ALPHA course · 2020-06-09 · Don't be Afraid Fr. Lawrence Murori Past Guest 43 5/6/2020 "Another Day" Pat Reilly Past Alpha Guest 44 5/7/2020 "Perserverance" Mary Delesdernier Past

Title First Name Last Name Position Page # Email Date

"Thinking of You" Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 2 3/17/2020

"Together in Prayer" Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 3 3/18/2020

"Eye of the Storm" Eric Broadbridge Spring 2020 Emcee- Coordinator 4 3/19/2020

"International Day of Happiness" Mona Herbert Spring 2020 Host - Table 12 5 3/20/2020

"The Importance of Prayer" Chris Villarrubia Spring 2020 Host - Table 3 6 3/21/2020

"God's Got This" Melissa Mandella Spring 2020 Host - Table 5 7 3/22/2020

"Looking Ahead" Mike Bowman Spring 2020 Host - Table 1 8 3/23/2020

"Lily's Blossom" Lauren Hulin Spring 2020 Host - Table 8 9 3/24/2020

"Choose Faith, Not Fear" - Nicky Gumbel Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 10 3/25/2020

"Has Your Perspective Changed?" Chris Villarrubia Spring 2020 Host - Table 3 11 3/26/2020

"Be Anxious for Nothing" Matt Hurst Spring 2020 Host - Table 10 12 3/27/2020

"Master, the one You Love is ill" Judy & Jose Abadin Spring 2020 Hosts - Table 2 13 3/28/2020

"Be Not Afraid" Carla & Michael Thibodaux Spring 2020 Hosts - Table 13 14 3/29/2020

"Greetings for the Lead Chef of the Kitchen Crew" Brian & Donna Reuter Spring 2020 Kitchen Crew 16 3/30/2020

"Find Reguge in God" Renee & Allen Boudreaux Spring 2020 Hosts - Table 9 17 3/31/2020

"Take Heart" Tom Cancienne Spring 2020 Host - Table 8 18 4/1/2020

"Love Expressed in the Word of God" Fern Carr Spring 2020 Host - Table 14 19 4/2/2020

"Welcome to Alpha" Eric Broadbridge Spring 2020 Emcee- Coordinator 20 4/3/2020

"Open Door Policy" Nancy North Spring 2020 Host - Table 6 21 4/4/2020

"Memo from God: "Faith Conquers Fear" Greg Eiffert Spring 2020 Helper - Table 5 22 4/5/2020

"Putting on the Armor of God" Renee & Allen Boudreaux Spring 2020 Hosts - Table 9 23 4/6/2020

"How Does God Call You" Irene Labue Irene Labue Host - Table 15 24 4/7/2020

"Raise a Hallelujah!" Sharon Giambrone Past Host 25 4/8/2020

"The Depth of His Love" Janet & Mike Cruppi Past Host - Kitchen Crew 26 4/9/2020

"Good Friday Hope" Ryan O'Hara Spring 2020 Helper - Table 7 27 4/10/2020

"My Power is Made Perfect in Weakness" Colleen McNamara Spring 2020 Helper - Table 3 28 4/11/2020

"A Message from Fr. Beau" Fr. Beau Charbonnet Pastor 29 4/12/2020

"the GOOD NEWS" Eric Broadbridge Spring 2020 Emcee- Coordinator 31 4/13/2020

"Look for the Lessons" Annette Thonton Past Host 32 4/14/2020

"FAITH" David & Imelda Lorio Past Host 33 4/15/2020

"A Pair of Hands" by Elvis Presley, submitted by Michael Shreve Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 34 4/16/2020

"Shoulder Tap" (Chris) A Journaled Prayer (Denise) Chris Clement Denise Farrington Chris (Guest Table 3) Denise (Helper Table 14) 35 4/18/2020

"Be at Peace" Michelle & Paul Reuter Spring 2020 Kitchen Crew 36 4/20/2020

"So, How did you start your day today?" Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 37 4/21/2020

"Alpha Experience with COVID" Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 38 4/23/2020

"The Greatest Giftt We Can Share is the Power of Prayer" Derek Hinton Spring 2020 Helper - Table 11 39 4/24/2020

"Faith in God Includes faith in his timing" Andrea Achary Past Host 40 4/27/2020

"Put Your Faith in God" Prayer: ASAP Sheila Brannon Spring 2020 Helper - Table 4 41 4/28/2020

"Nobody But Jesus" - Casting Crowns Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 42 5/2/2020

"Courage! It's me! Don't be Afraid Fr. Lawrence Murori Past Guest 43 5/6/2020

"Another Day" Pat Reilly Past Alpha Guest 44 5/7/2020

"Perserverance" Mary Delesdernier Past Helper, Registration 45 5/8/2020

"Praise God with Song" Eric Broadbridge Spring 2020 Emcee- Coordinator 46 5/12/2020

"There is a Balm in Gilead" Michael Shreve 2020 Spring Guest, Table 15 47 5/18/2020

"Preparing for Pentecost" - Janice Charbonnet video link Diane Kratochvil Spring 2020 Coordinator 48 5/22/2020

the ALPHA courseReflection Emails During COVID-19 Lockdown

3/17/2020 thru 5/22/2020

Compiled and Published 6/8/2020

1 of 48

Eric

Alpha 125

St. Angela Merici Alpha Course

2020 Fall Alpha Team Reflections...

3/17/2020 - Tuesday “Thinking of You” Diane Kratochvil Dear Alpha Guests, In this time of great uncertainty we want you to know that we have you in our prayers. In times like these it is good to be reminded of how immeasurable God's love for us really is. On our Alpha journey we began to look more deeply into scripture. You've probably heard the bible referred to as "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." While we are not able to meet at this time we are certainly able to pick up our bibles and explore and reflect. Over the next weeks we will be sharing some of our favorite scripture passages with you in hopes that you will find some time to break open the Word at home, with your family and friends, or alone in quiet reflection. It is when we are quiet that we can hear the best! I tell my teens in C.Y.O. that your ears work better when your mouth is closed! I'm sharing with you today scripture that was read at my little grandson's funeral in Baton Rouge. His name was Jacob and he died in utero at 21 weeks in July of 2005. One month later it was the first reading at the Mass we attended at the same church in Baton Rouge after evacuating for Katrina. This strong feeling of comfort came over me as we listened to that reading for the second time in a month. It was like God was telling me, "It's okay, Diane. I've got this!" It's very appropriate and comforting to me at this time also. Stay faithful and know that I have you in my prayers. Lamentations 3:17-24 Diane

"Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and en-kindle in them the fire of Your

love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created and You will renew the face of the

earth. Oh God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

grant that in the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise, and ever rejoice in His

consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen"

http://www.usccb.org/bible/lamentations/3



3/18/2020 - Wednesday “Together in Prayer” Diane Kratochvil

Dear Alpha Guests, In this time of great uncertainty we want you to know that we have you in our prayers. In times like these it is good to be reminded of how immeasurable God's love for us really is. On our Alpha journey we began to look more deeply into scripture. You've probably heard the bible referred to as "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." While we are not able to meet at this time we are certainly able to pick up our bibles and explore and reflect. Over the next weeks we will be sharing some of our favorite scripture passages with you in hopes that you will find some time to break open the Word at home, with your family and friends, or alone in quiet reflection. Today I'd like to share another favorite of mine: Sirach 6:14-16. It is often in hard times that we learn what true friendship is. Also below is the prayer from Archbishop Aymond.

Diane

Let us pray,

Loving and faithful God, the coronavirus reminds us that we have no power and we are dependent on you. We place ourselves in your loving hands. Please give eternal rest to all who have died from the virus. Please put your healing hand on those who are ill, and give your protection to us in this time of fear and uncertainty. Please, calm our fears and help us to trust you as our faithful God. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us in this time of need. Archbishop Gregory Aymond

http://www.usccb.org/bible/sirach/6



3/19/2020 - Thursday “Eye of the Storm” Eric Broadbridge Dear Alpha Guests and Team, We hope and pray you are all doing well during these surreal times. I walked to the lakefront levee just before sunset today and noticed many more people outside than normal taking walks, bike riding, or just playing on the levee. One dad was swinging his little daughter around in circles like a helicopter on the levee. Pretty soon all of the kids around him wanted a turn. That's one brave and fun dad! Make sure you spend time with those in your household and get outside a lot to enjoy the great weather. A few weeks ago we were watching this virus unfold in countries far away and we believed we were safe. Now it literally is in our backyard and it is our problem as well. God will get us all through this. This reminds me of when Jesus went on a boat ride to cross a lake with his disciples and he fell asleep on the boat. (Luke 8:22-25) A little later the winds picked up and the sea got rough and the disciples freaked out with fear that they were going to drown from the heavy winds. After waking up Jesus to tell him they were going to die, Jesus calmed the storm and asked them one simple question. "Where is your faith?" (And Jesus was literally feet away from them.) This is the question we need to ask ourselves right now because Jesus is right there next to us calming the storm of this world-wide virus. Now that we cannot gather at Mass or Church events like before the virus, Fr. Beau and Fr. Dan are beginning to video record what they would normally be doing and posting them on the St. Angela website and Facebook. One of the first things they recorded was Karaoke Wednesday, where Fr. Beau would play guitar and sing with the school children of St. Angela. In this video, Fr. Beau sings "Eye of the Storm". Listen for that one line in verse 2 that says "And I'm running out of faith". Let’s all make sure that is not us. May God Bless You All, Praying for you daily, Eric Heavenly Father, Please provide the world safety and great health through this virus pandemic. Grant us Your peace so that we may be calm through this storm. Help us to strengthen our faith in You! In Jesus Name, Amen https://vimeo.com/398688938

http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/8

https://vimeo.com/398688938



3/20/2020 - Friday “International Day of Happiness” Mona Herbert (Host Table 12) Dear Alpha Guests and Team,

Today is officially the International Day of Happiness. Given the current pandemic it is hard to

imagine a celebration. In 2006 Jayme Illien, CEO of the United Nations New World Order

project, created this day to promote happiness, wellbeing and freedom as a fundamental human

right. The 2020 theme is “Happiness for All, Together” for the 7.8 billion people on Earth.

