In late January, Blacknall sent a team to the Alpha 2020 Conference in Mesa, AZ. (From left: Dave Dunderdale, John and Ali Shoenfelt, Elizabeth Brill, and Trig Steinbrenner)
By Trig Steinbrenner
When I first heard that Blacknall was looking for a group of people to attend the Alpha Conference, I jumped at the chance. I had several overlapping reasons for wanting to go and the experience ended up being fruitful in relation to all of them.
Perhaps the most obviously self-serving reason was that I am from Mesa and my family still lives there, so it was a great excuse to go home and see my mom and brothers. But my other reasons were perhaps a bit more "noble." The church I attended in college in the late 1990s had done Alpha and it had left a deep impression on me in regards to how to communicate my faith to others. As it had been more than 20 years since I had any connection to Alpha, I was curious to see what it was like now. Also, my wife, Jessica, and I along with our two little kids are new to Blacknall. Going on the trip seemed like a great way to meet other Blacknall folks and directly connect with the mission of the church.
The Alpha Conference did end up being inspiring in several ways. First, I was surprised to see what an ecumenical group was in attendance and participating. Not only were the "usual suspects" of Protestant denominations in attendance—Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Pentecostals and charismatics—but there were quite a few Catholic folks there as well (priests, sisters, brothers from religious orders). The speakers were also a mix of Protestants and Catholics. In a Church that is fractured with legitimate differences, it was a hopeful reminder that ultimately there is one Christ and therefore one Church, and that what we hold in common is and will be more determinative ultimately than what divides us.
Second, by nature and perhaps call, I am a bit theologically bookish, which inherently has the hazard of living in my own head and approaching all sorts of aspects of faith as abstractions to be contemplated. So, what was refreshing and compelling about the talks and worship at Alpha was that they had the audacity to approach and engage God as if God was actually real and involved in their lives. The danger in Western culture is that it is easy to cognitively believe all of "the right things" about God and yet functionally live as if God did not exist. The Alpha Conference was a simple response: "Yeah, don't do that." People spoke of the need for God in their day-to-day lives as well as in the structural and systemic sins and evils that are embedded around us. And at one point near the end of the conference during worship, there was a period in which people were encouraged to and did speak in tongues. Whatever one may want to make of that, it was a great reminder of the reality of the very particular God that we worship.
And, third, it was fun and nice to get to know my fellow Blacknall attendees on this trip. Pastor Dave, the Shoenfelts, and Elizabeth Brill were as kind, open, and good humored a group of co-pilgrims as I could have hoped for. Going to a conference with a group of folks that are strangers to you can certainly be a gamble (for you and for them). Again, being new at Blacknall, this group functioned as a snapshot of this new church my family has landed in and I liked what I saw. These are people who love Jesus, are thoughtful about the complexities of faith in such a crazy world, and folks that are hopeful and believe in the transformative power of the Good News of Jesus. I am grateful that I got to go on this trip. It was great to see my family in the process, but it was also meaningful and helpful to get to know and be known by members of my new church family.
By Elizabeth Brill
I think I went in with probably the least Alpha familiarity of the group. I really appreciated the opportunity to go!
I was most struck by the encouragement for me personally: the challenges to have faith from the story of the widow's jar in 2 Kings 4, the line from Sandy Millar, (retired vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton) in the last session: "I have called you because I love you. Put your hand in mine, and together we will push forward the Kingdom of God."
The other thing I'm remembering so vividly is the emphasis on unity. Francis Chan spoke humbly and honestly about his disagreement with a fellow believer, AND how they are serving together, and how important he believes that unity is. Protestants and Catholics put their hands on and prayed for each other. At the end of the marriage session they prayed for married and single believers. The worship was energetic and varied. Sarah Shin was invited to challenge us about diversity among believers. It was really powerful!
By Ali Shoenfelt
I had two main takeaways from the conference. The first was a reminder to invite the Holy Spirit to direct us at all times. Several speakers emphasized how we must draw on the power of the Holy Spirit to give us boldness as evangelists. It was inspiring to hear about the origins of Alpha from a few of the founders, and learn how a handful of young, energetic new Christians started these programs which have now impacted millions of people around the globe.
My second takeaway was a deep sense of how intimately God knows us and how He desires to bless us in a uniquely personal way. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” John and I were thrilled to meet Nicky and Sila Lee, creators of The Marriage Course and The Parenting Courses, which we’ve had the privilege of facilitating at Blacknall. Nicky and Sila couldn’t have been more gracious with their time and attention, as we went up to speak with them after their workshop on The Marriage Course, which has recently been re-filmed. Our involvement with these courses has blessed our marriage immensely, giving us a sense of calling and purpose as a couple. When we first took the course three years ago, we never would have dreamed that we’d get to meet the video “hosts” in person! We not only met them, but got to worship with them, and they prayed for us. It was a true gift, something we will always treasure.
Read more in the March Newsletter…
Pastor’s Letter | Allan Poole
The Gathering | Anne Paulson
Honduras VBS Report | Sean & Carmen Garrigan