During September ’24, the Garth Ministry Area will be running an ALPHA course hosted by our Lay Ministers Iwan and Amanda Russell-Jones in the Creigiau Inn, Station Rd, Cardiff CF15 9NT. It will take place on Monday 16th September from 7-9pm.
What is ALPHA? ALPHA is about the basics of the Christian faith, what we believe and why it is important now in the 21st century. It also addresses some of life’s big questions eg. ‘ Is there more to life than this?’.
Question: I already attend church regularly, isn’t this going to be irrelevant to me? ALPHA is all about the faith of the Bible brought up-2-date. It’s all about faith and living the Christian life in 2024 and beyond.
What happens? The evening will be in three parts and includes:
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- Complimentary food;
- A film
- and a free discussion.
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Our evening is spent in the local pub and is intended to be as informal as possible. You will receive a warm and friendly welcome a you arrive and you will be offered tea/coffee and introduced to other participants. Don’t be afraid to come on your own, as we will make sure you’re not on your own for long!
The Bible records many instances of Jesus sharing the faith over a meal. Taking Him as our model, we will be offering you a choice from a variety of pizzas and desserts as we all get to know one another. This will be followed by a film on the topic of the week (e.g. Who is Jesus? Why did He die? Is there more to life than this?) and free discussion on that week’s topic, led by Iwan and Amanda. This is your chance to ask any questions that arise out of the film, or to ask a general question about the faith that might have bothered you for years. However, some people prefer to listen and that’s OK too!
The evening officially ends at 9pm but there will be no rush to leave – you are welcome to stay and enjoy further fellowship.
Not sure if it’s for you? Why not come along to the first evening and give it a try? If you find it interesting, you are welcome to return (you will benefit the most from attending the whole 8 weeks). If it is ‘not your thing’, then no one is going to chase you up to come again. Promise!
Final thoughts: for many people, FAITH is a personal and private matter, something deep in their hearts and souls that is very important to them, but not something that they would easily articulate, If that describes you, then this course could be very suitable for you as it will confirm the basics of your faith and refresh it (in the same way that teacher, lawyers, engineers, doctors etc. are constantly updating their knowledge).
ALPHA can help you address some of the BIG questions of life that your family, friends and neighbours might find disturbing (e.g. why do bad things happen to good people?, What about the BIG BANG?). Alpha can give YOU the confidence that you have some Christian answers that you can share with them.
Go on, give ALPHA a try! you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!