We can rest assured that Jesus wants us to be happy not just today but every day. He does

not want us to be afraid. God loves us unconditionally and desires for us to have a good life

filled with happiness. Every day God sends gifts to make us happy if we just take the time to

look and open them- a beautiful sunrise, fragrant flowers, a baby’s laugh, a friend’s smile.

Additionally, the Bible reminds us of God’s desire for our happiness:

Psalms 118: 24

Proverbs 16:20

Psalms 144:15

During challenging times, it can be difficult to feel happy. The now required social distancing,

changes in our normal day and uncertainty of the future can make us feel isolated and alone.

However, as Pope Francis reminds us, “United to Christ we are never alone, but we form one

single Body, of which He is the Head...a union that is nourished with prayer.” Physical distance

cannot separate us when we are united in prayer. As God guides us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will

for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.”

Don’t let your spirit be quenched. Perhaps spending some quiet time reading the Bible and

opening your heart to God’s word will help you to find that happiness. Encourage others with

your happiness both big and small and be the change in how people view the world. Be Christ’s

hands and feet today and always to share His love and bring happiness.

Suggestions for finding and sharing happiness during challenging times –

It’s as easy as 1-2-3-4-5

1. Make plans for a family reunion later in the year or plans to meet up with friends.

2. Send a letter or message to two people you can’t be with.

3. Do three acts of kindness to help others no matter how small the act.

4. Look for the good in 4 people and notice their strengths

5. Notice five things that are beautiful in the world around you.

In celebration of the first day of Spring yesterday, I hope these photos of God’s gifts in our own

Louisiana backyard bring you happiness. Remember to stop and smell the roses. God put them

there for you.

May God’s grace and love support you during this difficult time and may your days be filled with

health, love and happiness.

Mona Herbert

Host Table 12

http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/118

http://www.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/16


http://www.usccb.org/bible/1thessalonians/5



3/21/2020 - Saturday “The Importance of Prayer” Chris Villarrubia (Host Table 3) Hello Alpha Participants and Team – I miss my table mates, my fellow Alpha Team, and most of all, I miss seeing a gym-full of people making an attempt to get to know God or deepening their relationship with Him. What a positive feeling it gives knowing that there are so many who desire to be closer to the One in control….and He knows, during times like these, we need positive feelings. So during our time away, keep those memories with you and have faith that a good God is in control. What else can we do to help cope with these very odd times? You may recall in Alpha Session 5 – Why and How Do I Pray? At that time we discussed the importance of prayer. During that week’s film Toby mentions 3 key phrases to simplify prayer – Thank You, Sorry, and Please. It’s only human nature, during confusing times like these, to focus our prayers on ASKING God for help (stop the spreading, keep my family safe, etc.) but I’d like to focus on the Thank You – expressing our gratitude to God for all that is good. Philippians 4:6 reads, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, WITH THANKSGIVING, make your requests known to God. During the hustle-and-bustle of everyday life, I have been attempting to recognize the good in my life and thanking God, at that moment, for those things and people. It is amazing how just a mental, written, or verbal sign of gratitude (to God) begins to change YOUR perspective. Recently, I jumped out of my comfort zone and recommended to someone that he take a pen and paper and write down all of the things that he has to be thankful for. Surprisingly, he took me up on my offer and he cannot stop thanking me for that idea. Though this person is not currently the picture of health and has other anxious issues, he had so much good in his life to be thankful. So, as Alpha often does, I now do – I challenge you – Set aside an hour or so, and write down all of the things and people in your life that you are thankful to God for. I hope that the results of your changed perspective match mine and my friend’s. Chris Host Table 3 Below is a prayer I ran across on the internet as my inspiration – here it is PRAYER FOR A PANDEMIC May we who are merely inconvenienced Remember those whose lives are at stake. May we who have no risk factors, Remember those most vulnerable. May we who have the luxury of working from home Remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent. May we who have flexibility to care for our children when their schools close, Remember those who have no options. May we who have to cancel our trips, Remember those that have no safe place to go. May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market Remember those who have no margin at all. May we who settle in for a quarantine at home Remember those who have no home. As fear grips our country, Let us choose love. During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors. Amen.

http://www.usccb.org/bible/philippians/4



3/22/2020 - Sunday “God’s Got This” Melissa Mandella (Host Table 5) These are scary days. Days full of uncertainty. Days full of fear. Days full of adversity. What if I told you, you don’t have to live like this? The bible tells us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10). I know this is easier said than done. Getting out of your own head is so difficult. I suffer with anxiety and bouts of depression, as many of us do; this concept of “do not fear” is even more difficult for me. I am learning to live a God-centered life. I have to reteach myself how and what to think. Every day I wake up and think “God’s got this”. I know that he has a plan for me, a plan for each day of my life. Now more than ever this is so important to remember. When I can center myself on God, I find I can go through the day with much less worry. It’s those times that I lose sight of Him that I fall down the black hole of worry and anxiety. It is so uplifting when I remember that I don’t have to do all of this alone- “God’s got this”. Fear is such a powerful emotion and it is unavoidable at times, we are human, after all. We just can’t let it rule our lives. When it becomes too much, that is my trigger for me to re-center my thoughts. We need to let Him rule our lives. That may mean saying “God’s got this” 20 times a day (or an hour!). That may mean taking a walk and getting away from it all for a few minutes. That may mean turning off the news and opening the bible. That may mean logging off social media and have some uninterrupted family time. Find what you need to do to stay God-centered, what helps you to lay your worries and fears at His feet. He wants us to rely on Him, not ourselves. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) I know, easier said than done, but I hope you find comfort in knowing “God’s got this”. Melissa Mandella Host Table 5

http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/41



3/23/2020 - Monday “Looking Ahead” Mike Bowman (Host Table 1) "Why Alpha is So Good" How often have we had a conversation with someone about something in the news; and, depending on our source of information, how our views may be considerably different. Even though I may not initially agree with the other person, I try to listen, and at least understand their point of view, and may even accept some of what they believe. Too often though, I walk away with the same opinion that I came in with. This may be acceptable in matters of the world, but it can lead to confusion and doubt in matters of faith. I have always had faith, even though at times my actions were less than Christian. What the Alpha Course has done is allow me to focus my attention on my faith, to reinforce some of my beliefs and add clarity to others that I was confused about. The topics presented in the ten weeks of the Alpha Course explore the basics of the Christian faith with transparency and substance. I especially enjoy the small group discussions, because this is where I am allowed to share my views and receive constructive comments from the group. It has also given me the enthusiasm and inspiration to share my experience with others. As Matthew Kelly with Dynamic Catholic says: “People don’t do anything until they are inspired. But once they are inspired there is almost nothing that they will not do. Are you ready to be inspired?”

In God’s Love,

Mike Bowman Host Table 1 Looking forward to September may seem hard to do at this time, but this too shall pass! Registration is now open on the parish website! Maybe you could forward this message to friends and family and encourage them to sign up. It will be something positive to look forward to! We continue to pray for all of you. Be safe, stay home as much as possible and use care if you have to go out. God bless you. Diane



3/24/2020 - Tuesday “Lily’s Blossom” Lauren Hulin (Host Table 8) I bought myself flowers, as I normally do. While I was checking out, one of the lily bulbs fell off the bunch. The cashier looked at me with this "oh no" face and asked me if I still wanted the bulb or if she should throw it away. I smiled and said, “You can put it in the bag.” When I got home, I trimmed the stems, put my flowers in a vase. But that one bulb, I took a little bit more care for. I found a smaller vase and placed it near the natural light on the windowsill. The individual bulb took a little bit longer to bloom than the rest of the flowers, but I never gave up hope. When it did blossom, the lily opened and filled the whole vase. It was beautiful. Then I was reminded, God does the same for us. He hears our prayers and our pleas and knows when we are hurting. We may be on a different path than the majority, but he is still caring for us deeply, setting us aside, and giving us just what we need to blossom. For the Lord tells us: "I will be like the dew to Israel; Israel will blossom like a lily, growing roots like the cedars of Lebanon" - Hosea 14:5 Our Lord is here for you, prepping your individual vase, placing you on the windowsill, and checking on you daily. Things may not be going as planned, but keep your trust, faith and love in the Lord and you will not fail. You will be beautiful, and you will blossom. For it is written: "He has made everything beautiful in its time" -Ecclesiastes 3:11 Love, Lauren Hulin Host Table 8

http://www.usccb.org/bible/hosea/14

http://www.usccb.org/bible/hosea/14

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ecclesiastes/3



3/25/2020 - Wednesday “Choose Faith, Not Fear” Nicky Gumbel

Good afternoon everyone! Thanks to Gretchen Hayman for letting us know about Nicky

Gumbel's latest message. It's attached below and we hope you will enjoy a little taste of Alpha!

Maybe you can gather your family to watch it too, but don't sit too close! :)

https://youtu.be/j1QemxVqZ1U

"Choose Faith, Not Fear"

Know that we are praying for you daily. God bless you all.

Be brave, prayerful, and faithful!

