ALPHA Testimonies
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When I first heard of Alpha, I had no idea what it was about. I let the first Alpha opportunity pass. Then in early 2017, I again, saw promotional material for a second Alpha & the big”? “and the word “Alpha”. What was this thing called Alpha? I started chatting with some of the participants of the first Alpha. I asked them, “What is this Alpha thing? “The responses that I received seemed to boil down to, it’s all about “Fellowship” and “Faith”.
Everyone that I spoke with encouraged me to become a part of Alpha. Still, I had reservations. It’s a big time commitment. Was I ready to discuss questions of faith with people that I didn’t know. Even worse, what if I did know them?
After some soul searching, I decided that I would do it. I had reservations, though, up to the very last minute. I did go to the first session and really enjoyed it. I found that I was looking forward to subsequent sessions
Fellowship and faith are the mortar that hold the building blocks of Alpha together.
FELLOWSHIP:
*Wonderful people
*New Friendships
*Prayerful Concern
*Great Food
FAITH (focused on questions like):
*Is there more to life than this?
*Who is Jesus?
*Why did Jesus die?
*How can I have Faith?Discussing, thinking about and finding answers to questions like these, strengthened my faith and prayer life.
Do I encourage participation in Alpha? YES, I DO! What could be better than strengthening your faith and developing lasting friendships with wonderful Christian people?
-Larry P
My journey with ALPHA began with the Living Your Strengths class. There I became aware of my God given strengths and
talents realizing those were the things that have brought me joy throughout my life. I came away so filled with the Holy Spirit and joyful to learn that the strengths I have been given were what was most important in my life. It was not necessary to try to be the things you weren't gifted with. It was okay to say no to things I knew were not my strengths. I learned how to best work with others and maximize our strengths together. I learned how to understand people a little better.My faith began to grow and I wanted to know more so I took the ALPHA class. In class I met new people. We shared faith questions and stories with comfort and without judgement. Your thoughts and experiences were okay if you had the courage to share. The
movies moved me. Every week I looked forward to getting to know my table mates better. We were missed when we couldn't be there. My faith became stronger and my "family" grew larger.The peace that has overcome me has been a such a gift and a blessing. My faith has grown stronger and the Holy Spirit guides me daily in ways I never imagined. I am so grateful for the gift of ALPHA.
— Paulette
I decided to participate in the Alpha series as a way of staying connected to my parish.
It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made! The sharing of our faith, each other's struggles and successes, and sense of belonging was a wonderful journey each week.
I would strongly recommend this program to every Christian. And.... the meals we shared were fabulous too!
—Cathy P
Alpha was an unexpected, impactful experience. I came to the first session thinking that I would be helping others find a relationship with Jesus... but, I found that my own relationship with Jesus was strengthened.
From the first video - I was all in! The food and fellowship made for a memorable time. I would recommend Alpha to anyone - both the interested and the well versed - Come and see!
—Chad
Alpha was a great experience for me. It brought me closer to my Faith and closer to members of the Parish.
I was looking for a deeper connection and found it through Alpha. I highly recommend the program for those looking for more.
— Lisa
I am a cradle Catholic and had been away from the church for 30 years. When my daughter began RCIA, I decided to accompany her with the hopes of learning more about my faith and getting back into communion with the church.
I began attending Mass every Sunday, and I made my first confession in over 30 years during that Lenten season.
I had been faithfully attending Mass, but felt disconnected and was searching for something more. Then I heard about Alpha and was intrigued. So, I signed up and it turned out to be a wonderful decision!
Since attending Alpha, I pray daily, on my way to work and throughout my day. I've noticed how much happier I am now that I have an active prayer life. I also have a new sense of peace.
My Alpha group was composed of a variety of wonderful people; a mix of all ages and faith journeys. We shared so much about our faith, and sometimes lack of faith. Our conversations were so powerful at times, that my belief in God's love and forgiveness was reinforced and even renewed. I was reminded that God wants to forgive and wants us to be close with him. We just need to ask.
Come Holy Spirit!
