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Evangelist Newsletter, Spring 2009
THE ALPHA COURSE
Last Autumn Mark and I ran St. Mary's sixth ALPHA Course at St. Mary'sCentre. There were five ‘guests' on the course who met each week for eightweeks to share an excellent meal together; watch a DVD; and learn about theChristian faith in an informal and relaxed setting. We also enjoyed aninspiring talk on healing from Rosemary Drew at the end of the course. Mark andI would like to thank Rosemary very much; and also a big ‘Thank You' to JayAinge and Henry Goodman for all the excellent meals they have consistently providedover the past six courses; and to Patrick Whittick, for willingly helpingwhenever it was needed. Four of the five participants on the last course wantto continue meeting up, which is very encouraging.
My own personal thanks also have to go to Mark James, without whom theinitial setting up of ALPHA at St. Mary's, and the running of subsequentcourses would not have been as successful, or as much fun! I shall miss himgreatly. This raises the question - will the ALPHA Course continue at St.Mary's? I would like to think that it will. So many of those who have been onour ALPHA courses have expressed real gratitude to us for running the course;for introducing them to Jesus and the Bible; and for helping to makeChristianity more accessible - long may this continue. However, with Markleaving we will be short on leaders; it is preferable to have two peopleleading the course. If anyone is interested in finding out more about helpingto run an ALPHA course please contact me, Sue Goodman on 01371 872715.
St. Mary's seventh ALPHA Course is due to begin in September 2009. Ifanyone is interested in coming along as a guest, please contact me on the abovenumber for more information.
POST ALPHA
Since the end of our first ALPHA Course in December 2005 a post ALPHAhome group has regularly met at Mark's house for Bible study and discussion.This group has grown over the past two years from four to ten (plus Mark andme), with participants from subsequent ALPHA groups joining it. We shall againgreatly miss Mark, but hope to continue meeting up. We now have an offer of aregular venue.
Over the past three years thirty-six ‘guests' have attended six ALPHA Courses at St. Mary's. Many havecontinued what ALPHA started by regularly attending church (two Alpha ‘graduates'were confirmed last year); by going to the Post ALPHA home group; by meeting upsocially from time to time; and generally keeping in touch. Every Summer wehold a Summer ALPHA Get Together at our home, for everyone who has beeninvolved in ALPHA at St. Mary's. This year will be no exception, and we lookforward to all meeting up at the end ofJune.
Sue Goodman, March 2009