Diane

https://stangela.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38043e22397d4212bd5006c56&id=fe77194329&e=32d1751cf6



3/26/2020 - Thursday “Has Your Perspective Changed?” Chris Villarrubia (Host Table 3) Since being introduced to Alpha, I often hear and see things from a new (Alpha) perspective. That was true recently when reading the story of Jesus and the Woman at the Well (John 4: 5-42). It's a great story and I recommend that you read it and see what you get from it. Here's what I got: To summarize the story, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman (there has been centuries of animosity between Jews and Samaritans that still existed during Jesus' time); and He discloses to her who He truly is. During the short discourse, she is enlightened, believes, changes, and spreads the word about her New Discovery. In fact her revelation is illustrated in the titles that she uses to address Jesus as the story goes along. In v:9, she calls Jesus "a Jew", in what seems to be a derogatory way. Just a few verses later (v:11 & v:15), she seems to change her tone and respectfully refers to Him as "Sir" (the Greek word for Sir means "Master" or "Lord"). In v:19, she calls him a "prophet". Just a few verse later, she realizes that He is the "Christ/Anointed One/Messiah" - only a few verses after this, the story ends with her and her friends calling Him, "Savior of the World". In Alpha, we go through stages (weeks) of learning about Jesus and discovering ways we can build or deepen our relationship with Him. It's the course's goal, just like it seemed to be Jesus' goal with the woman, to help us realize who Jesus truly is so that we have a desire to learn more, do more, love more, and, eventually, maybe help others get where we have gotten. It's amazing how just a little time with Jesus and your perspective can change. During our (hopefully) short break, stay in touch with Him - read about Him; talk to Him; and, oh yeah, listen to Him - my guess is your perspective will (continue to) change too. Chris Villarrubia Host Table 3

http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/4



3/27/2020 - Friday “Be Anxious for Nothing” Matt & Mia Hurst (Matt - Host Table 10) “Come to me all of you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from it for I am meek and humble of heart. You will find rest for my yoke is easy and my burden light.” Matthew 11: 28-30 We again are in disbelief! But unlike during Hurricane Katrina, when we were stunned locally, it is now in global proportions! I reflect back on August 28, 2005 when I was caring for my terminally ill mother in Ochsner Hospital where we sought refuge from “Katrina”. Blessed with Monsignor Guste’s visit and the comfort of this verse, I had no idea how Matthew 11, 28-30 would resonate with me. Since that day, God has sent me these words every time I seem to reach a moment of despair. And, I have been blessed to share this verse with family, friends, and co-workers at times when things looked bleak for them. On many occasions, seemingly out of nowhere, I will hear, read, or see Matthew 11, 28-30 when I lease expect it. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 Prayer and scripture will get us through this. Alpha has taught us to put our faith in our Holy Father in heaven. Be anxious for nothing, it is in God’s hands. Matt and Mia Hurst Matt - Host Table 10

http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11

http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/41



3/28/2020 – Saturday “Master, the one You Love is Ill” Judy & Jose Abadin (Host Table 2) Wow! What a great gospel reading for today.. It seems like our whole world is ill, not only Jesus’ good friend, Lazarus. Martha and Mary sent a message to Jesus that Lazarus was ill. But instead of rushing over to help his dear friends, Jesus chose to remain where he was for two more days. What!! Why wouldn’t Jesus rush to their side and heal Lazarus? Why won’t Jesus eradicate the COVID 19 virus? Why doesn’t Jesus just rush in and cure our sick friends? Why has Jesus chosen to stay away? Some may believe Jesus is asleep. “He got into a boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm* came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us!* We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:23-27) Why was Jesus asleep? Maybe we should not ask the question “Why has Jesus chosen to stay away?” Or “Why is Jesus asleep?” Maybe we should ask "Where is our faith?" As our Holy Father repeatedly reminded us on Friday during his Urbi et Orbi apolostic blessing, why are we so afraid? Pope Francis ends his blessing with these words: “Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid (Mt. 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Peter 5:7). As we continue through the season of Lent, let us not keep our eyes on the storm (virus) but on the Cross. Be not afraid (John. 6:20)! Jose and Judy Abadin Hosts Table 2

https://stangela.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38043e22397d4212bd5006c56&id=3af0851b6a&e=32d1751cf6

https://stangela.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38043e22397d4212bd5006c56&id=5885e4d2ec&e=32d1751cf6


http://www.usccb.org/bible/1peter/5




3/29/2020 - Sunday “Be Not Afraid” Carla & Michael Thibodaux (Host Table 13) How are you doing? 2020! We know we have had a big change in our lives these past few weeks! What a year so far and look at what we are seeing now, what is to come. God is with us, God is a mighty God! He is holding us close to His heart! We had a great and amazing 8 weeks of classes and a beautiful Spirit-filled weekend with learning how to get closer to the Holy Spirit and Jesus! What an amazing weekend we had, coming closer to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, so spirit-filled, very uplifting! Did we know that Jesus was helping to prepare for these last few weeks? No, we thought we would be back the next week to continue the course. Our Lord is always with us at every moment of the day, even when we think He is far away. So How are you doing? Are you sitting in prayer time to help with all we are hearing and seeing how this virus has changed the whole world? That is what Michael and I are doing, lots more prayer time. So many people need our prayers. St. Faustina was given these words from Jesus: “I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My merciful Heart.” Jesus also tells her to record His message of mercy in a diary: “You are the secretary of My mercy. I have chosen you for that office in this and the next life. Our Lord has so much mercy for each of us”. His Divine Mercy is infinite to each of us. We have never seen this much change, in that the world has to stop for the healing and controlling of this virus to end this pandemic. This is a great time to sit and let Jesus speak to you as you read scripture, in your prayer time, in spiritual meditation, on a quiet walk to reflect on Jesus, listening to prayers, prayer services, and Masses online. Here are a few scriptures we would like to share with you during quiet times,such as we are having now. Jesus tells us many times in the Bible “Do Not Be Afraid”, “Be Not Afraid” Mark 5:36 Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” Mark 6:50 They had all seen Him and were terrified. But at once He spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” Joshua 10:25 Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed, be firm and steadfast. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies against whom you fight.” As you read the bible, the Lord wants us to hold comfort and Do Not Be Afraid!! I know that is hard to say, yes, I have cried as I watch the sadness of this pandemic, we have never experienced this before in our lifetimes. Yes, we need to press into Jesus. “As you entrust your cares and concerns to God, may you refuse the temptation to fixate on the signs and symptoms that cause you angst and worry. Instead of praying to God and then continually peeking at your circumstance, may you seek His face, and then press on to know His heart. May you become so confident in His attention to detail, so assured of His great love for you, that you learn to enjoy your life until the breakthrough comes. Even when the wind blows and you feel you're going under, keep your

http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/5

http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/6

http://www.usccb.org/bible/joshua/10



Cont’d. eyes on Him; He'll hold you up. Embrace His promises. Enjoy your life. And have confidence in Him. God WILL move on your behalf in the days to come!” Jesus asks us to have Unity with Him and our families, friends, etc. In John 17 He gives us His Prayer. John 17:9-10 "Everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine and I have been glorified in them." Read the whole chapter. I believe we all love music, here is a beautiful song to have during this time, "Let the Lord Overshadow Me" (YOU), they have the words to sing along! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMZPqD1QQ9w Overshadow Me (Ruach) [Lyrics Video] We look forward to seeing each of you soon!! We have you in our prayers daily!! May the Lord bless each of you and your families. Carla & Michael Thibodaux Hosts Table 13


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3/30/2020 - Monday “Greetings from the Lead Chef of the Kitchen Crew” Brian & Donna Reuter (Kitchen Crew) Almost fifteen years after Katrina, we are faced with our latest existential threat. In 2005, wind, water, and faulty levees upset our complicated lives and inflicted injury, death, and damage to property. Now, we face a virus we can’t see that has injured and killed people at an alarming rate and brought our economy to its knees. When we were bouncing back from Katrina, we learned to appreciate the simple things. Remember how happy we were when we learned that a fast food business was open. And remember how overjoyed we were when we learned Dorignac’s would be open one additional hour each day. As years went by, our appreciation of the simple things waned, and our lives became complicated again. Fast forward to 2020, and we now have opportunity in the midst of this tragedy to learn to appreciate the simple things again. As part of the kitchen crew, every night at Alpha, there are a number of examples of simple things we may not have appreciated as much as we should have:

Re-uniting with the kitchen crew buddies on the first week of a new Alpha series;

Seeing ninety-five new, eager, and hungry Alpha participants each night;

The time and effort Mary Classen took to make 160 pieces of delicious dessert each week;

Despite our weekly worries, the seemingly never-ending supply of salad;

The time spent together waiting for that last plate and fork; they always seem to come

when everything else is already cleaned and put away; and

The last goodbyes as we wait to pull the coffee pots, our last items to clean each night. We will beat this virus. And Alpha will be back. And at least initially we will appreciate our time together. The question is how long we keep appreciating the simple things in life. Bryan & Donna Reuter Kitchen Crew



3/31/2020 - Tuesday “Find Refuge in God” Renee & Allen Boudreaux (Host Table 9) "God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea, Though its waters rage and foam and mountains totter at its surging. Streams of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it at break of day." Psalms 46:2-6 Right now, we are most certainly living in a shaken world. As we sit here and watch the news daily for updates on our current situation lots of things might be running through your minds. Why is this happening? Why is God allowing this to happen? Why does God allow suffering? The answer is clearly, we don't know. We don't know and that is okay. We must trust in God that he is in control. We must put our faith in him that he will get us through this. God does not cause suffering, but he works through suffering. What keeps me going is the fact that everywhere I look on social media, people are sharing prayers. They are sharing stories of how precious their days are to be spending with their family. Stories of appreciation for all the heroes on the front line. Masses are being aired through social media and let’s not forget all the funny videos from our local priest to lighten our worrisome day. This is God working through suffering reminding us to trust in him. Turn your worries over to him and find refuge in him. Keep sharing these wonderful things on social media. Continue reaching out by phone to family members and friends letting them know you care. This is God working through suffering. I hope everyone has had a chance to watch Nicky Gumbel video that Diane shared last week, if not I highly encourage you to check it out. https://youtu.be/j1QemxVqZ1U "Choose Faith, Not Fear" May God bless all of you. Renee and Allen Boudreaux Hosts Table 9


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4/1/2020 - Wednesday “Take Heart” Tom Cancienne (Host Table 8)

