What’s ALPHA?

August 18, 2010        

Dear Mosaic Family,

If you’ve been with us anytime during August, you’ve already heard a little bit about ALPHA.  But many of you still have a number of questions about what it is.  So today’s email will attempt to fill in some of the gaps and give us all a better understanding of just WHAT Alpha is. 

Alpha is a 10-week practical introduction to the Christian faith.  It seeks to answer some key questions most people have about God, life, faith and how it all fits together.  It is designed to give people a chance to discover God’s answers to life’s most important questions in a friendly, fun environment.  Whether someone is not a Christian, a new believer in Christ or a long-time follower of Jesus, Alpha seeks to give people a non-threatening, warm and friendship-building environment in which to pursue their questions. 

Each weekly session begins with an informal dinner followed by a large group teaching time (30-40 minutes).  The teaching is done by a wonderful London pastor named Nicky Gumbel (via DVD, of course). The end of the session is spent in small group discussion and interaction.  And, of course, there is coffee and dessert! 

Alpha is a ministry that has literally impacted millions of people world-wide.  It has brought tens of thousands of people to faith in Jesus Christ and helped untold numbers of believers be better grounded in their faith.  Every church we’ve talked to using Alpha has said that it has also helped significantly in developing leaders for all types of ministries. 

So…this fall, starting Sunday, September 12^th and ending November 21^st, we will be “doing Alpha” for all of us at Mosaic Fellowship.  This first round will give many of us an opportunity to experience it firsthand before we invite others to participate with us.  Then, in the future, you will know just how God can use this in your own neighborhood and with your own friends and family. 

If you would like to be part of this first round of Alpha, please SIGN UP @ MOSAIC over the next 3 Sundays OR go to www.mosaicspokane.com for a link which (we hope) will be up in the next few days. 

One last thing. Below is a list of some of the “hardware” we need to pull of the dinners at Second Space Gallery.  If you can help by LOANING us any of the following, please let Brenda Stapelton know at  or call her at 325-3472.  Thanks!

ITEMS NEEDED

--4-5 sets of dishes (8 or more place settings of dinner plates, cups & saucers, dessert plates, bowls)

--5-7 sets of table utensils (forks, knives, spoons, salad/dessert forks and extra spoons if available)

--40-50 nice water glasses (sets of 6-8 would be great!)

--8 rectangular cloth tablecloths (and matching cloth napkins would be nice if available)

--8 centerpieces (with candles would be nice.  Long, narrow and low for rectangular tables is best)

--2-4 large serving trays (any shape)

--4-6 sets of salt & pepper shakers

--4-6 2-quart pitchers for water on tables

--4-6 large thermoses for coffee and hot water

GET READY FOR SOME BLESSINGS!

Pastor John