Small group ministry provides an opportunity for persons to grow more deeply together in Christ. Through personal sharing, praying, caring, serving and rejoicing, participants experience deeper levels of Christian koinonia.

To Learn about Current Open Small Groups, please call (309) 662-4253

What is Alpha? Alpha is a ten-week opportunity to explore the validity and relevance of the Christian faith for our lives today. It is a practical introduction to the basics of Christianity with loads of opportunity for debate and discussion. The style of Alpha is informal, friendly and non-pressured. Alpha is enjoyed and appreciated as much by those who have never set foot in a church as it is by those who once attended and by the regular churchgoer. No matter what their background, whether investigating Christianity for the first time or revisiting their faith, participants get a lot out of an Alpha Course. Each week people meet together for a meal, a talk on topics such as "Who is Jesus?", "Why Did Jesus Die?", "How Can I be Sure of My Faith?", and "Does God Still Heal Today?" , followed by small group interaction. There is a day or weekend retreat midway through the course, which focuses on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

Alpha Learning and Discovery Course. Everyone is welcome at an Alpha course and people attend for a wide variety of reasons. Some want to investigate whether God exists and if there is any point to life; others are concerned about what happens after death. Still others may have attended church on and off all their lives but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith.

People come from many different backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints - but all come with the same objective: to establish whether Jesus Christ has any real relevance for their lives.