St. Paul's Anglican

Alpha is a ten-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 - a style which seems to be appreciated in Canadian culture.

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.

Each week people meet together for a meal, a talk on topics such as "Who is Jesus?", "Why Did Jesus Die?", "How Can I be Sure of My Faith?", and "Does God Still Heal Today?" , followed by small group interaction. There is a day or weekend retreat midway through the course, which focuses on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

2,903 Canadian churches have now run Alpha courses and about one million Canadians have already participated. 50 courses are running in Canada's prisons, including Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre. 363 Marriage Courses and 36 Marriage Prep courses are registered. Most Canadians live within easy access of an Alpha course. For our local course please visit their website http://alpha.ncf.ca/course.html#west

Churches of every different type and background, including Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Pentecostal, Salvation Army, Free Church and House Churches are running Alpha. Because Alpha covers the basics of Christianity all churches provide the same material, making alterations only to suit the local culture.

From 1 August 2007, you will see a burst of Alpha energy around the region as billboards and other advertising are hoisted. This is all with one objective: so that when you invite a friend to an Alpha introductory dinner in September, they are more likely to say "yes," a yes that could be the most important decision they ever took. Please visit http://alpha.ncf.ca/invite07/alphainvitation07.html for more information, including how you can win an iPod by sending a photo of your car carrying an Alpha flag.

Full information on the Invitation 2007, and all other Alpha matters may be obtained from Tony & Laurie-Ann Copple, Ottawa Alpha Advisors, tel 613-591-3903.

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. There are hundreds of Alpha Courses running in locations across the country and we would love to help you find one near you.

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

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.

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.

In 2002, St. Paul's Alpha course, which had been the first in Kanata, merged into the Kanata Community Alpha, which has run ever since in the Mlacak Centre, with leadership from St. Paul's and other local churches. Visit the Kanata community Alpha site http://alpha.ncf.ca/kca.html for details of our next course.