Hello Alpha Family. If you have been quarantining like I have and just want everything to go back to normal, I’m praying with you. The only thing that hasn’t changed for me is that I still find time to pray and follow the daily readings. Today’s reading strikes at the heart of why we as Christians must love unconditionally as Jesus did to help us get though the difficult times in our lives. I had to read it a few times but there are a couple of truly powerful lines from Daniel 3:14-20 that stood out, where three brothers Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar with such boldness as he was about to put them into a furnace if they didn’t worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol: “There is no

need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us!” They didn’t just stop there but go on with faith and heart that really struck me. They say to him, “But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.” They hope to be saved but even if God does not save them, they will still love him without condition. Boom! The three brothers are eventually thrown into the furnace, but Christ is with them dancing in the fire. The point is not the miracle of being saved but to have a heart like Jesus. We all need the fire within our hearts to love unconditionally as Jesus loved us unconditionally, so that even if our hearts are troubled, we can never lose hope. Jesus reinforces the point further in the Gospel reading today from John 8:31-32, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus tells us to remain in his word so God’s grace can free us from the fear, anxiety, confusion, or pain but it also takes unconditional love to provide us with the strength and comfort to endure these difficult times with dignity and peace. Today, while you are “Social Distancing”, imagine someone showing you the grace you so desperately seek or someone showing you kindness despite anything you have done. Even if it’s just for a moment, let that heal you. Practice this each day and you will break free from the bondage of fear. Receiving the Holy Spirit, and then projecting that unconditional love outward is exactly what Jesus intended to teach us when He said “the truth will set you free.” So take heart, you are free. “God’s love is unconditional, be sure yours is too!” - St. Augustine God Bless, Tom Cancienne Host Table 8

http://www.usccb.org/bible/daniel/3



4/2/2020 - Thursday “Love Expressed in the Word of God” Fern Carr (Host Table 14) “The Bible is like a love letter from God.” For me, this phrase was one of the most moving of all in the Alpha Guide. Our God, our Father, our Papa, loves each of us more than we could ever imagine, and He left us an inspired guide for our lives, from which He speaks to us! God reveals Himself in Scripture, and when we enter into God’s word and let Him speak to us, we are able to find the strength, guidance, peace, and healing required to live out our own lives and to recognize what God is asking of us “for such a time as this”. “Even if you now remain silent, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another source, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows- perhaps it was for a time like this that you became queen?” Esther 4:14. When we turn to Sacred Scripture in time of fear and doubt, we see that God has been with us all along and that He continues to guide and protect us now . “It is the Lord who marches before you; He will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 We will become more aware of God at work in our lives, our hearts will be opened, and we will grow closer in relationship with Jesus. We will come to know Him, and each of our lives will be uniquely changed as we grow deeper in relationship with him. “And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:17 “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 God has a plan; He is calling us to be holy, to be like Jesus. Now is an opportune time to cultivate a personal relationship with the living and true God, to clear a place to worship God, to listen and allow Him to speak to you. We must listen and hear the voice of the Lord to see His message of faith, hope, compassion, and mercy, and to gain the wisdom and courage to share His message with others. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” Mathew 13:16. Pope Saint John Paul II was known for finding hope in the Cross of Jesus Christ during troubled times. On this 15th anniversary of his death, let us follow his example, knowing the love and faithfulness of Jesus as we pray for each other and all of those affected by this pandemic. In the words of Pope Saint John Paul II, “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son. There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us and does not bear with us. And on the far side of every cross we find the newness of life in the Holy Spirit, that new life which will reach its fulfillment in the resurrection. This is our faith. This is our witness before the world. Do you think there can be anything greater than to bring people to Jesus and Jesus to people?” Peace, Fern Carr Host Table 14

http://www.usccb.org/bible/esther/4

http://www.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/31

http://www.usccb.org/bible/romans/8






4/3/2020 - Friday “Welcome to Alpha” Eric Broadbridge “Welcome to Alpha” Bet you wish you could hear that again. We do too! Since the last two weeks of the Alpha Course has been postponed, we thought we could bring a little bit of the Alpha Course to you. It is time to begin to looking forward. For those who have completed the entire course before, it will be a refresher! So the current plan is to run the two remaining sessions when things get back to some type of normalcy. This obviously could change, but the forward plan is to finish and stay the course. Sounds good? OK, let’s begin with a “Non-official Alpha joke” “One Short” As the storm raged, the captain realized his ship was sinking fast. He called out, "Anyone here know how to pray?" One man stepped forward. "Aye, Captain, I know how to pray." "Good," said the captain, "you pray while the rest of us put on our life jackets - we're one short." The titles of the two remaining sessions are: Week 9 Session 14 - “Does God Heal Today?” Week 10 Session 13 - “Why and How Should I Tell Others” Wow, look at the session name for the next one, “Does God Heal Today?” Pretty appropriate during the current times, don’t you think? Most important, it is God who does the healing, we just intercede and make the requests to our Heavenly Father. As Father Raniero Cantalamessa says in the Session 14 video, it was St. Paul who always said “preach the kingdom and heal the sick”. Praying for the sick is actually part of our ministry as Christians. So as Christians we should be praying for and with the sick. If you know someone who is currently battling an illness, say a prayer for them and then give them a phone call to check on them and let them know you are praying for God’s healing powers to be upon them. You can pray with them on the phone. When we get back together to watch video Session 14 Toby and Gemma will talk about praying for healing. We look forward to when we can enter that gym and complete the Spring 2020 Alpha Course. Only God knows the timing as He is in control. Heavenly Father, Help us to walk closer with Christ and preach the Kingdom. Grant us the courage and strength to be someone who brings healing to family and friends, who prays for the sick and lifts up the broken hearted. In Jesus Name, Amen God Bless, Eric



4/4/2020 - Saturday “Open Door Policy” Nancy North – Host Table 6 Dear Alpha Family, I miss you all and am looking forward to when we can meet again. In the meantime, I hope that you have enjoyed the reflections as much as I have; they have been very inspirational to me and have given me such spiritual strength during this unsettling time. Another gift I'm truly grateful for, especially now, is God's "open door policy." How wonderful it is that our Lord is available at any moment waiting to hear from us, no questions asked, "24/7." He welcomes us into the embrace of His arms, no "social distancing" required! Amen to that! Lately, I find myself taking full advantage of this benefit and praying/talking to Him throughout the day. Thank goodness His service is free! Knowing God is there for us, yearning to hear from us, is such a comfort during this rough time. I'd like to share a reflection with you written by Andrew Murray, South African Pastor in 1895: "When in trouble say: First-God brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place. In that I will rest. Next-He will keep me in His love and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. Then-He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last, In His good time He can bring me out again-how and when He knows. I am here-by God's appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time." With confidence, feel God's love and "open door policy" as Scripture says, "I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear or be dismayed, for the Lord your God, is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) And let us remember, as He does for us; to keep our door open to be what Christ is calling us to be, keeping an "open door policy," to be open to let Him in "24/7." He is there... waiting and ready, to step in! "I love you, O Lord, my strength, O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer." (Psalms 18:2-3) Air Hugs to All! Nancy Nancy North Host-Table 6

http://www.usccb.org/bible/joshua/1




4/5/2020 - Sunday Memo from God: “Faith Conquers Fear” Greg Eiffert – Host Table 5 “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” (Mark 5:36) Everything happens according to God’s plan, and our current situation is a part of that plan. We ask, “Why does God allow things like this to happen?” We can and we do, of course, speculate, but as St. Paul says, in Romans 11:34-35, “…How inscrutable are His judgments and how unsearchable His ways! For who has known the Mind of the Lord?...” We don’t have the insight to ever know the reasons; and we won’t find the answers in the news coverage and social media, which do more to confuse and agitate than to clarify and comfort. However, we do have Jesus, who is the Truth (John 14:6); and in Him are also clarity, peace, and freedom from worry for those who have faith. “Faith” is the key word here; but it’s not simply a word, it’s a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). Don’t just read the word “faith” then move on to whatever is next. LIVE the gift of faith! Jesus tells us that a lack of faith in Him is what causes the worry, doubt, anxiety, and fear that many of us are feeling right now:

In Matthew 6:25-30, Jesus said to His disciples, “Do not worry about your life” and asks, “Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” He points out that God indeed provides for His less significant creations, like birds, flowers, and grass, then asks the question, “…will He not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?”

In Matthew 8:23-27, we read that the disciples were with Jesus (who was asleep) in a

boat during a violent storm. They frantically woke Jesus, worried that they would all die, and He asked them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then, He calmed the storm.

In Matthew 14:24-31, Jesus, walking on the water, calls Peter to walk out on the water

to Him. Peter, who becomes frightened, begins to sink, and shouts for Jesus to save him. Jesus pulls him up and asks, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Through faith we can set aside the negative emotions we have today and rest assured that we will persevere, knowing that Jesus is always there to protect and save us in ANY situation. Psalms 91:9-10 says, “Because you have the LORD for your refuge, and have made the Most High your stronghold, no evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent.” We should also be comforted by Psalms 23:4 which says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” How can we strengthen our faith? Begin by re-watching the video from Alpha Session 4, “How Can I Have Faith?” Also, St. Paul says, in Romans 10:17, “Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the Word of Christ.” This is simply telling us that our faith is strengthened, when we read Scripture. What a great reason it is to use the Bibles that were given out this Alpha session! Remember that we’re still in the season of Lent. We should offer, as sacrifice, all the painful emotions that are currently in our hearts. I miss my Alpha family and look forward to when we can be together again! Greg Eiffert Helper Table 5

