Register for the Alpha Day Away, February 22nd 10 am – 4 pm
Miss a Week? Catch up on Videos at AlphaUSA.org
Why are we doing Alpha on Sunday morning?
This fall, we participated in a Transformation Consultation which resulted in our session and congregation affirming a variety of prescriptions and goals for CHPC as we seek God’s leading to be a growing, diverse community of Jesus followers. The approved report prescribed the Alpha program for the whole church on Sunday morning so that we improve our capacity to share our faith with others and invite them to join us in following Jesus together. Alpha had over 1.3 million participants last year in over 100 countries. They do evangelism well and we want to learn from them.
What is Alpha?
Sharing our faith can be challenging. Alpha provides an easy tool to share our faith by modeling an appealing way to share the Christian faith with others, as well as providing a gathering to invite others to attend also.
The gathering is designed to be a low–pressure way to discuss the big questions in life. Alpha creates a space where people are invited to explore the Christian faith in an atmosphere that is safe and respectful. The talks will communicate the basics of the gospel, so all can learn together. All guests are encouraged to share honestly what they think and believe without judgment.
Every Alpha session has three key ingredients:
What will we do on Sunday morning for Alpha?
From January 12 to February 23, we will all meet in the Fellowship Hall and follow this schedule:
- 9:30 am Breakfast – a full meal will be provided. Food will be available until 9:55.
- 10:00 am Prayer and Praise – the choir and band will rotate Sundays as they lead us in praise.
- 10:15 am Talk – the basic elements of the Christian faith will be presented either live or in video form.
- 10:45 am Group Discussion – Each table will have 1 or 2 leaders to help facilitate the discussion in a safe and secure environment to promote authentic interaction.
- 11:25 – 11:30 am Closing – Offering and Connection Cards will be collected as we depart.
How can I participate in Alpha?
Pray: Everyone can pray for those who attend, those who serve, and all the discussions.
Attend: Everyone should attend the seven Sundays of Alpha at CHPC starting January 12.
Serve: Each table needs hosts and helpers. The Food team needs help with preparing breakfast. A team is needed to set-up before our meeting and clean-up after our meeting. A planning team is being developed for the next Alpha we will do off–campus for those outside of the church starting after Easter. If you want to serve, email Pastor Drew at dsmith@chpc.org.
Invite: Invite others to come with you. If you have friends outside of the church who would more likely attend Alpha on a Sunday morning, then invite them to attend with you. For those who will not attend an event at a church building, then you can invite them to attend the April Alpha which will be off–campus.
What happens after this all-church Alpha ends on February 22?
We will host Alpha at a variety of places and times to provide opportunities to discuss the crucial questions of life and faith in an appealing and safe environment. Our next Alpha will start after Easter in an off–campus location. More details will follow.
The two worship services, per the prescriptions, will restart Sunday, March 1. The traditional service will move back to 9:00 am in the sanctuary. All in attendance will sit together in the main hall. The contemporary service will take place at 10:30 am in the Fellowship Hall. The pastors and worship leaders think this is the best plan for both services. Each service will have a space designed specifically for their unique character. Also, the thirty–minute interlude between services will not cause such a bottleneck to tear down from the first service and set up for the second.