Alpha for Youth program now available in west Caledon area

Tweens and teens in the communities of Terra Cotta, west Caledon and Glen Williams will have an exciting new opportunity to explore Christianity and the meaning of life at an upcoming Alpha for Youth program, being offered by Union Presbyterian Church.

The Alpha for Youth program is a spin-off from the popular Alpha Course, which was first devised at Holy Trinity Brompton, London, England and has enjoyed global popularity, now boasting about 24,000 completed courses worldwide.

But as the original Alpha program grew and evolved, course leaders began to search for ways to present the materials in a way that would appeal to and attract a younger audience. With this goal in mind, Alpha for Youth was born.

Like the original Alpha course, Alpha for Youth is a 10-week practical exploration of the Christian faith, designed primarily for non-church goers and new Christians.

While videos are an integral part of the adult Alpha course, they are not included in the speciallydesigned youth curriculum, which instead focuses on presentations that are both more interactive and faster paced.

Alpha for Youth is a bold new undertaking for the congregation of the Union Presbyterian Church, which will celebrate its 175th anniversary this spring, and they invite all area youth from Grade 7 through high school to participate.

"This will be an exciting opportunity for our youth to explore Christianity and its meaning," commented David Thompson, an elder at Union Presbyterian Church and the team leader for this new youth project.

The program begins next Saturday (Feb. 23) at Union Presbyterian Church, 16789 22nd Sideroad (near the corner of Winston Churchill Boulevard and Old School Road) and will run for 10 consecutive Saturday morning sessions, from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. Each session will begin with a hot, hearty, family-style breakfast with discussion groups to follow.

For more information on how you can become involved in this dynamic new youth opportunity, or to register your participation, contact David Thompson at (905) 877-8466 or at elmlawn@aztec-net.com, or Emma Rock at (905) 877- 5506 or at rocks@aztecnet. com