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4/6/2020 - Monday “Putting on the Armor of God” Renee Boudreaux – Host Table 9 Hello Alpha Family, Praying everyone is well and staying safe. Reflecting on our Alpha experience together brought my attention to one of the most memorable nights, which just so happened to be our last night together. The session was “How can I resist Evil?” I really loved the talk of PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD. I have been thinking about it a lot lately because of all the battling we are doing daily. Some are battling fear, some illness, finances, depression, loneliness, anxiety and others uncertainty of the future. So, I thought maybe if we could reflect on Putting on the Armor of God, we can help ourselves and others battle this invisible enemy. Belt of Truth – Put on your belt of truth. During times of crisis it is easy for us to lose focus on the truth and feel like things are spinning out of control. The devil wants us to believe that this is beyond God’s ability to save us. The truth is that God is in control and we must trust in him to calm our worries and anxieties. Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. (John 14:6) Breastplate of Righteousness – The breastplate protects all your vital organs. The breastplate can protect your heart. During times of crisis there are temptations that will move our hearts away from God. If this happens make amends quickly, with God and others that are affected. Open your heart to God and his love and then spread his love to others. So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. (James 4:7-8) Boots of the Gospel of Peace – Boots allow us to step up without fear. Be ready to offer encouraging words. Spread God’s word throughout this crisis. Look for opportunities to pass on good news or words of encouragement. When our world is in crisis, we desperately need God’s hope and peace, pass it on to others. You never know what just your voice or some comforting words can do to help someone in their time of need. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:16) Shield of Faith – Our shield of protection from the evil one. The shield of faith can be our biggest protection, our first line of defense. If faith in God can move mountains, calm waters and deliver us from the fiery furnace then in our time of crisis it can be our strength and confidence that he has us all in his hands. Our faith is even stronger when joined with others. Reach out and share your faith. Attend the online masses, pray and share your experience with others. Let’s build a wall with our shields of faith. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16) Renee Boudreaux Host Table 9


http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/4

http://www.usccb.org/bible/Matthew/5

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/6



4/7/2020 - Tuesday “How Does God Call You?” Irene Labue (Host Table 15) I am not perfect! What could I possibly do for God? Two years ago, after reading stories of miracles of The Holy Eucharist, I had a desire to become more than a part of the congregation that attended Sunday Mass. Don’t get me wrong— that was very fulfilling, but my heart wanted more. I got up the courage to talk to Fr. Beau and ask him if I could become an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. What a gift! I would be able to hold Jesus and bring Him to others that wanted Him in their lives! Then, I discovered Alpha in January 2019– I not only got to enjoy meeting new friends that had the same desire — to find a closer relationship with Jesus, but I found “MORE”! What is Jesus offering you? “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7) And in this time of the COVID19 virus, we sometimes grow more fearful because of what we hear on TV or read on the internet. I think it is time that we look to Holy Week, to understand that God loves us! My Mom said that best, “God doesn’t just love me.” “HE LOVES ME!” May you all understand how very much “God loves you!” Irene Labue Host Table 15

http://www.usccb.org/bible/Matthew/7



4/8/2020 – Wednesday “Raise a Hallelujah!” Sharon Giambrone – Past Host Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ; May the Lord God almighty grant you and your family his peace which surpasses all understanding and guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4;4-8 has been my "go to" scripture for the past 24 years. I cling to this scripture through the most difficult times in my life. The first word in the scripture is REJOICE! The second line is," I say it again REJOICE!", I know , how can you rejoice when everything around you is sickness, darkness and even death. We must open God's word, He instructs us and shows how to respond to our circumstances. "Let your gentleness be evident to all, The LORD is near. Be not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.". Through the Holy Spirit we can turn our attention away from our trial and focus our eyes and heart on Jesus, who is the Almighty God, who does have all the power. Continue to renew your hearts and minds in the word of God, for His word is living and full of hope. PRAY PRAY PRAY! We always do pray God's way and will be done. God is hearing and answering our prayers. In my own family, friends and neighbors, I have seen the evidence of God's Mighty Healing Hand. When the doctors gave no hope to my family and friends, and they were on their deathbeds, Jesus stopped and healed them from the covid 19! Glory to GOD! They are home and recovering! Praise God! I also want to mention, that sometimes when we are so grieved we have no words to pray, call on the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26," In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans". No worries the Holy Spirit has you back! Lastly, there is a song that echos in my heart to help me through my darkest times called "Raise A Hallelujah" Bethal Music. When you don't know where to turn lift your hands and hearts to the Lord and sing and raise a Hallelujah! Jesus has conquered death, risen from the dead, given us the gift of the Holy Spirit! Easter is here everyday so RAISE A HALLELUJAH! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2XtRuPfaAU All my love and prayers in Christ Jesus Sharon Giambrone Alpha Prayer Warrior/Past Host

http://www.usccb.org/bible/philippians/4


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4/9/2020 – Holy Thursday “The Depth of His Love” Janet & Mike Cruppi (Past Hosts/Kitchen Crew) Love is not an ordinary word, but an action word and without action, love remains an empty word. On Holy Thursday, the day before Jesus suffered and died, he showed us the depth of his love. Not just in words, but in actions. He proved it at his last supper with his apostles. Not only did he eat with them, but he fed them. Not only did he feed them, but he, himself, became the food and drink: Taking the bread, he said to them, “This is my body. Take and eat it." And taking the cup filled with wine, he said, “This is the cup of my blood. Take and drink it." Matthew 26:26-29 The Eucharist is the sacrament of God’s love for us and this love is not meant to remain within the confines of that last supper room; it is meant to be shared. After sharing his body and blood, Jesus gave an even deeper meaning to the Eucharist when he rose from the table and washed the feet of his apostles – his second act of love that evening. And he instructed them: If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:14-15). The love we receive in the Eucharist should move and inspire us to render humble service to one another. Holy Thursday is a day of love – the day when Jesus showed us the depth of his love. He gave us a visual declaration of his commandment: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." In this moment of time, it's important for us to intensify our prayers and sacrifices on the love of God and the love of our neighbors. Let us draw closer to one another in our love for God and rediscover those that truly matter in our lives. Let us pray in solidarity for our brothers and sisters here and around the world who are sick. Let us pray for those who have lost loved ones to this virus. May God be with us all and may our faith in him only grow stronger as we place our love and trust in him. We miss you all - stay healthy and safe! Janet and Michael Cruppi Past Hosts and Kitchen Crew





4/10/2020 – Good Friday “Good Friday Hope” Ryan O’Hara (Helper, Table 7) Life can be a winding path. To get a different perspective about which steps to get to a destination, it can be useful to start at the end and work your way to the start. As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26) In life, like Simon of Cyrene, we are occasionally pushed into service to carry a cross. They may be massive crosses like that of Jesus, what we might perceive about this pandemic, or infection from the virus and other illnesses. They might be little ones like some household chore or even the one you wear around your neck as a symbol of your faith. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27) Like Simon, sometimes we are forced into this service. In other instances, we can make the free choice Jesus made to follow God’s Will. "For nothing will be impossible for God." (Luke 1:37) It was not impossible for Jesus to take back Simon’s cross and was not impossible for Jesus to bear the burden of our sins (and this sickness) on His. It is not impossible to follow Jesus even in tough times. It is not impossible for us to make it to the end better than how we started. As we wait for a cure, we can find hope in Simon’s story. As we think of the troubles of today, we must remember that ultimately Simon wasn’t called to bear the burden of the Cross. Jesus did that for him when He took the cross back and was nailed to it. He does that for all of us. On this Good Friday, Jesus’ death is a message of hope. Hope for a better life. Hope for life everlasting. It is wise to remember that Hope when we start any difficult journey. Yours under a weighted blanket of God’s Hope, Ryan O’Hara Helper, Table 7






4/11/2020 – Holy Saturday “My Power is Made Perfect in Weakness” Colleen McNamara – Helper Table 3 Greetings Alpha family. I pray this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. When Diane asked me to write a reflection to share with our amazing Alpha family, my gut reaction was to say no. Although physically healthy, I have periodically felt so very alone and hopeless during this time of social distancing necessary to avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19. After some prayer, I told her I would answer the call. I have learned that the Holy Spirit is often coming to us through other Alpha team members! If any of you are feeling alone and wounded, please know that you are not alone, and know that this is an opportunity for our faiths to grow. This passage from 2 Corinthians 12:9 is one of my favorites- reminding me that even in my most pathetic, desperate human moments (which I have lots of in my life), God loves me so much. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So if you’re feeling weak and wounded and think it’s creating social distance from God, remember that this is not true. It’s the opposite. Through turning to Him in prayer, it’s where He is going to come into our lives in all of His glory and strength and fill our hearts with His love, replacing that weakness with His goodness. On this Holy Saturday, patience is asked of us to await Jesus rising. We can use this day to remember the greatest sacrifice of all, for a sinless God and man to be so wounded by the children that He came to save. We can ask ourselves, what sort of sacrifices can I make for those I love? What healing and learning does God intend for me from my own wounds? In closing, my brother Patrick also happens to be my best friend. He and I share poetry with each other when we come across verses that really resonate. Here’s one we both loved that I hope will touch your hearts, as well: “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” –Rumi I am patiently praying with all of you until the joy of Easter can be celebrated tomorrow. Lots of love, Colleen McNamara Helper Table 3

http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/12



4/12/2020 – Easter Sunday “A message from Fr. Beau” Fr. Beau Charbonnet Happy Easter! Throughout this Lent, I have gone back in my mind to our last Alpha meeting before “sheltering in place” was ordered. We were doing our team prayer before everyone arrived and Diane said, “This may be our last meeting with this group.” I remember looking at Diane with bold / blind confidence and saying, “No, we’ll be back next week.” Well, I think Diane may be a prophet… So many things have come to us in an unexpected way over these past weeks. It’s easy to focus on the unexpected negatives. But now, let me give you an example of an unexpected positives. Fr. Dave Carron, the Head of the Office for Evangelization for the Archdiocese, gave me a call in the first week of precautions, as he was checking on how each parish in the Archdiocese was reaching out to parishioners who are at home. He mentioned that parishes around the nation were calling their parishioners and asking two questions: “How are you doing?” and “Is there anything that we can pray for?” He suggested that I ask parish staff members to make the calls. Initially, I talked to our parish secretary, Suzy Hyde, about our office staff taking on the task. Suzy is a trooper – and was ready and willing to dive in. But then God gave me another idea. I called Diane and asked about our Alpha team taking on the phone calls, because our Alpha team felt a call to engage parishioners through the Alpha Course. Over the last few weeks, team members volunteered to make phone calls and reach out to the parish. I remember the first night of phone calls. As I was driving home, I saw a parishioner walking his dog. He mentioned that he got a phone call from the parish and was truly touched. It made me happy to know that our Alpha team was leading the charge in outreach. Over these past weeks, our team touched base and took parishioner intentions. But more than that, our team found Jesus in the sheltered parishioner - and the parishioner heard the voice of Jesus in the team member who made the call. This outreach happens person to person. When I think about it, this is one of the greatest gifts that I have received in my experience of Alpha. We see this so much in individual ministry in the way that Jesus ministered. Look at how He called the Apostles. Consider how He healed the sick. Meditate on how he challenged the sinner. Evangelization on a broad scope is more efficient in some ways – and it has its place. But the work of the heart is individual and intricate. It requires patience and a lot of love. This is the love that Jesus has for you and me. He knows you and loves you by name. At my first Alpha, which I went through at Lakeview Christian, my table leader and helper both took the time to get to know me and were receptive to anything that I would present. I felt appreciated and valued. I felt loved. It kept me coming back.



