Clive Atkinson - Co-ordinator - The Alpha CourseThe Alpha Course (Winter 2010)
The Alpha Course began at Holy Trinity Brompton in central London, United Kingdom in the late 1970s, initially as a means of presenting the basic principles of the Christian faith to new Christians in a relaxed 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 and each course is open to everyone who would 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 many different backgrounds and hold many different viewpoints.
The Winter Alpha Course will take place on Thursday nights starting on Thursday 14th January at 19h30. Each evening beginning 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 the small groups. An evening typically lasts for two and a half hours.
The emphasis is upon 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.
The talks each week cover the following topics, which people are then free to discuss in the small groups afterwards:
Alpha will begin on Thursday 14th January at 19h30. It will run each Thursday evening until 25th March. Each evening ends no later than 22h00. To register please contact Rev. Clive Atkinson.
Talk titles & Dates
Thursday 14th January Christianity: Boring, Untrue and Irrelevant?
Thursday 21st Who Is Jesus?
Thursday 28th Why Did Jesus Die?
Thursday 4th February How Can I Be Sure of My Faith?
Thursday 11th Half-Term
Thursday 18th Why and How Should I Read the Bible?
Thursday 25th Why and How Do I Pray?
Saturday 27th Day Away
Talks on the Holy Spirit
How can I Make the Most of the Rest of my Life?
Thursday 4th March How Does God Guide Us?
Thursday 11th How Can I Resist Evil?
Thursday 18th Does God Heal Today?
Thursday 25th What About the Church?