ALPHA NEWS

January - April 2012 The Alpha Singapore Newsletter

MICA (P) 140/01/2012

TRANSFORMED
Inside: personal experiences of people from all walks of life who have attended an Alpha Course

LIVES
In this edition:
Sign up now: Relationship Central Workshop, 18th Feb 2012 Book Review: The Parenting Book by Nicky & Sila Lee

THE EVANGELISATION OF OUR NATION...

Youth Alpha Leaders and Helpers Share Their Faith-Affirming Experiences

I was initially concerned about connecting with the youth to get them to open up so they can share their opinions on the talks or the discussion questions. It was hard to know exactly what went on in their minds during the two months. But as time passed, they shared their personal experiences and opinions and even started to bond with each other. Over the Weekend Away, some of them accepted Jesus as their Saviour even though they were not receptive at the beginning. Being a leader on Youth Alpha has been fulfilling as it gave me the chance to show and spread the goodness of Christ to the younger youth. It also brought me closer to God. I really enjoyed helping out. - Claire Tng, 17 years old. At first when I was asked to help out during Youth Alpha, the first thought that came to my mind was how to cope with my busy school schedule! I also felt that my faith wasnt that strong. But when I chose to serve in this Youth Alpha, I knew I had made the right decision despite challenges along the way. I discovered that helping out actually strengthened my faith. Honestly I doubted God at times especially when I had problems at school or with friends, but as I saw how He worked in the lives of the youth, my faith gradually grew stronger. Being a Youth Alpha leader has helped me see the changes in the lives of different people from different backgrounds, how God moves between each and everyone of them. I have learnt how different people view God and how they express their love for Him. Seeing how people have changed and become better persons has really assured me that God does wonders.

Having a break during the weekend away

This has totally changed my view of God and allowed me to recognize that He will always be there for me. This experience has changed my life, my mindset, my thinking and most importantly my faith. - Benedict Tan, 16 years old. As the majority were only 13 14 year olds, I was worried that our talks were complicated for them to understand. Compared to our previous group this group were quite distant from their leaders. No one really knew their opinion of the Christian faith. All the leaders had a hard time figuring out what was on the minds of each young person as everyone was so quiet! All we could do was to pray and rely on God to be sensitive to the youths thoughts and emotions, and that He would eventually remove the walls of silence and distance. Gradually, the youth began to open up and were more comfortable with each other. Then through games and interaction during the Weekend Away, walls finally came down and friendships were made and strengthened! There were even some youth singing out loud and worshipping with all their hearts! So at the end, our fears were unfounded as there was no resistance or hindrances to prevent the young people from accepting Jesus into their lives. How great and amazing our God is and He really deserves all glory and praise! Indeed, strength will arise as we wait upon the Lord, empowering His people to feed the lost sheep and one day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. - Jessica Goh, 25 years old

At their Weekend Away held at the Nat Country Club

ional Service Resort &

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THE EVANGELISATION OF OUR NATION...

No More Baggage
By Jeffrey Lim
Life is certainly full of challenges, and a challenging life used to be something I embraced. Whenever there were difficulties in my life, I would always overcome it on my own and never felt a need to have a God in my life. Because logic was important to me, I hated religion and superstitions as I believed that there was proof and reasoning to everything. So when things did not go according to plan, I had difficulty in finding explanations and letting go of failures. I was an angry, bitter person and did not have any peace. Life was meaningless to me. However during times of desperation, I had an inexplicable urge to go to church and to read the Bible. As I read the Bible, I wanted to know more, especially about God and this person called Jesus. But the more I read, the more questions I had and I would even search the internet for answers. When I found out that Kum Yan Methodist Church was running an Alpha Course, I signed up for it. My experience on Alpha [Jeffrey and his dog Lucky] was wonderful - everyone was so friendly. The lively interaction during our small group discussions and the comfortable atmosphere of each evening was refreshing for me. Best of all, no topic was off limits and I took full advantage of this, voicing out many of my questions. And through the discussions I grew amazed by Gods Word. Human philosophers like Confucius, Zhuang Zi, or Plato can offer wisdom but they each have their flaws. His Word really made sense to me and became a light for my path and a lamp unto my feet. I was no longer a skeptic. During the Alpha Weekend away, I prayed to receive the Holy Spirit. I was overwhelmed by emotions because I saw my past sufferings flashing before me, one by one, disappearing and taking away the emotional baggage I had carried my whole life. From that weekend, I acknowledged Jesus as the Lord of my life and that God, who is our Father in heaven, is real! I began to experience His love for me in my everyday life. I have been asked whether I have forgotten all my past unhappiness. And I answer, No, I have not forgotten but the memories do not make me sad anymore! Since I began this relationship with God, I am overflowing with joy and feel secure, and I can now understand why people say Christianity is not just a religion, but is about a very personal relationship with God. I am still the logical person I was before, but God has opened my eyes and I believe that science and logic do not contradict the Bible. What is illogical to me now is how we try to use our limited minds and finite understanding to understand a God who is infinite. And we simply disbelieve what we cannot understand or prove. Finding hope in God has been a very precious gift for me and I feel very blessed. My hope is that you will find Him for yourself soon if you havent already!

