Relationship Central By Alpha/Catholic Intro Booklet

the marriage preparation course

the marriage course

Introducing Relationship Central: Marriage & Parenting Courses by Alpha! the parenting children course

the parenting teenagers course

Dear Friends, Welcome to Relationship Central – home of the Marriage & Parenting Courses by Alpha!

Our aim is to provide engaging resources for family ministry teams to run in parishes and homes, enabling the parish to be a beacon of light in the local community in strengthening God-centered, family relationships. The courses are Biblically-based, practical, and full of relevant help for couples, parents, and care-givers in different areas of family life and relationships.

The Marriage and Marriage Preparation Courses provide an opportunity for couples to learn and rediscover the beauty of marriage and relationship, to give strength to the “Yes” exchanged on their wedding day and discover the beauty and divine origin of marriage.

The Parenting Children and Parenting Teenagers Courses, set in a small group setting, provide helpful tools and insights into child development and the parents’ role during the stages to maturity. With a central focus on love, the goal is to build strong families through which children grow into God-loving men and women.

We would love to hear how we can help you to strengthen family life in your community.

In Christ’s love, Jeff & Laura Lies National Coordinators of Relationship Central for Alpha USA

LauraLies@AlphaUSA.org www.alphausa.org 630-699-9129

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What people “The Marriage Course provides an opportunity for Married Couples to rediscover the love that they once had, and sustain that love throughout their lives. It is an opportunity for couples to understand the kinds of “hiccups” in their own relationship and be inspired with ways for resolve. And to know that “Fallen Bridges” can always be restored if time is given to prayer, study and reflection. These things do happen as a result of the Marriage Course.”

Father Vu Tran, St, Mary’s Catholic Church in Anacortes, Washington

“We are excited about the Marriage Course by Alpha.

It provides time, place, structure, and privacy to revisit our marriage vows. The ecumenical setting and practical tools facilitate new ideas for our marriages and renew our love, communication and faith in each other and God. This course gives joy, love and a new appreciation to both guests and participants. This investment will continue to give.” on and Patricia Webster, St. Mary’s Catholic Church D in Anacortes, Washington

“We have fun like when we were dating! We feel young again; it has renewed our marriage! Many couples in our parish are on the verge of divorce. The Marriage Course strengthens their relationships. Most couples end up not only saving their marriage, but their families also see the positive change.”

Roberto and Aida Silva lead the Marriage Course at St. Stephen Mary Mother in Detroit.

the courses?

Nicky and Sila Lee of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in London are the Founders of Relationship Central, and over the last twenty-five years have developed and produced resources to help support family life through the local parish. They regularly speak to thousands of guests at training events and conferences worldwide.

The Marriage Course The aim of The Marriage Course is to help couples grow closer and build a healthy relationship that will last a lifetime.

Over seven sessions, the couples learn practical tools to help them invest time in their marriage, heal ways they’ve hurt each other, discover how their partner feels loved, and much, much more.

Talk Topics: Session 1 – Building Strong Foundations

The Marriage Preparation Course The aim of The Marriage Preparation Course is to give engaged couples the practical tools they need to build a strong and lasting marriage.

Over five sessions, the couples learn how to invest in their relationship, develop shared goals and values, and keep love growing throughout a marriage.

Talk Topics: Session 1 – Communication

Session 2 – The Art of Communication

Session 2 – Commitment

Session 3 – Resolving Conflict

Session 3 – Resolving Conflict

Session 4 – The Power of Forgiveness

Session 4 – Keeping Love Alive

Session 5 – The Impact of Family – Past & Present

Session 5 – Shared Goals and Values

Session 6 – Good Sex Session 7 – Love in Action The DVDs also include a session for The Marriage Course Party—a chance for potential guests to find out more about the course—and an extra session mainly for couples in the military, called Coping with Times of Separation.

FOCCUS Questionnaire The course can effectively be combined with the use of a questionnaire designed for engaged couples like FOCCUS. Each couple completes the research-based questionnaire before the course and then meets up with a married support couple to go through the results. The questionnaire helps couples recognize issues they need to discuss prior to getting married.

How the sessions run Each session takes about two-and-a-half hours to run including the meal, the talk, and time for couples to complete exercises and discuss relevant issues, while being served tea and coffee.

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+ NO GROUP WORK!

Fantastic atmosphere – It’s not just a course—it’s an experience. Whether run in a home or a larger venue, the idea is to make the experience as welcoming as possible. Good music and subtle lighting help to create the right atmosphere.