—Jackie
I joined Alpha because I was craving more spiritually than just attending Mass on Sundays. I wanted to feel part of a faith community at Blessed Sacrament.
At first I was a little hesitant to go not knowing anyone there, but it ended up being an experience I looked forward to each week. I met some wonderful people at my table. Through our discussions of faith, I learned a lot about the Bible, faith, and Christianity. Alpha pushed me to make some changes in my prayer life that have drawn me closer to God. I would recommend Alpha to anyone, but especially to you if you are looking to grow stronger in your faith and connect with others as you make that step.
—Anne
Alpha was a great thing for me to be a part of as I am just beginning my journey with the Catholic faith. It was incredible to see how many parishioners (both new and old) wanted to build on their faith through the Alpha course and actively pursued a closer relationship with God. Alpha was a great example of the type of faith that I strive to have as my faith grows in the Catholic Church.
As newcomers to Blessed Sacrament, my fiancé and I felt so welcomed and enjoyed getting to know other parishioners each week. This genuine openness and kindness is what brought us to Blessed Sacrament in the first place. I would highly recommend Alpha to anybody wanting to pursue becoming Catholic, as it was a great way to begin to understand the Catholic faith.
— Lexi
I just love Alpha!
During the initial Alpha, I didn’t feel comfortable leading a group in exploring faith, I was afraid I would fail to connect with people’s faith needs. The Holy Spirit had other plans and Margie asked me to be a Table Helper. I came to know wonderful people and we explored our faith together.
My husband came to Alpha mainly for me. He wasn’t even sure that there was a God, but by the 5th meeting, he acknowledged God’s love in his life. He made quite a dramatic conversion. I marveled at the blessing of watching him grow and the Holy Spirit at work right in front of me day after day. It was beautiful! He was healing spiritually and sharing his faith with others. He was excited and I was in awe.
I was sold on Alpha. During the second Alpha, I trusted the Holy Spirit again and this time was led to be a Table Host. My husband was busy with RCIA and I was with people I knew a little or not at all. We were all “long time Catholics” and at first discussions were light, we agreed that faith in Jesus was important and we had worshiped for years. As we enjoyed the Alpha videos and continued discussion, we shared faith experiences to help each other grow. We offered new perspectives on living our faith. The retreat at the Moses Fowler House was an awesome experience after a bit of nervousness and skepticism. We all grew in renewed faith and friendship over the weeks of Alpha.
At the final meeting, we shared contact information with each other. A few weeks later we met at a restaurant for dinner together. Then after a month we met for dinner to continue our friendship. Finally, we met to do a 5-week Discipleship video series by Fr. John Riccardo. We continued great discussions about our faith and how we can prepare ourselves to share God’s love with others. Now to see where we go from here with His blessings!
I highly recommend ALPHA to anyone who has not yet had the chance to attend.
—Marie & Todd
Have you ever been at a Y-intersection in your life? One way to the light with Jesus and the other way towards who-knows-what. I've been right there for the last 10-years until recently. I needed a catalyst to nudge, or more honestly, push me in the right direction. Alpha was it! The last several weeks, breaking bread and exchanging our spiritual lives with members of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, has changed my life. The modern deeply informational exchange of Jesus, the Bible, prayer and LOVE has helped me move in the right direction to be a better father, husband, friend and person. Thank you Church of the Blessed Sacrament for providing this wonderful experience for me and my family.
—Andy
I went into ALPHA with no intention of gaining anything from it, I went to support a friend. Week after week I attended and learned more about my faith and about Jesus. I am hoping to be an ALPHA disciple at the next session and help others to grow in their faith or begin their faith journey!
—Ryan
We have heard all the impressive talk about Alpha through word of mouth and the bulletin. We were looking for opportunities to grow in our faith since we moved to West Lafayette 5 years ago. New friends, excellent suppers, enjoyable conversation, and a renewed belief that God has our lives in his hands, was more than we could have asked for! Committing to attend can be hard, but after one meeting we were “hooked “. Please take time out for yourself and learn more about the love of Jesus Christ.
—Gary and Kathy