(Cont’d) We have all felt, in varying degrees, the love of God through the Alpha Course. The great benefit of being individually loved is that now we can share it individually, because we have experienced it. I am finding that one of the best ways to get out of the feeling of being sheltered in place is to reach out to someone else who may be struggling with being sheltered in place. Say a prayer - make a call. If they don’t answer - leave a message. You and I are called to be a part of the unexpected positive! That’s how the Holy Spirit works. This time has many unexpected negatives and positives, and the positives are a great sign of God’s providential Hand, who transformed Good Friday into Easter Sunday. Why? - Because He loves….YOU. Happy Easter! Fr. Beau



4/13/2020 – Monday “the GOOD NEWS” Eric Broadbridge Still missing the Alpha Course? I believe we all are. First, Happy Easter. Yes, did you know that Easter is a season of 50 joyful days and is not just one day on Easter Sunday? So you can continue to say “Happy Easter” to everyone and anyone (at a safe distance). It’s the perfect opportunity to evangelize as many will question why you are still using the greeting which then opens the opportunity to talk about Christ. Especially to those who do not know Jesus. For this reflection I wanted to give you a peek at what Week 10 (Session 13) was all about. The title is “Why and How Should I Tell Others” This is the perfect title for our last week of the Alpha Course. Did you know that “Gospel” means “Good news”? It is the good news of Jesus Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. What’s the first thing you do when you find something good? You want to tell others about it. Jesus says in Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It no longer is good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heaven Father.” When you encounter someone who asks about Christ or wants to know more about the Christian faith, do not be afraid. The first thing you do is call on the Holy Spirit to be upon you both and then tell them your story of faith. One easy way of telling others about Christ is introducing them to the Alpha Course by personal invitation. You can tell them of your experience and then say “come and see”. Again, when you give them your experience, it is real and it is hard for anyone to question your story. One story mentioned in Session 13 is about a farmer named Albert McMakin who once attended Church and eventually became a Christian. He then began to tell others and would drive them to Church in his truck. One friend did not want to go because he had other things on his mind. One day he invited his friend, but this time he said if you come you will get to drive my truck. His friend went with him, drove the truck and was spellbound after attending Church. His friend continued to go to Church and gave his life to Christ in 1934. He then began to preach the Gospel around the world. His friend’s name was Billy Graham. So you never know what the Holy Spirit has planned for those who you invite to know the Gospel. This Easter season make sure you greet others with “Happy Easter”. God Bless, Eric Heavenly Father, We joyfully praise your name and are ever thankful for your salvation. Please grant us the courage, strength and the right words to preach your Gospel. In Jesus Name, Amen



4/14/2020 – Tuesday “Look for the Lessons” Annette Thornton – Past Host I have been a teacher in our community and technical college system for 23 years. I always tell the students to look for the lessons. We find ourselves in a difficult situation worldwide, with this Coronavirus. There are no coincidences! There is something to be learned from every situation in which we find ourselves. We are learning things we would not have learned unless we were in this situation. WOW!! Or maybe we needed to be reminded of what is really important? One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you - oracle of the Lord - plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope." What have I learned... 1.) The first thing I have learned in isolation (not because I have COVID -19 but because I just finished ovarian cancer treatments) is to lean on and trust in God. God is an AWESOME God! He will illuminate our path and bring us from this darkness and we will emerge as better people. 2.) The second thing I have learned is, God has brought us together in a unique way to fight an invisible enemy. We will become a community of loving and faithful people, to be a neighbor, take care of our elderly, take notice of our children, to eat dinner as a family, and to give of ourselves in ways we have never given before. 3.) To Stop and take notice of the presence of God in our lives. Slow down long enough to hear His gentle whisper on our hearts. God is ALWAYS present in our lives! Maybe now is the time to ask God about your purpose to serve Him. 4.) We have taken for granted our freedoms. For the first time in our lives, we find ourselves using the term "social distancing". We are asked to only leave our homes to go to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and medical care. We are encouraged to play within the confines of our yards. But we are used to so much more..... One of the things I miss most is going to Sunday mass. What a beautiful gesture from Father Beau and Father Dan to put mass on our website. What a blessing!! 5.) I have learned to appreciate the people in my life. So many people have taken the time to call and offer assistance; grocery runs, friendship calls, do you need anything, anything at all. My favorite calls are from those friends to tell me they are still praying for me. Amazing! Humbling! In such a time as this, people are praying for me? We need to pray for each other, especially people who are sick, priests, medical workers, military, police officers, firefighters, and first responders. One friend said, "God, tonight I am praying for the WORLD!" WOW! I am sure there are more lessons yet to come. I leave you with Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. “ Annette Thornton Past Host

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4/15/2020 – Wednesday “FAITH” David & Imelda – Past Host Jesus has risen, Lent is complete, as I reflect on this I am reminded of John 20:24-29. Thomas, one of the twelve, was told by the other disciples how they saw the Lord, and Thomas’ answer to this was “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.” Eight days later the disciples were together again along with Thomas and the doors were shut when Jesus came and stood with them again. The lord said to Thomas “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but be believing.” Faith, we all have to have this especially at this time. As we pray for this pandemic to be over, all we can do is pray and have faith that the Lord knows what he is doing He has reasons for the way things are happening in this world today. It is through my faith in Jesus that I pray that this will soon be over and we may get back to some normalcy. Know that we miss attending Mass along with our fellow parishioners. As we also miss receiving Holy Communion, and getting together with our Alpha guests. We know through faith in Jesus with prayer we may overcome this pandemic and enjoy each other’s company again. Let us not be like Thomas having to see to believe, but let us have Faith to believe without seeing. We pray for the lives that have been lost to this virus and pray for the loved ones left behind. In our faith we know we will be joined together again with the Lord. Know that we pray for you, our community, our nation and our world. David and Imelda Lorio Past Hosts

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4/16/2020 – Thursday “A Pair of Hands” sung by Elvis Presley Submitted by Michael Shreve – current guest Spring 2020 Below is a music video submitted to us by Michael Shreve, a current guest of the Spring 2020

Alpha Course.

Thanks for sharing,

Diane & Eric

"A Pair of Hands"

sung by Elvis Presley

Lyrics by Carroll Roberson

(Lyrics below)

Enjoy....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjT-r2wUo8o

One Pair of Hands

Carroll Roberson

One pair of hands formed the mountains

One pair of hands formed the sea

One pair of hands made the sun and the moon

Every bird, every flower, every tree

One pair of hands formed the valleys

The ocean, the rivers and the sand

Those hands are so strong, so when life goes wrong

Put your faith in the one pair of hands

One pair of hands, healed the sick

One pair of hands raised the dead

One pair of hands calmed the ragging storm

And thousands of people were fed

One pair of hands said I love you

And those hands were nailed to a tree


Put your faith into one pair of hands




One pair of hands

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4/18/2020 – Saturday (note: none for 17th) “Shoulder Taps” video link Submitted by Chris Clement a guest Table 3 Chris Clement, a guest at Table 3, sent this to us commenting about how fitting it is given what we have learned at Alpha. https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=4OAAJwnMNRQ&fbclid=IwAR2nfvWCeGYKkTAsMZ65Pgd3GdGyJx17cUylGHgWEICFFhTalh4KW1X9Cxk “A Journaled Prayer” Submitted by Denise Farrington – Helper, Table 14 Heavenly Father, we come to you with grateful hearts. We praise you for your infinite love for us, Your creation. Lord, we also ask that you forgive us our sins and make us mindful of the things in our lives that need work. Lord, we also come to you with heavy hearts as we traverse this Covid-19 journey. Give us strength and courage and teach us, Lord, to lean on you. Your Word tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not onto your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Lord, we pray for those who have become ill and for the lives that have been lost to this pandemic, for the repose of their souls. For those who have lost loved ones, may You bring them peace and comfort. We pray, Lord, for the strength and encouragement of all medical professionals as they selflessly carry out their calling on the front lines. Guide all leaders in government as they make decisions. Through our journey, Lord, please give us wisdom. This Lenten season has been like no other. We have fasted in ways we never thought possible. We long to return to Holy Mass and fellowship with our brothers and sisters. As we move into this Easter season, draw us closer to you, Father. Teach us to be still and know that You are God. Your Word tells us that “…all things work together for good for them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). We give you praise and thanks, Abba, for the most glorious gift of all, salvation through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer! “…He is not here, for he has risen.” (Matthew 28:6). We ask these things according to your Will in the name of Jesus. Amen. Denise Farrington Table 14 Helper