Romantic meal – Serving a meal allows

couples to relax and chat with each other before the talk starts.

Practical talks – Nicky and Sila share from their own experiences of over thirty years of marriage, demonstrating how important the practical tools have been to their own relationship. They talk about the difference their Christian faith has made to their marriage but in a way that is not off-putting for those who are not churchgoers or do not have a Christian faith. The course can be run using DVDs of Nicky and Sila’s talks, or you can present the talks live, using the transcripts provided on the Leaders’ Toolkit (for The Marriage Course) or separate CD-Rom (for The Marriage Preparation Course).

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+

DVD clips – The talks are interspersed with filmed clips of couples talking about their experiences of marriage and street interviews from around the world.

Discussion times – Sessions include

breaks to give each couple time to discuss the topic that has been presented. Every guest is given a manual with exercises and questions for these discussion times.

No group work – There is NO group work and no one is expected to share anything with anyone other than their partner. The tables are spaced far enough apart and background music is played so couples can’t be overheard.

It is a formula that works – Thousands of couples around the world have done the courses. As a result, many relationships have been strengthened and, in some cases, marriages saved. Courses continue to grow because couples tell their friends how it helped them!

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Who are While the courses are based on Christian principles, they are designed for all couples with or without a Christian faith.

The Marriage Course is for: • any married or cohabiting couple • couples who have been together for one year or as many as sixty-one years • those in a strong relationship and those who are struggling

The Marriage Preparation Course is for: • any couple who is engaged or considering marriage • couples where one or both partners have been married before • couples who are currently co-habiting, as well as those who are not

apply every single

Why run Marriage rates are at an all-time low and around 40% of marriages end in divorce. The average couple spends approximately 250 hours planning their wedding, yet very little— if any—time planning for a successful marriage.

Running The Marriage Course or The Marriage Preparation Course can help: • strengthen marriages in your community • reach people who don’t already attend church

I run You don’t need to have a perfect marriage and you don’t need to be an expert, but leaders should be a couple who have: • a desire to see marriages strengthened • experience of working at their own marriage • a desire to host couples

Resources required:

The Marriage Course

The Marriage Preparation Course

• 1 course DVD • The Marriage Course Leaders’ Toolkit DVD • Guest manuals (2 per couple)

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• 1 course DVD • The Marriage Preparation Course Leaders’ Toolkit DVD (includes training on FOCCUS) • 1 Leaders’ and Support Couples’ Guide • Guest manuals (2 per couple)

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the courses?

The courses were created by Nicky and Sila Lee, authors of The Marriage Book and The Parenting Book. Their other courses, The Marriage Course and The Marriage Preparation Course, are now run in thousands of venues around the world and have been translated into many different languages. The parenting courses were started in 1990 (Parenting Children) and 1997 (Parenting Teenagers), and were officially released in 2011 due to popular demand. They are now being run throughout the U.K. and in various countries around the world.

The Parenting Children Course

The Parenting Teenagers Course

(for those parenting 0 to 10-year-olds)

(for those parenting 11 to 18-year-olds)

The aim of The Parenting Children Course is to equip parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 10 years old, as well as parentsto-be, with long-term strategies and practical tools to build a healthy family life.

The aim of The Parenting Teenagers Course is to equip parents and caregivers of teenagers aged 11 to 18 years old with strategies to build a healthy relationship while guiding them into adulthood.

Over five sessions (or ten shorter ones), parents and caregivers learn how to invest in their children’s future, model the values they want to pass on, set healthy boundaries and keep love at the center of their family life.

Over five sessions (or ten shorter ones), parents and caregivers learn practical tools to help them support their teenagers, communicate effectively, discover how their teenagers feel loved, set appropriate boundaries and let them go gradually so that they take on increasing responsibility for their own behavior.

Talk Topics: Session 1 – Building Strong Foundations

Talk Topics:

Session 2 – Meeting our Children’s Needs

Session 1 – Keeping the End in Mind

Session 3 – Setting Boundaries

Session 2 – Meeting our Teenagers’ Needs

Session 4 – Teaching Healthy Relationships

Session 3 – Setting Boundaries

Session 5 – Our Long-Term Aim

Session 4 – Developing Emotional Health Session 5 – Helping Them Make Good Choices

How the sessions run Each of the five weekly sessions lasts two-and-a-half hours including the meal, the talk and time for guests to complete exercises and discuss relevant issues. Alternatively the courses can be run over ten weeks with shorter sessions lasting one-and-a-half hours.

formula for +

+

delicious meal great atmosphere es group discussion tim practical talks

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Great atmosphere – It’s not just a course – it’s an experience. Whether run in a home or a larger venue, in the evening or in the morning, the idea is to make the experience as welcoming as possible. Background music, a relaxed and informal set-up and the right lighting all help to create the right atmosphere.

