We had an amazing kickoff of our Alpha Course at Joe Pasta yesterday.

22 people, ranging from 19 – 75, participated. Pretty darn good for a new outreach adventure.

Great job Caitlyn (who is all things Alpha at SAMP)!

We had another fantastic launch of our Alpha Course tonight! There was a great feel in the room and well over 200 people were in attendance.

We’d love to have you join us for dinner and a talk (“Why did Jesus die?”) next Monday at 6.30 pm. Structured childcare, and dinner for the kids, is provided.

Hope to see you!

Join us for “Revive – a Prayer Event for Charleston, SC” sponsored by Alpha USA/Alpha South Carolina

We’ll gather at First Scots Presbyterian Church, 53 Meeting Street, Charleston,  on Thursday evening, August 25th from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm as we come together as one body in Christ and ask the Lord to revive us for the work of outreach and discipleship in the greater Charleston area.

Rev. Christian Zebley from Montreat, NC and several pastoral leaders from Charleston area churches will come together to lead us in prayer as we pray for the world, our nation and the people and communities of the greater Charleston region.  The evening will begin with worship followed by prayer for specific people, churches and organizations.  Participants will be invited to pray for each of these important areas of intercession.  The evening will end with an opportunity for personal prayer ministry and uplifting worship.  Come join us as we ask the Lord to revive Charleston for Kingdom unity and work.  Join us for a special evening of prayer, Christian unity and fellowship.

Here is the detailed agenda:

7:00 pm  - Welcome and Opening Remarks – Margaret Cotton, Regional Director of Alpha South Carolina

7:05 pm  - Worship

7:20 pm  - Prayer for the Unity of the Church, The Rev’d Christian Zebley, Alpha USA

7:30 pm – Prayer for the World – The Rev’d Dr. Anthony Kowbeidu, St Andrew’s

7:40 pm - Prayer for the Nation – The Rev’d Marshall Blalock, First Baptist

7:50 pm - Prayer for the Greater Charleston Area (leaders, churches, schools, individuals, families, children) – James Rogers, Youth Pastor, First Scots

8:00 pm - Prayer for Evangelistic Outreach (Alpha and other ministries)  – The Rev’d Al Zadig, St Michael’s

8:10 pm - Individual Prayer Ministry (prayer stations with prayer ministers from participating churches)

8:25 pm - Closing Worship song and prayer

Bret from St. Andrew’s Church on Vimeo.

I’m leaving this afternoon for London. The Alpha International Conference, which happens every other year, is being held this week at Holy Trinity, Brompton. I’ll be speaking as a part of the Sr. Leaders Track.

Then on Sunday I’m off to preach at Frog and Amy Orr-Ewing’s church plant, the Latimer Minster. Frog, heads up the work of planting the Latimer Minster while Amy is the UK Director of RZIM Trust and Curriculum Director for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.

I’d welcome your prayers!

Following is a promo clip on the International Week.

The Alpha Course starts this Monday, September 13th at St. Andrew’s.  Click here for more information.  See you there?

Here’s where I’ll be for the next few days as part of the leadership team:

St.Andrew’s hosted the kickoff gathering for Alpha USA’s “Alpha in the Workplace” seminars last month.  Here’s a video presentation of the day just released by Alpha USA:

Have you ever wanted to be a more effective witness for Christ in the workplace? Nearly 250 people in Charleston came to St. Andrew’s today for Alpha USA’s Workplace Faith Gathering to explore the topic and to be equipped. This is Alpha’s kick-off event for a 14-city tour of much larger cities. Participants heard from five great speakers, including Lou Giuliano, former chairman of ITT Industries, Bruce Beard of Beard Pension Services, and Os Hillman, founder of Marketplace Leaders. Below is an excerpt of Os’s talk where he outlines a theology of workplace ministry.