What and Why Alpha?
I’m working full time for Alpha USA and am thrilled about it! I didn’t see this coming a year ago and yet the past 12 months has been a clear picture of what it looks like to sense God at work around me. Here’s what happened…
Leadership Conference 2019, London
A few years ago I learned of the Alpha Course. While on a trip to London in 2019 to attend Leadership Conference and Holy Trinity Brompton, I saw up close what happens when people are invited into open and honest and judgement-free conversations about faith. I’ve had a growing love for the people of San Francisco over the past 12 years. Running Alpha was the bridge I wanted to extend between our church and our city.
It is risky to personally invite someone. And it’s also worth it! I’m starting my 8th session of the Alpha Course and think it’s the best place to bring my friends and neighbors to join me and others around the table for a meal and discussion about life’s biggest questions.
Alpha Online during Pandemic
Here I was leading it at our church in San Francisco and every now and then I learned of another church or parish doing the same. I attended a few regional training events and the Alpha Conference. Every experience made me full of wonder at how this simple course was making people feel so welcomed and comfortable to ask their questions and share their doubts and be themselves.
Alpha Regional Training in Fremont with team from Epic Church
Last October, I was invited to join a group of people in the Bay Area who were praying every other week for an Alpha network to form in Northern California - a way to unify what the Holy Spirit was doing in this part of the world in the Church.
Around January 2022 on these prayer calls, I was happy to pray for the network and for Jesus to be more known in our area, but as we were praying for the director of this network, I hesitated to pray out loud. I sensed inside of me the possibility that I was the answer to this particular prayer.
This led to me asking God, are you sure? Really? I reminded God how much I love leading Alpha at my church and He reminded me there are so many other churches who don’t know about Alpha.
I reminded Him I was a mom raising teenagers and married to a lead pastor who was casting a vision for permanent church space in the city. He pointed out our teens are independent because we and SF made them that way and that Ben has always had my support plus an incredible team around him.
The last round with God I told Him I was a writer and an introvert. He replied that He made me a missionary long ago, giving me words to both say and write. This opportunity would have plenty of introverted hours in a week, but just like I can be extroverted when God needs me to be (particularly on Sundays) His Spirit would continue to empower me.
So after a thorough interview process this May through July, I said yes to being the Northern California Alpha Network Director! I join an incredible team of intercessors, strategic leaders, and Kingdom driven men and women who are all about people knowing how much Jesus loves us!
In case you’re wondering, my teens are so happy their mom is working her dream job as we send our oldest to college this fall and the other three rock high school.
Epic Church has a permanent home as of recently and I will continue to be invested in our Alpha courses there. I will keep using my words through speaking and writing as Translating Jesus releases August 2023 and as I get to share about Jesus at churches and conferences as my extroverted self allows.
Will you pray with me? I want people all over Northern California to know there is a God who made us, sees us, calls us by name and loves us. His Son, Jesus, died to free us from a life of sin and self and to bring us into a life with Him that’s abundant and eternal. And today His Spirit is among us to help us understand His Word and to empower us how to go into all the world and make disciples.