Alpha campaign launched in city

By Keith Morris

A major Alpha course initiative has been launched in Norfolk involving over 40 churches of various denominations.
Backed by the team from Holy Trinity Brompton in London who first came up with the concept of Alpha, the September campaign has been simultaneously launched on 2000 billboard sites across the UK as well as in numerous press adverts and a special telephone hotline number. The campaign aims to offer everyone in the UK an opportunity to explore the meaning of life for the millennium.
In Norfolk up to 1000 people are expected to attend courses being run by over 40 churches according to Alpha regional adviser Stephen Mawditt: "We are seeing Alpha courses increasingly reaching out to those with no regular contact with church. Friends and relations of Christians are wanting to explore more about Jesus and the Christian faith."

Courses are being run by a wide range of churches including Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Vineyard, New Life and house churches, and although numbers are down slightly on last year Stephen is upbeat. "We are now seeing a serious core of churches taking on board the Alpha principles and running with them on an on-going basis," he said. "The percentage of non-Christians attending is greater than ever." Norwich Alpha co-ordinator, Geoff Lawton, said: "Tens of thousands of people have found Alpha to be an ideal way to explore the meaning of life in a non-threatening environment. I am sure many people in Norfolk will respond to this unique opportunity as the millennium approaches."
Nicky Gumbel, who helped to start the fact-finding Christian basics course back in 1992, launched the national campaign and

urged churches against complacency: "It's marvellous that so many churches are registering to be part of Alpha, but the fact is that 90 per cent of the population don't go anywhere near a church. If we don't attempt to do something about that it doesn't look very promising for the future."
An estimated 750,000 people in the UK have attended an Alpha course in the past five years and nationally over one and a half million special invitations have been printed for distribution to tens of thousands of churches this autumn.
For further information ring 01953-883390 for Stephen Mawditt, 01603 701750 for Geoff Lawton or 0171 581 8255 for HTB.

Course offers chance to explore meaning of life

Prisoners flock to new courses

Prisoners flock to new courses

Prisoners at Norwich jail have been flocking to Alpha courses which introduce people to the Christian faith. Three courses have been run by former Norwich prison officer Colin Sanderson and his wife Sheila, who live in Sprowston.

Colin said: "There has been a big upsurge in interest in Christianity in prisons throughout England and Wales where 126 prisons have run similar courses." The initiative in Norwich came after six years of prayer by Norwich Community Church who are also involved with the integration of Christian prisoners into the church environment.

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