Delicious meal – Serving a meal allows

guests to relax and chat to each other before the talk starts.

Practical talks – Nicky and Sila share from their experience of parenting four children, demonstrating how important the practical tools described on the course have been to their own family. They talk about the difference their Christian faith has made to their family and the values they have wanted to pass on, but in a way that is not offputting for those who are not churchgoers or do not have a Christian faith. The course can be run using DVDs of Nicky and Sila’s talks, or the talks can be presented live.

DVD clips – The talks are interspersed with filmed clips of parents and children talking about their experiences of parenting or being parented, street interviews and advice from a variety of parenting experts. These can be played into live talks.

Discussion times – Sessions include

breaks to give each guest time to discuss the topics that have been presented. Every guest is given a manual with exercises and questions for these discussion times.

Small groups based on the age of the guests’ oldest child – Guests

meet other parents/caregivers at the same stage of parenting as themselves, who will have similar parenting issues to discuss.

The formula works – Many parents

around North America and abroad have done the courses, and their family life has been strengthened as a result. Courses continue to grow because parents/caregivers tell their friends how the courses have helped them!

attract those not involved in the church at all Course leader

“ Our guests loved the course and are excited to invite others to come” Course leader

Who are While the courses are based on Christian principles, they are designed for all parents and caregivers – with or without a Christian faith.

The Parenting Children Course is for:

The Parenting Teenagers Course is for:

• any parent/caregiver of children from 0 to 10 years old

• any parent/caregiver of teenagers aged 11 to 18 years old

• those expecting their first child

• single parents and step-parents

• single parents and step-parents

• parents who come as a couple or on their own

• parents who come as a couple or on their own

These courses are for all parents and caregivers of children and teenagers, whether they feel all is going well or they are facing challenges.

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Course guest

Why run Parents tend to be more isolated today and family life is under great pressure.

The breakdown of families affects the well-being of children, and affects society.

There is a huge need to support parents, to get them together to encourage each other, and to help them recognize they are not alone in what they are going through. Meeting other parents/caregivers of children and teenagers, and acquiring the skills for effective parenting can make a massive difference to their family life. These courses provide practical tools for every parent/caregiver, to equip, encourage and support them in their parenting.

Running The Parenting Children Course and The Parenting Teenagers Course can help: • create a support network for parents • strengthen families in your community

I run You don’t need to be a perfect parent and you don’t need to be an expert, but leaders should be those who have: • a desire to see families strengthened • the ability to run a small group discussion. (This is a skill that can easily be learned if you do not have it already. The Leaders’ Guides contain practical advice on hosting a small group)

Resources required:

The Parenting Children Course

The Parenting Teenagers Course

• The Parenting Children Course DVD • The Parenting Children Course Leaders’ Guide (one is included in The Parenting Children Course DVD) • Guest manuals (one per guest)

• The Parenting Teenagers Course DVD • The Parenting Teenagers Course Leaders’ Guide (one is included in The Parenting Teenagers Course DVD) • Guest manuals (one per guest) rom Order f rces.org sou e r a h alp a (Canad k.ca) coo davidc

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What is Alpha for Catholics?

Reaching nominal Catholics who have not entered the deep mystery of our faith is the call of the New Evangelization. Alpha is a proven and affordable tool bringing renewal to parishes around the world through personal conversion.

Alpha creates a non-judgmental and non-threatening environment that leads with relationship. Experiencing radical hospitality, people are invited to explore the meaning of life through the claims of Christ. The Alpha course focuses on the Kerygma, proposing the foundation of faith against the backdrop of people’s lives and our culture. Alpha invites each person to the heart of catechesis and our faith.

“At the heart of catechesis we find, a Person, Jesus of Nazareth, the only Son from the Father ... who suffered and died for us and who now, after rising, lives with us forever.”

- Blessed John Paul As its name implies, Alpha is the beginning, an invitation to a personal encounter with Jesus. Starting with an introductory session, guests are invited to dinner, a compelling talk and discussion over ten weeks. The majority of guests attending the introductory dinner go on to complete the course. Overwhelmingly, those who complete Alpha ask, “What’s next?” Once people encounter Christ, they become hungry for more.

