Alpha 2008 - A Personal Review

“Alpha”

 Alpha’s at an end now but before we close the book

It’s worth stopping to remind ourselves of the journey that we took

We crept through these doors so long ago, not quite sure what to do

For some of us, familiar ground; for others, something new

I remember well that opening night, exchanging banter ever slicker

With a pleasant young man in a shiny shirt (I didn’t know he was a Vicar!)

Songs of worship and words of praise, smiles all around, no sign of sulks

I was delighted to let my mother know, it was nothing like a cult!

We’ve listened to many people speak of the lessons in their lives

Their journeys of faith and ministry, and  of sinners, saints and Jesus Christ

We’ve heard how Church just isn’t boring! Why faith’s exciting, never dull

Of the part we all play in this living faith, how to live life and to the full!

We’ve learnt how to pray and give thanks to God, to be guided by His voice

To give our lives into His hands and to be faithful to His choice

We’ve learned of sin and how it moves within every aspect of our lives

And how we are redeemed in heavenly eyes by the most terrible sacrifice

We’ve thought of the evil in this world, how it whispers every day

How it attacks us every time we breathe, yet how it trembles when we pray

We’ve learned how to read our Bible (once it’s been dusted off the shelf!)

And how words spoken from so long ago can offer guidance, love and help

We spent a day together, to speak of the Holy Spirit, the Trinity

How one plus one plus one is one (though at school, that was always three!)

Thanks to Julie (with the leaky eyes) for making such confusion clearer!

The prayers we shared to invite the Spirit in, brought all of us ever nearer

Tears and laughter, hopes and fears as we looked at how God heals

Of the hope we give through all our prayers, and the comfort that we feel

Do we shout our faith from the rooftops? Do we whisper in our soul?

God knows the part we all do play, in sharing His word in our own

So we become His living church, growing in fellowship and faith

Supporting each other through our common bond & through His loving grace

Looking ever forward, either together or our separate ways

From this moment on through all the years, and to the end of all our days

So a huge thank you to Alpha, to those who managed, planned and cooked

Who gave their words, worked PowerPoint, or handed out the books

We’ll never forget these times nor those closest to our hearts

Julie, with her leaky eyes, and David Brewster on guitar!

Pam Robinson February 2009