons. Some want to investigate whether God exists and if there
is any point to life; others are concerned about what happens after
death. Still others may have attended church on and off all their
lives but feel they have never really understood the basics of the
Christian faith.
People
come from many different backgrounds, holding many different
viewpoints - but all come with the same objective: to establish
whether Jesus Christ has any real relevance for their lives.
To get an idea of what Alpha is about, we invite you to preview a
short segment of the first night's Introductory Video.
What is Alpha? |
Who is Alpha for? |
What is involved? |
What will it cost? |
When and Where?
What is
Alpha?
Alpha is a ten-week opportunity to explore the validity and
relevance of the Christian faith for our lives today. It is a
practical introduction to the basics of Christianity with loads of
opportunity for debate and discussion. The style of Alpha is
informal, friendly and non-pressured.
Alpha is enjoyed and appreciated as much by those who have never set
foot in a church as it is by those who once attended and by the
regular churchgoer. No matter what their background, whether
investigating Christianity for the first time or revisiting their
faith, participants get a lot out of an Alpha Course.
Each week people meet together for a meal, a talk on topics such as
"Who is Jesus?", "Why Did Jesus Die?", "How Can I be Sure of My
Faith?", and "Does God Still Heal Today?" , followed by small group
interaction. There is a day or weekend retreat midway through the
course, which focuses on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
There are over 3000 Alpha courses running in the US and about
500,000 Americans have already participated. Most Americans live
within easy access of an Alpha course.
Churches of every different type and background, including Anglican,
Baptist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Pentecostal,
Salvation Army, Free Church and House Churches are running Alpha.
Because Alpha covers the basics of Christianity all churches provide
the same material, making alterations only to suit the local
culture.
Alpha originated at Holy Trinity Brompton - an Anglican church in
London, England over twenty years ago. The syllabus of the course is
contained in the Book "Questions of Life"
by Revd Nicky Gumbel. Thousands of Alpha courses are now running in
many countries and it has been translated into many different
languages.
Church leaders from all denominations report the astonishing impact
the course has on non-churchgoers and existing Christians in their
areas. And it's spreading fast to many secular locations - prisons,
university campuses, businesses and schools.
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Who is
Alpha
for?
- Those wanting to investigate
Christianity.
- New Christians.
- Those who feel that they have
never really got going as a Christian.
- Newcomers to the church.
- Those who want to brush-up on the
basics.
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What is Invovled?
The evening
Alpha course begins with supper, followed
by a talk. We then divide into smaller groups for coffee and cookies
to discuss any questions raised from the talk.
There is an opportunity to go on a weekend away. This has
been a key part of the Alpha course and a great success in helping
people get to know each other. Back Top
What will it cost?
There is no
charge for the Alpha course, although a small contribution might be
requested for the meal each evening and for the food and
accommodation during the Alpha week-end away. Back
Top
When and where?
The evening Alpha
course usually runs once a week for 11 weeks at our church. There is
also one weekend getaway. Please give us a call for details 503-590-5683.
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