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THE EVANGELISATION OF OUR NATION...

Encountering God during lunch

Dedicated members from the Catholic Prayer Society - the Catholic Alpha Cell (CAC) have been running Alpha in the Workplace annually during lunch time to allow guests working in the financial district an opportunity to explore the meaning of life beyond the rat race for money and power. Here are the reflections of some of the guests from their recent run of Alpha: Being on Alpha has allowed me to draw closer to our faith and to gain a better understanding through the talks, and sharing and reflection during group discussion. Alpha has reinforced my understanding that believing in God ought to make a difference in the way a person lives. Having a belief in God also greatly affects how we relate to each other on a daily basis. To believe in God means to believe in love, to love Him and to love others. Initially, it was the group sharing that was rather intimidating as I am very much a private person but through the Holy Spirit, I actually overcame that barrier quite well and was able to share with the group my deepest feelings and thoughts, even though I did not know everyone well.
[All ready for the course!]

Having been on Alpha has enlightened me very much and the mass, gospel and homilies have all come alive for me as I can now relate to them better. Praise to the Lord our God that He has led me to this CAC where I could meet with other brothers and sisters from different parishes, and to glorify God together through our weekly sharing and reflection. The Day Away was amazing and should remain as a regular feature of future Alpha Courses. It was very good spiritual enrichment to put everything else aside and spend the afternoon with our Lord. I was healed completely of a past hurt that I had harboured for over 40 years. This would not have been possible without the power of the Holy Spirit and the strong support and prayers of fellow group members and facilitators. I now understand the power of Gods love and the way He works to help the release of this past hurt and have never been happier. Thank you very much to the CAC team! My faith has increased and I am convinced that God is always present among us, any place, any time. To find out more about the next Course email alphacac@catholic.org or visit their website for more details: www.cps.org.sg/

[Enjoying a delicious lunch]

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...AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR SOCIETY

Parenting Workshop Empowers Parents To Build Stronger Families

During a one-day Parenting Workshop organized by Alpha Singapore last November at The Bible Church, 20 participants from Bedok Methodist Church, Christ Methodist Church, Covenant Community Methodist Church, River of Life Community Church and St Johns-St Margarets Church were introduced to the principles and practicalities of running these two courses. Apart from the overview, course participants also took part in sample sessions which encouraged experiential learning as they went through DVD teaching sessions and group discussions. Topics covered included Building Strong Foundations and Keeping The End In Mind. The wonderful thing about this course is that it is easy to run you dont have to be a professional; you dont have to have a perfect family life,said Daniel Lee, National Coordinator. Our prayer is that more people will sign up to learn how to run a course so that churches and the community at large will be blessed by stronger and more loving families.

[Participants at the Parenting Workshop, 12 November 2011]

Parents feel more pressure than ever today and many are in need of support and encouragement. The Parenting Children Course and The Parenting Teenagers Course aim to help parents grow in confidence and feel less isolated as they cope with the challenges of raising young children and guiding teenagers in todays world.

Relationship Central Workshop

18 February 2012
Join us for a day of equipping, training, motivating and empowering. There are two tracks to choose from Parenting and Marriage:
1) The Parenting track will equip you to run the two new courses from Relationship Central: The Parenting Children Course and The Parenting Teenagers Course 2) The Marriage track will equip you to run The Marriage Course

Date: Saturday, 18 February 2012 Venue: Hakka Methodist Church, 1B Evelyn Road Singapore 309298. Registration: $25 per person (Includes lunch, refreshments and training materials) To download the agenda or to register online please visit www.relationshipcentral.org.sg/events-registration or email events@alpha.org.sg
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...AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR SOCIETY

