Youth Alpha

Youth Alpha is a brilliant course which we run across multiple schools and with multiple churches. This academic year we have delivered the course in Loreto and Townsend, with ongoing conversations on how more schools can be involved next year.

On top of this, this year, we have launched an area wide Youth Alpha, with Illuminate, St Paul's Church and Young Life. We launched this as a 'next step' invitation, off the back of the Illuminate Cathedral event in February.

It has been a fantastic course so far, with around 8 students attending each week, including the majority coming along to the Alpha Day.

The Alpha Day is a chance to spend slightly longer with the young people, looking specifically at the Holy Spirit. Conversations include questions about:

• Fruits of the Spirit
• What image comes to mind when thinking about the Holy Spirit
• The Holy Spirit being a helper

I had a brilliant conversation with 2 young girls, as they asked multiple questions about speaking in tongues, with one of them asking if I could teach them to say ‘Hello’ in tongues! As amusing as this was, it was a great question and opportunity to discuss more about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The session concludes with an opportunity to pray ‘Holy Spirit, Come’. This again was a beautiful and peace-filled moment, which led to honest and open discussion about waiting on God and being filled with faith that the Bible says, ‘Anyone who asks receives!’

Mary