COOS - The Alpha Course

Our new Alpha course is now underway!
Are you coming?

What's an Alpha evening like?

A delicious dinner (prepared and served by dedicated volunteers) is served at 6:30. A time of worship, a video presentation and discussion follow. The evening ends at 9:00.

Everyone is welcome at 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.

Alpha is an 11-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.

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.

What's involved?

The evening Alpha course begins with supper, followed by a talk. We then divide into smaller groups for coffee and dessert to discuss any questions raised from the talk.

Each evening's schedule...

6:30 p.m.    Dinner
7:15 p.m.    Worship and Announcements
7:30 p.m.    Videotaped or live talk
8:15 p.m.    Dessert and Conversation
9:00 p.m.    Evening Ends

Midway through the course, 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.

What does Alpha 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 weekend away.

When and where?

The evening Alpha course usually runs once a week for 11 weeks. Sessions are held here at the Church of Our Saviour Wednesday evenings at 6:30, beginning January 27, 2010. There is also one weekend getaway, held at a quiet, pleasant retreat house.

What others say...

Over 1,000,000 people have now attended an Alpha course in North America alone. Here is what some church leaders have said about the Alpha course.

“The Alpha course is a most engaging way of passing on the basics of Christianity. It is a tool for evangelism and nurture that I highly recommend.”

— J.I. Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, B.C.

"The Alpha course is a superb vehicle for seeking and evangelizing non-Christians, the unchurched and the nominally churched. Would that every Episcopal Church had an Alpha course for we would be truly embracing the Great Commission of Jesus our Lord.”

— The Rt. Rev. Herbert Thompson, Jr., Late Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio

For more information about Alpha at Church of Our Saviour,
contact Fr. Chip at 673-3309 or via email.

For information from Alpha's national office,
click on the Alpha logo above.

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