1.  New Courses started:				  Dave Atkins and Tony Copple 

There has been a number of new courses (that we are aware of) started in the wake of 
the October 2001 Ottawa Alpha Conference.  For example:  Glebe Collegiate high school, 
one of the first high schools to run Alpha.  National Defence Canada now has an Alpha, 
attended by serving men and women from colonels to privates.  The Annunciation of The 
Lord RC and Our Lady of Fatima RC parishes have held large courses.  St. John the Apostle
plans one for the fall.  These three are significant in view of one of the focuses of 
the conference having been towards the Catholic community.   Kanata now has a 
multi-church Alpha (see below).  A new prison Alpha will start in the fall in the 
Hull detention centre.  We have heard of other new courses in the wider Eastern Ontario 
area (Tony and Dave have been on 'phone round with course administrators and if you 
are one of them receiving these minutes for the first time, welcome!  We hope they'll 
keep you connected even if you are too far away to attend meetings in Ottawa).

Administrators of new courses are asked (begged!) to register on line with Alpha Canada.
In fact, all courses are asked to check and if necessary update their Alpha Canada 
registration information for accuracy, and you can obtain a name and password to do 
this from office@alphacanada.org    We would also suggest you send your course details 
to the Alpha Ottawa site (www.ncf.ca/alpha), which serves as a poster for all courses 
in the area.

2. Report on the Kanata Community Alpha: 				Tony Copple			
The first Kanata Community Alpha - held in the Mlacak Centre - concluded March 26.
It's success may be gauged from the fact that another will begin almost immediately 
(April 9).  The format worked well, as we had learned it would at the conference.  
Some key advantages of a multi-church format are: 
  Held in a non-church environment - less threatening to some
  Combines the skills and experience of  leaders and helpers from different courses,
        Including, in our case, an ordained minister
  M/C rotated between three leaders
  Additional resources included better audio-visual equipment
  Kitchen ministry rotated between three head cooks
  Larger numbers (about 40) 
  
We are currently planning the leadership for the next session, which may include Beta 
as well as Alpha if there is a volunteer to run it (there are enough participants 
for Beta).

3. Prison Alpha report				         Dave Atkins and Tony Copple

The current OPSUE strike is causing severe grief in the prisons we serve and keeping 
us out of them for the moment.  We prayed for the inmates, the guards and a speedy 
resolution to the problem. The OCDC chaplain Carl Wake is under considerable pressure, 
having to carry out guard duties as well as chaplain duties without the support of his 
volunteers, and we ask your prayers for him.  He has been sending us regular 
e-newsletters.
  
There are two regular courses in OCDC, one on Saturdays and one on Sundays.   Both 
have only two volunteers, which is why we have been delighted by requests from four 
other potential volunteers - however we can't even request security clearances until 
the strike is settled. 

Dave has been instrumental in brining together our Alpha Canada prison rep Ray Scanlan 
and the Federal Chaplain General  Chris Carr.  Dave has also recently met Bing Gallant, 
finder of MAP Ottawa (Mentorship - aftercare - presence).  The push in prison ministry 
is to maintain care of ex-offenders who have been attending Alpha inside.  Bing is 
currently in hospital after a sudden illness and we ask you to pray for him.  

An enhanced area for prison ministry topics has recently been set up on the Alpha 
Ottawa page and you should check it out, particularly a letter from a recent ex-offender
from OCDC.

4. Summer Alpha event for Ottawa: "Maximizing the Potential of your Alpha Course"

This is a 1-day training event (9:30 am - 4 pm) designed for leaders who have run one 
or two or more courses, or who are planning to do so.  We set a date of either 17th or 
24th August for this event, probably to take place in the Kanata area.    If anyone 
knows of other events on either of these days that might clash please let us know.   

5.  Other business

Tony and Laurie-Ann Copple will be attending the Alpha International Week for Advisors 
July 1 - 5 at HTB, UK.  

Your attention is drawn to the resource library, full of useful stuff for loan, 
listed at www.ncf.ca/alpha/alphares.html.
Nicky Gumbel is the featured interviewee on the BBC World Service "Talking Point" 
at 09:05 EST on Easter Sunday March 31.  That's in half an hour from when this is being posted.
However, if you are quick you can still see a streaming video version.  All details are on the 
Noticeboard on the Alpha Ottawa site.  There will be an audiotape copy of the broadcast in the 
resource library. 

Posted Mar 30, 2002

Alpha Ottawa