Bring every question you’ve got
Eight Thursday evenings, food round a table, and an honest conversation about life, faith and the things that matter. No charge. No pressure. No follow-up.
A place to say what you actually think
Alpha is a series of evenings for anyone curious about life and the Christian faith. It runs all over the world, in churches, pubs, prisons and living rooms, and it works the same way everywhere: eat together, watch something short, then talk about it.
The talking is the point. You can disagree with everything you hear. You can say you think it’s nonsense. You can sit and say nothing at all for eight weeks and nobody will mind. There is no right answer you’re supposed to arrive at.
How it goes
We eat
Proper food round a table, about half an hour. Most people find this is the bit that makes the rest easy — you’ve already met everyone before anything starts.
We watch and listen
A mixture of short talks from the front — about ten minutes, TED-talk style — and film. One question each week. Nobody preaches at you and nobody asks you to sing anything.
We talk
Small groups, same people each week. This is the half of the evening that matters. Say what you think, ask what you like, or just listen.
Done by around 9pm. You’ll be home for the end of whatever you were watching.
The kinds of things we get into
Each evening starts from one honest question. These are the sort that come up — and the conversation usually goes wherever the group takes it.
- Is there more to life than this?
- Who was Jesus, really?
- Why is there suffering, if there’s a God?
- Does any of this stand up to scrutiny?
- How would anyone pray, and why bother?
- What do Christians actually do with the Bible?
- Does God still speak to people?
- What difference would it make to a Tuesday?
The things people actually worry about
Do I have to believe something to come?
No. Alpha is mostly for people who don’t. If you’re an atheist, a sceptic, someone who gave up on church years ago, or someone who has never thought about it until last Tuesday — you’re the person it’s for.
Will I be put on the spot?
No. Nobody goes round the circle. Nobody is asked to pray out loud or read anything. Plenty of people spend the first few weeks listening, and that’s completely normal.
What if I come once and hate it?
Then don’t come back. Honestly. There’s no sign-up you’re locked into, no one will chase you, and it won’t be awkward if we bump into each other in the Co-op.
Can I bring someone?
Please do. Most people find it much easier to come with a friend, and it’s a better conversation with more people in it. Just tell us so we cook enough.
What if I miss a week?
Come the next one. Life happens, and the evenings stand on their own — you won’t be lost if you’ve missed one.
What about the children?
There’s no crèche on Alpha evenings, so you’d need to sort childcare. If that’s the thing standing in your way, tell us — we’d rather know, because it might be solvable and you won’t be the only one asking.
Is it going to cost me anything?
No. The food and the evening are free. Nobody will pass a bucket round, and you won’t be asked for anything at the end.
Is this a recruitment drive for your church?
It’s a fair question, so here’s the honest answer. We’re a church and we do think Jesus is worth knowing about — we’re not pretending otherwise. But Alpha isn’t a way of getting you through our door on a Sunday. Plenty of people do Alpha, enjoy the conversation, decide it’s not for them and get on with their lives. That’s a perfectly good outcome.
Tell us you’re interested
You’re not committing to anything — you’re just asking us to let you know the venue and send you a reminder nearer the time. One line is plenty.
Tell us you’re interested →Rather ask a question first? Send us a message and a real person will answer it — usually Dan or Annie.