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4/20/2020 Monday “Be at Peace” Paull & Michelle Reuter – Kitchen Crew – Spring 2020 Dear Alpha family, I have truly enjoyed reading the shared thoughts of our Alpha family. Alpha has given to me a true family in our parish. Paul and I have experienced Alpha as a participant, table leader, and now kitchen crew. With each experience, we have met members in our parish that we would probably never would have gotten the chance to know. We are so thankful for this. I think this trying time in our life has given us a chance to really pray and identify what is really important in our everyday lives. We pray for our own families, as well as, the families of our parish and everyone that is suffering at this time. We hold in our hearts the sorrow for those families that have lost family to Covid. I especially pray for those in nursing homes, and our elderly who are not able to visit with family. "There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us, and does not bear with us. And on the far side of every cross we find the newness of life in the Holy Spirit, that new life, which will reach its fulfillment in the Resurrection. This is our faith. This is our witness before the world”—St. John Paul II I am especially grateful to Fr. Beau and Fr. Dan for sharing the celebration of the Mass, and even though we are not together in the physical church, we are united in our hearts. The music has been uplifting and very comforting. I take away a renewed spirit each time. I feel like God is trying to tell us something—slow down, way down and look up to Him. We are reminded daily to lift up all those in our prayers that are on the front lines, and are putting their own health at risk as well as their families. I would like to share with you a prayer that always gives me great comfort. BE AT PEACE Do not look forward in fear to the changes of life; Rather look to them with full hope as they arise, God , whose very own you are , will lead you safely through all things; And when you cannot stand it, God will carry you in His arms. Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you today and everyday. He will either shield you from suffering or will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. -St. Francis de Sales Michelle and Paul Reuter Spring 2020 Kitchen Crew



4/21/2020 Tuesday “So, how did you start your day today? Diane Kratochvil So, how did you start your day today? I had a bit of a sleepless night. Sometimes all this really gets to me, and my mind wanders restlessly in so many directions. One of the things on my heart last night was the news of the death of a 5 year old little girl in Michigan who died of this horrible virus. I don’t know many details but I heard that her parents are both EMS workers. I cannot imagine how hard it was for them to start their day today, without their precious daughter. I must remember to pray for them in the days, weeks, and months ahead. On retreat five years ago our retreat director talked about how he starts every day. The first thing he does when he wakes up in the morning is to give his day to Jesus, praying the” Morning Offering”. There are several versions and you can google them but the main gist of the prayer is giving Him all your “prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day”. The director said he does this before he even gets out of bed, as soon as he wakes up. He tells the Lord good morning! He starts his daily conversation with Jesus. I’ve been doing this every morning since that retreat. Instead of reaching for my phone to check for email or texts, instead of grabbing the remote for the TV to turn on the news, I pray my Morning Offering. My conversation with Jesus has started. But it doesn’t really end there, my conversation with Jesus continues throughout the day. I’m not the type of person that can sit still very well for long periods of time. I love being around people. I love meeting new people. I love to talk to people. I guess I’ve gotten that trait from my dad. He was a trainer in minor league baseball when I was born, but realized that being on the road so much was not the best way to raise a family. He went into sales and had a very successful career. Everywhere we went with him when we were kids, he would run into someone that he knew. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I spent over 25 years in sales and loved it. I learned a lot from him. My dad is still teaching me. He and my mom, both turning 89 shortly, are in assisted living in Illinois. My dad never sat still very well either, but he is managing things quite well today. My mother suffers from dementia and does not really understand why they are confined to their small 2 room apartment. She doesn’t understand why they can’t go to the dining room or leave the building to go for a drive. She doesn’t understand why my sisters, just 5 minutes away, can’t come to visit. But my dad talks her through it, over and over each day, with love and patience that I know God has helped him to develop. I pray for my parents daily. I ask God to protect them. I always have quite a list of requests for God. And while any other person would be tired of me talking about the same things over and over, God listens to me every day. I try to remember to mention to Him all the good things too. On days like today I have to try harder to be thankful for the many blessings, the “joys” that He has bestowed on me. But the joys are there, and God deserves to hear me mention those too! So my message to you today is start that conversation with God, and keep it going all day. I'm including the video link for Session 5 on prayer. In this video Brother Luigi Gioia, a Benedictine Monk gives these simple tips about prayer: “Keep it simple. Keep it honest. Keep it going.” We have so much to pray for and be thankful for. We need to keep it going! I'll close with a beautiful prayer from Night Prayer in the liturgy of the hours: "Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake, watch over us as we sleep, that awake we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in His peace." God bless you all. Diane http://stangela.homestead.com/alpha/alpha-video05a.html

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4/23/2020 Thursday “Alpha Experience with COVID-19” Diane Kratochvil Has your Alpha experience impacted your response to Covid 19? Is there a scripture passage that has become your new cornerstone? Is there a particular video or story from the Alpha Film Series that has helped you? Maybe you've been able to reach out in faith to someone struggling with today's challenges. Not all of our challenges are Covid related. Many of us are carrying more familiar crosses such as a cancer diagnosis, separation or divorce, the loss of a loved one, chronic pain, financial insecurity; the list goes on. Has your Alpha experience given you the courage or desire to reach out to someone in need? Have you been able to pray with someone in a way that you didn't know you were capable of. Has the Holy Spirit nudged you to be the hands and feet of Jesus? Over the last five weeks you've heard from many of our team members about their faith experiences. If you have something to share we'd love to hear from you! Just email your reflection to [email protected]. Please keep it simple and short. Several guests have already shared a song or video clip that touched them and we have enjoyed sharing those with all of you. As always, we continue to pray for all of you and we look forward to better days ahead. Stay safe. Diane Did you know? We are now offering Drive-in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesday evenings? Simply pull in to the schoolyard on Melody Dr. You must remain in your car in keeping with the prescribed social distancing. Adoration is from 6-7 p.m. (weather permitting) and confessions are also heard from 5-7 p.m. Fr. Beau will hear confessions in the Conference Room on Melody and Fr. Dan will be in the annex. For more information click on the parish website below.

mailto:[email protected]



4/24/2020 Friday “The Greatest Gift We Can Share is the Power of Prayer” Derek Hinton – Table 11, Helper The corona virus is in our thoughts a great deal of the day. It has affected almost everyone in some manner. Many people are out of work or have had their working hours reduced. We are staying at home and practicing social distancing when we leave our house. Some of us have lost love ones to this pandemic. We are watching Mass online and I know I have never prayed this many times a day for God to help us. Last night, I was reading the Book of Romans in the New Testament and found comfort in Romans 8:28 “God promises to make something good out of the storms that bring devastation to your life.” As Catholics we know God has a plan for all of us. When times are at their worst is when our faith must be at its strongest. We can all do our part by using the power of prayer and our faith in God to deliver a cure and a vaccine. For many, this is also a time of loneliness and may bring about depression as we are not able to spend time with family and friends. Most of us couldn’t go to Mass on Easter or celebrate with our families the way we always have. Many of our elderly may have health issues and must self-quarantine and have basically become shut-ins. Let’s not forget to do our part and pray for them and offer to run some errands such as grocery shopping. A cheerful phone call can go a long way! Stay positive, this will pass. Remember to keep our first responders in your prayers, especially health care workers on the front line. They have dedicated their lives to caring for our loved ones. I miss all my friends at Alpha and pray we can continue with the last two sessions soon. The greatest gift we can share is the power of prayer. Derek Hinton Helper Table #11



4/27/2020 Monday “Faith in God Includes faith in His timing” Andrea Achary – Past Host "Faith in God includes faith in His timing." This is certainly a truth I have experienced during this difficult time. Never did I realize how COVID19 would impact my life and that of others as well. What would I do now? The answer was right in front of me. I would turn to God in the most powerful way ever. Stop worrying about finances and material things. It is so easy to get entrapped in the vicious cycle of fear and boredom and negativity. I have realized that it was up to me to find the positives in this situation. Otherwise, I would miss the blessings! So. How can we overcome the obstacles we are facing? I spend time watching the Mass on Facebook and going to church daily to pray the rosary. Spending time outdoors has given me new appreciation of the marvels of creation. My prayer time has blossomed and I have shared with others that I am at peace. The anxiety is now replaced by the love of God and the joy He has given me! In any difficult time remember to "Let go and let God." He is always there for you and will give you so much comfort. Where would we be without Him? Andrea Achary Past Host



4/28/2020 Tuesday “Put Your Faith in God” Sheila Brannon – Table 4 Helper It’s hard to believe all that has changed in just a short amount of time. One day you’re going

about your daily routine and then the next day everything has changed. I don’t think anyone

could imagine experiencing this during their lifetime. Covid-19 has brought fear and uncertainty.

Everyone has made significant adjustments to their lives, some have the added financial burden

of losing a job or having hours decreased, and not being able to see your loved ones. And the

isolation from others can be emotionally exhausting. Understandably, we are all looking

forward to things getting back to normal, and what that’s going to look like. Now more than

ever, it’s so important to continue to reach out to others. In a world of technology where most of

our communication is by text or email a simple phone call goes a long way and is so

appreciated. It’s been amazing to see how people have rallied together to help and support one

another. Everyone has shared and given of themselves in many different ways. It’s amazing

how God has worked in my life and how I can share that with others to support them during this

time. I put my faith in God as we continue to work through this together.

Sheila

ASAP - Always Say A Prayer - Author Unknown

There’s work to do, deadlines to meet;

You’ve got no time to spare,

But as you hurry and scurry

ASAP – Always Say A Prayer.

In the midst of family chaos,

Quality time is rare.

Do your best; let God do the rest


It may seem like your worries

Are more than you can bear.

Slow down and take a breather


God knows how stressful life is;

He wants to ease your cares,

And He’ll respond to all our needs

ASAP – Always Say A Pray

I also wanted to share this video song – so uplifting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1A6JT2FnPI

Sheila Brannon

Helper Table 4

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5/2/2020 Saturday “Nobody But Jesus” Diane Kratochvil Several months back before this Alpha started one of our former host/helpers, Dan Frisard, sent

a music video that he thought truly described the goal for us working on Alpha. We want the

world to see Jesus when they look at us. We want others to recognize Jesus in each other.

Eric, the amazing geek that he is, took the video and added some Alpha pictures from over the

last year. As I watched the video, towards the end there is a gym full of empty tables. I am so

ready to fill those tables again. We still do not know when we will be able to meet and how many

will be allowed to meet at a time; but whenever we get directives we will move forward to finish

up the spring course. We miss you all and pray for all of our Alpha family, past and

present. Registration is up for the fall at stangela.org If you know someone that can benefit

from Alpha let them know about registration! If you would like to be part of the team go to the

website and register under "Serve at Alpha" We generally do not allow repeats unless you miss

half or more of the sessions so if you want to be involved serving on the team is a great avenue!

