This past Tuesday I got the unique opportunity to volunteer with a program called the Alpha Course. It is held every Tuesday night at a church in downtown Oxford called St. Aldates. Before I went, I did not really know much about the program except that it was an evangelistic course for non-Christians. I was interested to see how this evangelism was going to be different from that which I had experienced in America.
We got there at around 6:00 p.m. to help set up for dinner. I thought it was so neat because they set out nice table cloths, nice dishes, candles, and center pieces. They set out the best for the guests. There were five of us from ACU and a handful of people that were volunteer members of the church. We helped set out the Alpha Course booklets, pens, tables, made punch, and really did anything they needed us to do.
Guests were due to arrive at seven, at which time we got ready to serve dinner. They have a hired chef to cook all the meals. He made a beef and vegetable sauce with rice and salad. There was also a vegetarian option which were sweet potatoe cakes and green beans. It was incredible food. We served the guests and everyone was very polite, thankful, and friendly. I have found the stereotype of the British people being rude is not true at all.
Serving dinner was fun because I served beside a lady in her upper thirties named Joselyn. She was very funny and had actually lived in TYler, TX for a few years. We talked about some differences in culture. She was very friendly and witty. She said that she might even take me to the Cadburry factory. It was fun to make a new friend. We talked a little bit about our families too. It was fun getting to know her and I'm looking forward to getting to work with her each week.
Once all the tables were served and had time to come back and get seconds, we took the food away and took desserts to their tables. Everyone got their own piece of cake (which also were beautiful and delicious). After we had cleared all the food from their tables and left them with their desserts, we went into the kitchen to start washing and then we served ourselves. We took our plates out and ate while the speaker was talking.
It was so neat to hear how they do this course. It is extremely non-threatening and they are very respectful that not everyone has the same religion or views and thoughts about God. The course last for a term (which is about three months) and people keep coming back if they want to and each week builds on the previous. This first week the speaker gave his own testimony of how he came to Christ, which was actually because he went to an Alpha Course 30 years earlier.
I asked Jocelyn how people know about the Alpha Course and she said almost everyone has heard of it even if they do not know what exactly it is. She said there are flyers around town. Also, she told me it is something that many churches do all over the nation. I thought it was neat because after the speaker spoke they had discussion time at the tables. There were about eight people at each table and they were grouped according to age, interests, and ethnicities. For example there were student tables, Chinese tables, etc... At each table there were one or two members of the church that they coud ask questions. It was a really relxaed atmosphere and people just thought out loud to each other and exchanged ideas, thoughts, and questions.
I'm really excited about getting to know the other people we were working with too. They were really funny, nice, and helpful. it is so neat to me how that one thing in common (our faith) has bonded us so quickly. I look forward to learning from them and seeing how this Alpha Course Progresses.
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