Alpha gives those attending the course a language and method to share the good news of Jesus with others. The evangelized become evangelizers, bringing the gospel to their family, friends, workplaces, and social gatherings. This is the heart of the New Evangelization and Alpha is answering that call.

Please let me know how I can assist your efforts.

Peace, Steve Mitchell Rev. Mr. Steve Mitchell National Director | Alpha for Catholics 248.789.5764 Stevemitchell@alphausa.org www.alphaforcatholics.org

No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples.”

- John Paul II - Mission of the Redeemer

Article for Catechetical Sunday on USCCB website “...one of the Best Methods of Evangelization and Resources for Parish Outreach” (on Alpha for Catholics)

“I see Alpha as a great way for my kids to engage in a relationship with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit in a real way—not just with head knowledge but with heart knowledge.

This builds a strong base for ministry. After Alpha, we continue with programs that are more theologically Catholic or related to a Catholic spirituality. Alpha helps build a good foundation to start with.”

I think young people are searching for relationship. Alpha encourages us to build relationships with each other and, as the course progresses; it points to a relationship with Christ.”

Sarah Kaczmarek is the Director of Youth Ministry at St. Paul’s on the Lake Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan.

WHAT IS ALPHA? The Alpha Course is a practical introduction to the Christian faith, a place where guests have an opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed, friendly setting. The course usually meets once per week for 10 weeks and includes a day or weekend getaway in the middle. Each session, people enjoy great food, laughter and learning about the teachings of Jesus in a fun and friendly atmosphere where no question about life or God is seen as too simple or too hostile. There is no charge to attend the Alpha course.

Who Is Alpha For? Alpha is for anyone. People attend Alpha from all backgrounds, religions and viewpoints. They come to investigate questions about the existence of God, the purpose of life, what happens after death, the teachings of Jesus and more. Many guests have never been to church; others may have attended church occasionally but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith. Everyone is welcome.

How Did Alpha Start?

The Alpha course began at Holy Trinity Brompton church in central London in the late 1970s as a means of presenting the basic principles of Christianity to new Christians. The Alpha course teaches only the basic biblical teachings on which all Christians agree. Alpha has spread around the world, as more churches and groups found it an effective way to answer people’s questions about the Christian faith.

What Is Alpha For Catholics?

Alpha for Catholics is simply the Alpha course hosted in a Catholic setting. Alpha is a practical tool that parishes use to inspire Catholic renewal and answer the call of Christ and His church to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The Alpha Course is often lay-driven and has proved to be an effective tool for awakening faith in people who are on the fringe of parish life, faithful Catholics and those outside the faith.

QUICK FACTS: 22.5 Million People 83 Languages 169 Countries 100+ Denominations

WHAT ARE CATHOLIC LEADERS SAYING? ... “I can tell you for instance, present in France, in Britain, starting also in Latin America and in the States, probably also in Canada, there is so-called Alpha Course. Alpha Course is a new way of announcing the gospel.”

Archbishop Rino Fisichella President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization “The Alpha Course, which I have had the opportunity to attend…is a providential tool because it precisely tries to reach out to those who are far from the Church, who are indifferent to the faith. By means of a very simple and humane tool based on fraternity and friendship, Christ is introduced to them and enters little by little into their hearts.”

Archbishop Octavio Ruiz Secretary for the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization “Not only is Alpha an effective means to introduce people to an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, it is an opportunity to find out who are the evangelists in your parish. It is becoming increasingly common that parishes establish “evangelization committees;” but, as a good friend of mine said, “Committees are fine, but what we really need are evangelists.” Put on an Alpha course in your parish, and you will find your evangelists.”

Bishop Michael Byrnes, Archdiocese Of Detroit, Auxiliary Bishop “Sharing the Joy and the New Life that Jesus Christ brings to the world is the mission of the Church. In these very challenging times, we need to develop creative means to share the Good News of the Gospel. The Alpha Course is a powerful and effective tool of New Evangelization to explore the Christian faith and reach out to men and women of all ages so that they may discover the beauty of Christianity.” † Gérald C. Lacroix Archbishop of Quebec Bare Essentials Kit Everything you need to start a course for 10 people.

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“Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelize.” Pope Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi

Alpha

explore the meaning of life

Alpha U.S.A. 2275 Half Day Road Suite 185 Deerfield, IL 60015 Tel: 800-362-5742 Tel: + 212-406-5269 email: info@alphausa.org www.alphausa.org