ALPHA LAUNCHES THE NEW ALPHA FILM SERIES GLOBALLY The completely re-‐imagined version of the widely successful Alpha Course WATERLOO, Ontario – Canadian churches have consistently identified a clear gap in resources to communicate the timeless, transformational truth of the Gospel to a changing culture and new generations.. In response, on April 14th, 2016 Alpha Canada will participate in the global release of the brand new Alpha Film Series, with 16 new, 30-‐minute, documentary-‐style episodes. This series will help churches in Canada empower their people to live out their baptismal call. With 29 million people globally having already experienced Alpha, the Alpha Film Series will engage a broadly global and multicultural audience while covering the traditional Alpha content such as: Who is Jesus?, How can we have faith?, Why and how do I pray?, How does God guide us?, and Who is the Holy Spirit? It features inspiring stories and interviews using interactive cinematography, as well as visual illustrations and motion graphics. These interviews and stories will feature contributors with various backgrounds and experiences including: • Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna. • Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher to the Papal Household. • Bear Grylls, world-‐renowned adventurer, writer and television presenter. • Julia Immonen, Sky Sports News presenter and double Guinness World Record Atlantic Ocean rower. • Ugo Monye, former English international rugby union player. • Jackie Pullinger, one of the world's best-‐known missionaries, based in Hong Kong. • Jose Henriquez Gonzalez, one of the thirty-‐three miners trapped for sixty-‐nine days at the San Jose mine in Chile. • Alister McGrath, professor of science and religion at the University of Oxford. • Scott Harrison, founder of Charity: Water Along with Alpha Pioneer Nicky Gumbel and his wife Pippa, the series will feature two new hosts – Toby Flint and Gemma Hunt. Toby is a pastor at Holy Trinity Brompton church in London and Gemma is an award-‐winning BBC children's television host. The new series releases on the heels of the 2013 Alpha Youth Film Series that was developed by Alpha Canada, and which has seen more than 60,000 students in Canada experiencing Alpha and is being used globally to reach young people. Alpha Canada has similarly invested heavily in the new Alpha Film Series, both with finances and talent. Shaila Visser, National Director of Alpha Canada, says, “This is the next critical step towards reaching our goal of 1,000,000 Canadians experiencing Alpha. We are so excited to be able to serve the local church in a way that we’ve never been able to before.”
Affirming Alpha’s commitment to equipping the local church, Christian Riesbeck, Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa, says, “The Alpha course was initially one of the principle mediums through which many of my parishioners were evangelized or “awakened” in their faith life. They were motivated to delve deeper in their relationship with Jesus to the point where they became leaders in the parish and intentional missionary disciples.” The first episode of the Alpha Film Series will be available free online on April 14, 2016, and new episodes will be released every week through April and May. It will later be available in DVD format and also in Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin and Hindi, by the end of 2016. As part of the widespread global launch, there will be three Canadian launch events held at Performance Works, Vancouver, BC, on April 14th at 7 p.m., North Bramalea United Church in Brampton, ON on April 25th at 7 p.m. and Gateway Church in London, ON on May 1st at 7 p.m. Registration is required for all launch events, and media are welcome and invited to attend. Watch the teaser here: alphacanada.org/afs Watch episode one: alphacanada.org/afsepisode1 What is Alpha? Alpha is a tool for evangelization that is being used by thousands of Catholic parishes in over 70 countries. Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith, typically run over 10-‐12 weeks. Each session looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create a safe place with conversations about life, faith and God. Alpha is run all around the world, and everyone's welcome. It runs in cafés, churches, universities, homes, bars – you name it.
No two Alphas look the same, but generally they have three key things in common: food, a talk and good, open discussion. 29 million people have tried Alpha in 169 countries and 112 languages, including over 698,000 in Canada. alphacanada.org
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