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Alpha Day Away

Last Saturday saw the Alpha Day Away, an important part of each course. Ruth Woodhouse, one of the leaders, sent us this brief report.

Pilgrim Hall

Alpha Day Away - 25^th October 2008.

The Alpha Day Away is an important part of the 10 week Alpha Course, and focuses on the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the day is to give people the chance to understand what the Holy Spirit is, and for some, it can be a crucial turning point in their Christian journey.

There were 19 delegates attending and the venue was Pilgrim Hall Christian Retreat Centre, Easons Green, Uckfield, near Tonbridge Wells. When we arrived we were met with morning refreshments before we started the first session. This was titled ‘Who is the Holy Spirit?’ The whole group watched the DVD of Nicky Gumbel explaining who the Holy Spirit is, and then split into small groups for discussion.

Nicky Gumbel

Below are the questions discussed in the smaller groups:-

Session 1 – Who is the Holy Spirit?

Was there anything form the DVD that helped you understand who the Holy Spirit is or anything you would like to ask more about?
All this talk about the ‘Spirit’ how does it make you feel?
Look up the following bible verses with the group- each time asking the questions in bold type

The Promises Fulfilled	*Who is the promised Spirit Person?*	*What does he do?*
Luke 3:16-17	Jesus	He will baptise with the Holy Spirit v16
Luke 3: 21,22	Jesus, God’s son	He is pleasing to God
Luke 4:16-21	Jesus	He fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1,2
Acts 1:4,5	Jesus	He baptises his apostles with the Holy spirit
Acts 2:32-33	Jesus	He receives the spirit from the father and poured him out on his apostles
Acts 2:38- 39	Jesus	He provides forgiveness and the spirit to all those who repent and are baptised in his name

After the first session we had a break for lunch and this gave time for people to explore the beautiful grounds and visit the book shop.

The second session was titled ‘What does the Holy Spirit do?’ This session focused on the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ and the ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ mentioned in Galatians 5, verses 22 & 23, and 1 Corinthians 12, verses 1 – 11. We then split into small groups to discuss what we had heard on the DVD before breaking for afternoon refreshments. Below are the questions discussed in the smaller groups:

Session 2- What does the Holy Spirit Do?

Was there anything from the DVD that helped you understand what the Holy Spirit does or anything you would like to ask more about?
Did you know or do you know the difference between the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. Look at 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 ( Gifts) and Galatians 5 :22-23 (Fruit) – (the main difference is gifts are for doing stuff – fruits are about who we are – gifts are many and we have one or more different ones but fruit is singular and we are to display all the fruit as we grow – its not about picking ad choosing the fruits)
What Gifts would you desire to have?
Which aspect of the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit do you feel you need help with?

The third and final session was titled ‘How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?’ We watched the DVD and then Major Drew McCombe spoke to the whole group and gave an opportunity for people to be prayed with and reflect on what they had discovered throughout the day. Some felt a real presence of the Holy Spirit, while others took time to just sit and reflect, whilst listening to music.

As each week progresses, the whole group seems to get closer, especially during group discussion. The Day Away gave the chance for new friendships to develop further, and for each one, a further development on their Christian journey.

Acts 2 v 38 and 39: Peter replied: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.”