The Alpha Course began at Holy Trinity Brompton in central London in the late 1970s. Initially it was a means of presenting basic principles of the Christian faith to new Christians in a re-laxed and informal setting. By 1990, when former lawyer Nicky Gumbel took over the course, Alpha was a central feature of the church's life. It was while leading his second Alpha course that Nicky realised how this simple course could also appeal to non-churchgoers and he adapted the course to give it the kind of feel that would suit this group.

The Alpha course spread during the 1990s, initially in the UK and then internationally, as more churches and groups found it a helpful way to answer questions about the Christian faith in an informal setting. There are now over 33,500 courses worldwide in 163 countries and it is supported by all the major denominations.

The Alpha course is designed primarily for people who aren’t churchgoers. Each course is open to anyone who'd like to attend. People attend for a wide variety of reasons - some want to investigate whether God exists, others may have attended church occasionally but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith. People come from a wide Each evening begins with a two course meal giving people a chance to get to know others in the group. The meal is followed by a talk which looks at a different aspect of the Christian faith, then finally a time for discussion in small groups. An evening typically lasts for two and a half hours.

Our Winter Alpha Course will take place on Thursday nights starting on Thursday 13th January at 19.30.

The emphasis is on exploration and discovery in a relaxed and informal environment. The Alpha course usually lasts for 10 weeks, with a day away in the middle. There is no charge for attending the Alpha course. To register please contact Rev. Clive Atkinson. (cliveatkinson@bluewin.ch