Enjoy "Nobody but Jesus" from Casting Crowns!

https://vimeo.com/386130302/f700a664de

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5/6/2020 Wednesday “Courage! It’s me! Don’t be Afraid” Fr. Lawrence Murori – Past Guest

Sometimes looking at what is happening around us in our world, we might be compelled to ask

questions like: Does my life have any ultimate meaning? Does God exist? Why is there suffering

and evil? How do I decide what is right and wrong?

To negotiate the terrain of life, even when it seems challenging, we need a map that is

true and accurate. Jesus Christ provides us with such a map to help us navigate the compelling

questions and situations that may keep coming in our minds and especially in a time like the

present pandemic. With the map that Jesus is continuously providing us, that is, his Word in the

Sacred Scriptures, we cannot be lost. Life has ultimate meaning found in God alone. Although

with the present life predicament we might be tempted to get lost. Jesus continues to give us

comfort, courage, and the hope as we find ourselves trying to navigate life using unreal and

inaccurate maps searching for the meaning of what is, and He says to us, “Do not let your

hearts be troubled”(Jn 14:1).

Uplifted by the words of Jesus, I took an evening walk to the lake and sat by the lake for

a couple of minutes in meditation. While in silence, I experienced the calmness, peace, and

stillness of the waters. The steady rolling of the waves, and the openness of the waters. The

lake is open, with no trees, mountains, bumps, or any obstacle, but clear visibility, flying birds

over the waters, water games, the vastness of the space with an abundance of waters, peace,

and the beauty of the aging sun awaiting rebirth on the next day. I remembered my birthday and

visualized life as a journey between birth and death. I then visualized the walking Jesus over the

waters and the terrified disciples after confusing him with a ghost. I heard him speak these

words to his terrified disciples, “Courage! It’s me! Don’t be afraid.” With these words, Jesus

became my peace and I ended my meditation feeling comfort, encouraged, and having

encountered God in the waters of the lake.

Amid the challenge of the present time, let us remember that God speaks to us through

the events of this world. It is up to us to know how to interpret the map he gives us to navigate in

our life journey of searching for meaning. "Courage! It’s me!" Jesus tells us. After fear, anxiety,

and the lockdown, the new face of the Church and the transformed church members will

emerge. Take the map! Hold to it, navigate!

Peace.

Fr. Lawrence Murori

Past Guest



5/7/2020 Thursday

“Another Day”

Pat Reilly – Past Alpha Guest

I wanted to share with you what a blessing the "Alpha Reflections" have been for me. This past

week was especially filled with much joy - even tears of joy. I went to confession, attended the

Eucharistic Adoration with the beautiful accompanying music, and watched the video "Nobody But

Jesus", which I've watched several times. I wanted to share a poem/prayer that one of my Alpha

table mates shared with me. I say it every morning. If you think it's acceptable to share it on the

Alpha video please do so. Thank you to all those who are helping us through this difficult time. Another Day (by Grace E. Easley) Lord, thank you for another day within this life of mine. Give me the strength to live it well, whatever I may find. Bestow from Your abundance whatever I may lack. To use the hours wisely, for I cannot have them back. Lord, thank You for another day, in which to make amends for little slights or petty words inflicted on my friends. For sometimes losing patience with problems that I find. For seeing faults in other lives, but not the ones in mine. Lord, thank You for another chance in which to try to be a little more deserving of the gifts You've given me. For yesterday is over, and tomorrow's far away, and I remain committed to the good I do today! Pat Reilly Past Alpha Guest



5/8/2020 Friday

“Perserverance”

Mary Delesdernier – Past Helper, Registration & Set-up

Hello Alpha Family, My name is Mary and I was involved with a few of the first Alphas at St. Angela. I’ve worked Registration, been a Table Helper and have also done set up. During this time of dealing with the stay at home orders, my family and I have talked a lot about perseverance. The definition of perseverance is ”the persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” Kind of sums up life these days, doesn’t it. In our family, we know we can do this. We survived Hurricane Katrina and the 3 months spent out of state. Even when we came home at Thanksgiving, life wasn’t back to normal…we were living on cement floors, many restaurants and stores still weren’t open, street lights were out, events were cancelled. But we survived and thrived. We had what we needed…our faith in God, our family, our church community. We will survive and thrive in these times as well because of faith in God, our family, our church community. I pulled a few of my favorite scripture verses that have been helpful to me: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures he make me lie down; to still waters he leads me; he restores my soul. He guides me along the right paths for the sake of his name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff comfort me.” Psalm 23:1-4. “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” Romans 8:18. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 During this lent, I found strength in the Blessed Mother. My husband, Mike, and I prayed the rosary daily and My Lenten reflection book was a daily reflection with Saint Maximillian Kolbe, who had a deep devotion to Mary and made it his life’s work to promote the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. On Easter weekend, I listened to a podcast of a Good Friday homily by Fr. Mike Schmitz. Fr. Mike talked about brokenness of ordinary people and that God pours out his life for broken ordinary people. People who wouldn’t stand at the cross when Jesus was crucified. But, he said, Mary Magdalene and John stood at the foot of the cross. Not because they were stronger than the other disciples or that they didn’t have the same weaknesses as they did (or that we do) BUT because they stood at the foot of the cross with Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, the Mother of God. When we are weak, she intercedes for us, when we are broken she holds us, and when we fall to the ground because we are crushed, Our Lady of Sorrows takes her children in her arm and helps them stand in the midst of their weakness. I’ve never thought about Mary was an intercessor already then. We are so lucky that we have that help from Mary, Jesus, Saint Maximillian Kolbe and all the saints to help us stand in our weakness, in this time of Covid-19. We just need to reach out to them. God Bless, Mary Delesdernier Past Helper, Registration and Set-up “A single act of love makes the soul return to life.” – St Maximilian Kolbe I'm attaching the video that includes the story of Maximilian Kolbe in case you would like to see it again. To get right to the Maximilian story, go to 7:25. http://stangela.homestead.com/alpha/alpha-video03a.html

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5/12/2020 Tuesday “Praise God with Song” Eric Broadbridge Can you sing? Of course you can. Some of us may sound better than others but we can all sing. Praising God through song and music is a great way show our love for our creator and Savior. It allows you to express your gratitude in a different way than speaking, reading or listening. Song and music can also be very uplifting for the soul. St. Paul tells us to be thankful and sing praise for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5:19-20 "addressing one another (in) psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" When I listen to a religious or Christian song I realize that a person first came up with the words and then worked up the music to accompany the words. It becomes their way of expressing praise and glory to our Heavenly Father inspired by the Holy Spirit. So where am I going with this. Some music recommendations of course. Below are a couple of links to songs that are currently my favorites, besides "Nobody", which you know about already. Give them a couple of listens to and you will get to know the lyrics pretty quickly. When you click on the link the video will open YouTube in a browser window and you may first get an advertisement. Just wait 5 seconds and click on the "Skip Ad" link at the bottom right of video. (You may want to bookmark these now) Take some time to watch/listen to these videos and better yet listen to them in your car while you are driving alone, and you can sing as loud as you want. I am sure God will hear you and He does not mind if you can't sing. Happy Singing! God Bless! Eric Heavenly Father, We thank You for the gift of song and music. Sometimes words alone cannot express our gratitude and we need to "kick it up a notch" by singing praise and glory to You. We are ever grateful and blessed for those who really do know how to sing, can carry a good tune and can play music. So we thank you for our cantors, music directors, piano players, guitar players and all those who use song and music to worship you. In Jesus name, Amen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQWFzMvCfLE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtwIT8JjddM

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtwIT8JjddM



5/18/2020 Monday “There is a Balm in Gilead” Michael Shreve – current Alpha Guest Spring 2020 (Table 15) While praying for a cure and vaccine for Covid-19, I was reminded of the old spiritual hymn of Jeremiah 8:22, “There is a balm in Gilead” Now, I can’t get it out of my head as a constant prayer. We pray in hope for a speedy cure for the sickness of the virus. We already have a cure for the sickness of our souls. The hymn reminds us of both and compels us to rejoice and proclaim the latter to everyone we meet!! We are not deterred in either praying or proclaiming as ...in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28. There are two great versions attached. https://youtu.be/8fcMxI_6xsk https://youtu.be/BN9JALQRMb0 Kind regards, Michael Shreve – current Guest Table 15

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5/22/2020 Friday “Preparing for Pentecost” Diane Kratochvil Hello to all of you! We are two and a half months in to our Covid 19 experience. Things are starting to look up but there is much ahead for all of us as we try to navigate what is safe for us and our loved ones. Churches are opening at limited capacity and people are happy to be together even as we continue our social distancing. Looking around at church it's fun to try to figure out "who is who" behind the masks. Derek Hinton sent a note to me last week reflecting on how great it was to be back for Mass and to receive Jesus in the Eucharist again. I felt the same way when I went to Mass last Sunday. How are YOU doing? Are you starting to feel the joy again? Or are you struggling even more with all of this? We all come from different places. Our hearts have experienced different bruises and blessings. Whether you are a regular church goer or not, God is near. He is ready whenever you are ready to encounter Him. And He has sent his Holy Spirit to each of us. We need only call out His name. "Come, Holy Spirit!" Remember that simple prayer from our Alpha week-end back in March just before the shut-down? That prayer is powerful when prayed with an open heart and mind. Attached below is a link to a video of Janice Charbonnet. She is Fr. Beau's sister-in-law and is very active in the Catholic charismatic community. She reflects on the approaching celebration of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, which we celebrate on May 31st. It's a beautiful reflection and Fr. Beau wanted to share it with all of you. Enjoy! God Bless, Diane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtJBVf_wvJc&feature=youtu.be

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Documents

ALPHA course · 2020-06-09 · Don't be Afraid Fr. Lawrence Murori Past Guest 43 5/6/2020 "Another Day" Pat Reilly Past Alpha Guest 44 5/7/2020 "Perserverance" Mary Delesdernier Past