Tonight was the start of a new 10 week session of Alpha at Emmanuel.. I am privileged to be a small group leader and see first hand the work of the Lord which brings people for so many various reasons to participate. It is unlike anything I having grown up in a traditional church had ever been a part of. And if it was going on, they were meeting in disguise in some special room with those who knew what they were doing. We on the other hand as small group leaders of Alpha, really, don't have any idea what WE are doing, BUT the holy spirit is just everywhere going before us, walking with us and directing where to go next and we are willing.... And he's bringing in the lost from places of trials, sadness, hardship, disgrace, simple lives, hard circumstances, life battles that wouldn't darken the door of a church doorstep on a given Sunday because they just don't feel they fit the mold of acceptable as they are or they've done alright on there own and don't need "God". And than there are some who have actually been in church for years, decades, and yet are empty. It's awesome. Because we are no different than them, we all need Jesus.
Last Thursday was a huge celebration of 10 years of Alpha at ERC. But let me back up, as the week before this on Thursday (two weeks ago) about 25 of us met at the brick building and broke bread (had pizza, salad, soda) and than we broke off into every office upstairs with cell phones and lists and lists of people to call. Roughly 700 people to call. Some had already RSVP'd that they were coming and so we just thanked them for the interest and hey bring a friend, some were recent visitors to ERC and we reached out an invite to the celebration (free dinner, concert, some testimonies and dessert) and hey bring a friend, and than if they were interested, we explained the 10 week Alpha starts the following week and bring a friend.. and some on the list were just plain cold calls and you do the same explaining what Alpha is about..
So the Thursday of the Alpha celebration party comes and 275 people from over 10 years, and some new folks show up and it was a great time of just welcoming, getting acquainted, extended a hello, inviting to the next session and or just hearing what God has been doing since they once attended. Celebrating what Alpha has meant for so many who that was a big door they stepped through from a life serving themselves, or the first time when they had ever heard of Jesus loving them... And for some, they hadn't been back to church since they last attended Alpha but the phonecall/postcard invite was what they needed and here they were... (not a coincidence)
The typical buffet alpha dinner was followed by a concert by Mike Eldred and his two daughters who I believe were Lindsey and Macklin.. sweet young ladies who banter well with there dad and who love the Lord and have beautiful voices. Mike & his wife came to ERC about 15 years ago as wild bikers and just came through alpha, were loved on by the Korver family, served at ERC and are now living in Arizona for last couple of years serving the Lord there. There were many testimonies of ordinary people who now follow Jesus because of an invite to Alpha, or are small group leaders who share the hope that rescued them. From this night, there were 147 interest cards for the next alpha!
Now the typical alpha session will vary in number, but roughly 35-50 is a good guess-timate of attenders but you just never know.. Tonight we were thinking that it was possible for the 147 to show up and had squeezed the tables/chairs for dinner up against the space for the group talk anticipating 110. The count was 79 attenders and 23 leaders. What an awesome night it was. The place was packed and hoppin!
I have been involved with Alpha for about 3.5 years and there are 3-10 week sessions a year. (I'm not really sure when I started) but now just lead a womens small group each time. After two years with my friend Susan as a co leader, she has taken a break during her sons senior year of baseball season but we continue to lead on Saturday mornings together a bible study.. So I am now with a woman I have known through the Valley school system and call a friend, Rene and we look forward to what's ahead.. She's never attended Alpha and has never led, so she's qualified and tonight went great. God is good.
So pray for each of those attending that they will have open hearts, open minds to what God has lead them to participate in that can greatly change the rest of their lives.
Isaiah 43: 18-19 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
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