Book Review: The Parenting Book by Nicky & Sila Lee

Written with wit and humility, this book is a wealth of knowledge for parents looking to improve their parenting skills and their relationships with their children. It offers practical advice on how to raise children into confident, secure adults who are able to fulfil their God-given potential and build good relationships with others. It also provides valuable insights on how to spiritually nurture a child. The authors, Nicky & Sila Lee, have been married for over 30 years and have 4 children. They both work at the Holy Trinity Brompton church in London, and have helped thousands through their courses on marriage, parenting and family life. Besides drawing from their own parenting experiences, the book also contains practical tips from other parents. It expounds on how the Christian faith helped the authors raised their children, and principles of good parenting, which makes the book a useful resource to non-Christians as well. The book covers other interesting topics, such as creating special family time, ways of showing love to children, building their character through setting boundaries, and helping them make good life choices. Furthermore, it gives suggestions on how parents can adapt their parenting style to suit the character and needs of each child. The authors never dismissed the hard work and sacrifice of committed parenting, yet constantly acknowledged that their strength and wisdom as parents always came from God. They are frank about their parental shortcomings and frustrations, making this an assuring read for readers who feel alone in their struggles as parents. The book is also littered with many hilarious yet thought-provoking illustrations by Charlie Mackesy, which pokes fun at parent-child encounters, providing a tasteful balance in content. As a parent of a 17-month old (my first born), I have found this book to be a useful guide on the practical aspects of child rearing. More importantly, it provoked me to intentionally think through how my spouse and I can work towards shaping our childs character and values under Gods guidance. I found the book to be engaging and light, even though there were more than 500 pages. At the end of each chapter, there would be a pause and consider box listing some questions for reflection. I have found this particularly useful because it helped me prayerfully reflect on the situation in my family, and think about the lessons I have learnt from the chapter.

The books conversational and genuine voice, and its rich content makes it a must-read for any parent committed to bringing up their child in a loving, God-centered environment.

IS

I would strongly recommend this book to all parents, especially first-time parents looking for a guide to Christian parenting. The books conversational and genuine voice, and its rich content makes it a must-read for any parent committed to bringing up their child in a loving, God-centered environment. Reviewed by Ms Mok Wai Mun. Wai Mun was a lawyer for many years before deciding to embark on a new path of being a full-time mother. She attends Wesley Methodist Church.

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...AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR SOCIETY

WE HAVE MOVED
Alpha Singapore & Alpha Asia Pacific, Blk 8D Dempsey Road #03-02, Singapore 249672
Getting to our office if you are not driving: Dempsey shuttle bus service available at the following pick-up points: Dempsey Hill, Blk 8D Bus-stop outside Gleneagles Hospital Bus-stop in front of Thai Embassy Orchard Boulevard Road (In front of Four Seasons Park) In front of Au Petit Salut (Bus-stop B01) For shuttle service times please visit our website: alpha.org.sg/contact-us Bus Services: 105 106 123 174 7 75 77 NR8

KIN EE PAR FR

G!

WHO IS JESUS?
HOW CAN WE HAVE FAITH?

IS THERE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS? BECOME AN ALPHA FRIEND!

Freely you have received, freely give... Matthew 10:8b An Alpha Friend is one who makes it possible for Alpha Singapore to carry out its life transforming mission through one-time donations or a monthly donation by credit card. By becoming an Alpha Friend, you will have the joy of knowing that you are making a meaningful difference, and that you are changing peoples lives forever by leaving a legacy of peace, love, joy and purpose for them. In gratitude to God for His blessings, I would like to support Alpha Singapore: One-time Donation: $ _____________________________________ Monthly Donation: $10 p/m $30 p/m ($1/day) $60 p/m ($2/day) $100 p/m Other amount: $ _______ p/m DONATION MODE

WHY DID JESUS DIE?

WHY & HOW IDO I THE BIBLE? PRAY? WHY & HOW SHOULD READ
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WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO?

HOW CAN I BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?
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Please mail to: Alpha Singapore, Blk 8D Dempsey Road #03-02, Singapore 249672

HOW DOES GOD GUIDE US? WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

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The Alpha Course - an opportunity to explore the meaning of life

Dear Friends
Happy New Year to you and your family! All of us at Alpha Singapore are looking forward to many opportunities to serve churches and organizations and discovering Gods goodness in the year ahead. We remain committed to transforming lives through the Alpha Course and related ministries particularly the new Relationship Central courses like The Parenting Children Course and The Parenting Teenagers Course. We remain committed to training and ministering volunteers and leaders across churches, cell groups, youth groups, educational institutions, workplaces and half-way houses. The challenge of sharing the Good News continues before us and your willingness to sacrifice time and share your resources has been a great encouragement to all of us in the past year. Indeed we thank you for your prayers and financial support and look forward to working with you to fulfill the Great Commission. There are several exciting events in our calendar, amongst them are our annual fundraising Alpha Partners Dinner in February, Alpha Training Events in April and May, and the Global Alpha Prayer Week and Alpha Invitation in July and August. We prayerfully invite you to join us at these events to impact our nation. With Gods help we will surely continue to see more people coming to hear about Jesus. Blessings,

The Alpha Singapore Team

P.S. If you would like to volunteer in this, please write in to hr@alpha.org.sg or call us at 6469 5085. We would love to team up with you!

[Newsletter Publisher: Alpha Singapore | Chief Editor: Philip Oh | Editor: Chiam Ai-Ling | Printer: Hock Cheong Printing Pte Ltd]

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