Alpha spreads across Kanata

By Jennifer Bulman
From the Kanata Kourier-Standard, January 8, 1999.

"Someone should have taught us all these things before!" my friend Elizabeth said, a little indignantly.

We were nearing the end of Alpha, a ten-week, non-denominational course in basic Christianity that had become so exciting we were talking about it to family, friends and whoever wanted to listen. Alpha is mixture of dinner, talks, and small group discussions, and it was slowly beginning to turn our often foggy concepts into a real, practical, and living faith.

When I'd first heard about Alpha, I had wondered what it could possibly offer me, an educated Christian and churchgoer. Friends I respected had encouraged me to go, so I went to an introductory dinner and took my husband with me.

There I met about forty men and women of all ages, neighbours and others from my community. As we shared our week over dinner, then listened to the lively - often hilarious - video, I found myself responding on both an intellectual and a gut level to the presenter, Nicky Gumbel, a witty, persuasive, English lawyer turned Anglican priest.

Nicky didn't say anything that most of us haven't heard in church - this is mainstream Christian teaching, endorsed by leaders in both the Protestant and the Catholic churches. But Nicky spoke in a way that really made sense, and made us curious to hear more. We decided to take the course.

We found ourselves eagerly looking forward to Wednesday nights. We ate with newly made friends, listened to the talks, and chewed over large and small questions in the safe atmosphere of our small groups, where no question was a stupid question and no-one was ever put on the spot.

We learned how to study the Bible, and how to pray, and how we can follow Jesus Christ in a way that makes sense to each of us in our own unique circumstances. We found ourselves going back to church, and back into our everyday lives with a new sense of enthusiasm and commitment.

To date, hundreds of people in Kanata have joined thousands from around the world, by taking Alpha at their local church.

Between January and March, new Alpha sessions are beginning at a number of local churches. Why not call one of the contacts listed on our web site and check it out?

You'll be glad you did!