Bloomcare Rowan Garth is a care village built on Christian values, embracing cultural diversity. A leading care provider in the UK, Bloomcare takes a person-centric approach to formulating care plans, tailoring each one to the specific needs and wants of the individual, celebrating their uniqueness and lives while prioritising their dignity and wellbeing.
Bloomcare’s Alpha Courses provide opportunities to explore the Christian faith, offering a safe space for participants to share their point of view and ask questions. Hosted by Bloomcare Lighthouse once a year, Alpha Courses are a series of sessions that explore Christianity, incorporating talks that each address a different question surrounding the Christian faith and create conversation.
Alpha Courses are staged all over the world today, and everyone is welcome. They are presented in churches, cafes, universities – and even in people’s homes. No two Alpha Courses are exactly the same, although they generally have three key things in common: a talk, food and good conversation.
Designed to inspire and engage participants in conversation, the talks are generally around 30 minutes long and delivered over about 11 weeks. They may be presented in person or played as a video. Alpha Course talks explore important issues around the Christian faith, unpacking the basics of Christianity and addressing questions that may range in topic and weight from ‘How does God guide us?’ and ‘How do I pray?’ to ‘Who is Jesus?’
Whether it is a quick catch up over tea and biscuits or a group of friends gathered around the dinner table, food brings people together. It is no different at Alpha. Most course sessions commence with food because it is an excellent way of building community, encouraging participants to open up, talk and get to know each other.
The most important aspect of Alpha Courses is discussion, presenting participants with the opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts on a particular topic before talking them through with the group. Of course, there is no obligation to say anything. Equally, there is nothing participants are not allowed to say either. The discussion aspect presents a vital opportunity for participants to contribute their own perspective in an open, friendly and honest environment, as well as listen to the opinions of others.
About Alpha Courses
Alpha started at the Holy Trinity Brompton church in London in 1977. In 1990, Nicky Gumbel repositioned Alpha Course for people outside the congregation. The number of individuals attending Alpha Courses at Holy Trinity Brompton quickly grew into the hundreds, attracting the attention of other churches as a valuable tool for evangelism.
Today, millions of people around the world have participated in Alpha Courses, which have been translated into 112 languages. Even as times have changed, Alpha Courses have remained an effective tool, used by the church to reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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