français · index français · indexThere is a remarkable story about how the "StatCanAlpha" got started, and how it has worked out in practice. Our experience is especially interesting because Alpha courses (a 15 session introduction to Christianity) in the workplace, let alone government, are rare. The manager at Canterbury House bookstore, who sells the videos and manuals for the course, told me he had heard of no other workplace Alpha. Usually churches offer the courses.
StatCanAlpha began as a millennium goal. Although participants in the two Bible studies at Statistics Canada showed interest in the project, an initiating team was not formed. After three months of inquiries it seemed the project would not see the light of day in the year 2000.
Then one day in March a young man sheepishly poked his head in on our Bible Fellowship and asked if he could join us. It turned out he was searching for some answers to eternal questions. After he had been attending the fellowship for several weeks, I asked if he might like to receive a broad introduction to Christianity by taking an Alpha course at the office. He thought it a great idea for people like himself, and offered to help. We very quickly had a third volunteer from our Bible Fellowship. One turned out to be an anxious student and a constant help, and the other an organizer devoted to prayer and a session leader.
One of our initial concerns was whether many would be interested in the course. We agreed that however few in number we were, so long as even one found a new sense of purpose in life, we would be happy. How surprised we were when over 30 attended our first video! The numbers remained at 12 to 26 for most of the sessions. The good turnout can be attributed to the quality of the videos, our Intranet notice, and our reminder to come along each week with lunch and a friend. Most liked the course very much and returned for several of the sessions.
As more joined the sessions, the total grew to about 18 women and 20 men. All age groups below 60 were represented. About 15 were newcomers to Canada and two led most of the sessions. Seven from the Statistics Canada Toastmasters Club joined, and three became session leaders. More important than numbers, several people said that the course had deepened their faith or helped them get a good grounding in the Christian faith. Leadership skills were also developed by some who previously had had little leadership experience. "Find your own replacement", a good motto for small group leaders, was an easy task with this group.
Each session consisted of an introduction before the video and discussion following it. The videos ran for about 45 minutes, leaving little time for attendees to get to know each other well. To compensate for the lack of discussion time, we encouraged visits to our Bible Fellowship or informal discussion sessions in the cafeteria. Despite the time crunch, friendships developed or were strengthened. Informal invitations to lunch or coffee seemed to work better than the group gatherings. Attendance at our Bible Fellowship grew a little, and more importantly, a sense of fellowship and presence of the Holy Spirit developed.
Following requests that the series be repeated, a new session was begun in the Coats Building in Fall 2000, co-ordinated by two newcomers to Canada. One attendee organized a French-speaking StatCanAlpha and Bible Fellowship which began meeting in January 2001. At least eight of the participants in the first Alpha course were French speaking. Leadership skills and interest in such ventures were now firmly in place.
After the second Alpha course, a Beta course (a follow-up video series) was run from January to March 2001, also in the Library conference room. Our prayer is that this and related video programs will continue to change lives, complement the Bible Fellowships in Statistics Canada, and enrich workplace friendships.
It was a great experience for me to repeat the course after three years, since it helped me to better understand areas such as the nature of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I enjoyed getting to know new people and seeing the readiness of some to lead the group. Despite an increasing sense of fellowship in the group, however, there was not much time for discussion. But each meeting had its own delights. The very last meeting was attended by a new Statistics Canada employee who expressed interest in returning for the next course, and in leading. One member borrowed the last video in order to show it to family and friends at home and other members carried the joy of Alpha into the Toastmasters Club. My own life and those of others seemed changed by the course. And four or more who were curious about Christianity are now either fully committed or well on their way, interested to continue, and equipped with informal Christian mentors.
Initially, I had mentioned to a seeker that the course would be a success if even one person were changed in a fundamental way. At the end of the course when this same seeker was concerned about the number of people who would attend the next Alpha, I reminded him of the minimal goal of two or three gathered in His name. He replied that numbers were also important. The summary of Christ's message is to spread the good news to every creature, so numbers are important. I was therefore pleased to see that publicity was being emphasized for the next course. A few group members seemed especially suited to this role. They also brought people in by asking friends and went to prayer, the best method of all. Over 15 were in regular attendance in the second course, led by three new co-ordinators.
Some problems remain for a noon hour Alpha. The most pressing is that the
one hour available leaves only ten minutes or so for discussion, and very
few are willing or able to stay the extra time for discussion. The number present
usually exceeded the maximum number of 12 recommended for discussion groups. Some leaders in our group felt reluctant to cut out some of the videos, or shorten them to allow more discussion time. Encouraging the members to attend Bible study helps for some. Befriending the seekers present and spending a coffee break or lunch seems to
have most potential for meeting the need for discussion. We therefore decided to
place greater stress on both of these approaches in follow-up courses. To
make most effective use of the limited group discussion time, each person will be asked to record questions on a slip of paper during the video. These questions could then be discussed after the video or in more informal meetings at a later time. These solutions
are not ideal, so we will continue to experiment.
Frank Jones, March, 2001