Hours 17-20
I couldn’t believe it was the last Alpha Course. It felt like a few weeks ago everything started. In fact, before I got there I had forgotten that this was the last one so I got a little said when they told us. Also, the people I had met and worked with were people I loved getting to know and since we would be traveling a lot on weekends I knew I wouldn’t really get to see them much more.
Anyway, it was a fun night; we set up and cleaned up as usual. We served the incredible dinner (I can’t remember what it was called) and served some yummy chocolate cake for dessert. I refilled water jugs, and did some dishes. We were pretty good, by now, at efficiency. I got the system down to where most everything I could get off the table, with the exception of the drinks, I got off before the speaker started, so as to have to do less dishes afterward.
It was really neat because at the end of the night they opened the floor for people to speak. This one man stood up and said this is his second Alpha Course to do and it has meant so much more to him. He was so thankful to have questions answered and loved getting to know the people, both members and non-members, at St. Aldates church. He said he enjoyed the retreat. He said though he is not quite there (to Christianity) he is thankful for what he has learned and is planning on the continued search. This was so cool for me to hear because it illustrated to me that that is our purpose as Christians; not to make other Christians, but to explain as best we can and share the love of Christ. From then on, God takes care of their hearts.
It was also neat to see what I have had the opportunity to be a part of. It is hard to see how God is using you, when all you do is behind the scenes stuff and I’m not really getting to interact much with the people. But it was cool to see that the jobs and sometimes seemingly menial tasks were all for a purpose and they truly had significance.
At the end of the night, they formally thanked us for the help by giving us a huge tin of Cadbury chocolate and thanking us for coming. Also, the vicar came up to me and thanked me personally for being consistent in coming to help with Alpha and he had made sure almost every week to come tell us how thankful he was for us. I’m sad it’s over. Hopefully some day I’ll come back here and visit and who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be back long enough to help out with the Course again.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Hours 13-16
The second to the last Alpha was a typical night with a speaker and worship and everything, but this time the people who came had just gotten back from the "Alpha Away Day" which is the little retreat. It sounded really neat and it showed those who were truely dedicated.
We served about half the amount of people that started out coming to the Alpha Course on the first night, but we still set up for the same number of people. It is really neat to see the faith of the people at St. Aldates. I love how much they pray and intercede before each Tuesday night.
We came and most of everything was laready set up for some reason. Usually, we have to do a lot more beforehand, but I guess people had showed up early and set up most of the table settings. The only real things left for us to do was divie up the desserts and slice up lemons for the water.
It has been really neat to see that even this late in the game, those on leadership at the church and the volunteers for the Alpha Course are doing everything as nice, neat, and professional as they started out. People hadn't been slacking or anything.
I ended up serving dinner next to a sweet young girl from Oxford named Georgie. We got to talk a lot too, which is always fun and interesting. I got to see Joceclyn again too and talk and joke with her a bit more as well.
The prayers and everything went a bit longer so we stayed a little bit later to clean up, as to not disturb any group prayers and discussions. At this point the discussions were getting even deeper and the prayers longer. So we cleaned and helped out for a little longer than normal, but we also did not have to do as much at the beginning.
Overall, it was a great night. To top it off, the interns invited us over to hang out again, which was loads of fun. It was encouraging to be around them
We served about half the amount of people that started out coming to the Alpha Course on the first night, but we still set up for the same number of people. It is really neat to see the faith of the people at St. Aldates. I love how much they pray and intercede before each Tuesday night.
We came and most of everything was laready set up for some reason. Usually, we have to do a lot more beforehand, but I guess people had showed up early and set up most of the table settings. The only real things left for us to do was divie up the desserts and slice up lemons for the water.
It has been really neat to see that even this late in the game, those on leadership at the church and the volunteers for the Alpha Course are doing everything as nice, neat, and professional as they started out. People hadn't been slacking or anything.
I ended up serving dinner next to a sweet young girl from Oxford named Georgie. We got to talk a lot too, which is always fun and interesting. I got to see Joceclyn again too and talk and joke with her a bit more as well.
The prayers and everything went a bit longer so we stayed a little bit later to clean up, as to not disturb any group prayers and discussions. At this point the discussions were getting even deeper and the prayers longer. So we cleaned and helped out for a little longer than normal, but we also did not have to do as much at the beginning.
Overall, it was a great night. To top it off, the interns invited us over to hang out again, which was loads of fun. It was encouraging to be around them
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