Good morning and Happy Sunday to all! My name is Mary-Jo Pereira and I have been a member of All Saints Parish since I was 11 months old. I have been given the privilege to speak to you about my experience with the Alpha Program. First, let me begin with the information you will need to participate in Alpha. It is a program that runs 11 weeks on Wednesdays beginning on Sept. 21st at All Saints and is being offered both in person and online. Alpha is a series of sessions that freely explore the big questions of life. It’s an opportunity to meet new people, and discover more about the Christian Faith, and share your thoughts in a friendly, inclusive environment. Have you ever reached a point in your life where you know God is there for you no matter what. That he is present and involved in your life. That Jesus was crucified and died on the cross for You not just everybody else but You. That the Holy Spirit is there to comfort you and give you his gifts especially Wisdom when you ask for it. When I was younger I was searching for a deeper relationship with God. I found it when I joined a Prayer Group here in our parish. All these Truths were real to me and I experienced the presence of God in many ways, through prayer, healing and miracles. I knew beyond any doubt that God walked with me every moment of my life. I was able to speak to others about my faith with ease. Then, I experienced some very difficult moments in my life. Events were happening not only in my world, but in the world around us, This made me question God and my relationship with Him. How could He allow these things to happen to my family and to innocent people. I never lost my Faith, but I struggled with trusting that God would be there for me no matter what happened in my life. Slowly my faith life changed, and when I look back I realize I didn’t even notice it was happening. I wasn’t as committed to prayer and scripture. How could I talk about my faith to anyone, when I was struggling? Thankfully our Mother Mary and praying the rosary got me through these times. I had heard about Alpha and many times thought about attending the program, but something always discouraged me. I didn’t feel ready to have discussions about my faith. Then a friend called me and invited me to attend Alpha and I felt that I needed to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. So I decided to go for it. Every week I listened to others speak about their experiences and I joined in briefly. I felt like I didn’t have much to say at first. That shocked me because I always had something to say. Slowly, listening to others and hearing about their challenges and victories with their Faith life, helped me to start to look back and see what was happening in mine. My small group became a group I could share with and I knew I was not being judged in any way. I haven’t quite reached the place I feel God wants me to be yet. I am still praying about that. But, I have learned that that’s OK. God is with me always and all I have to do is listen and He will speak to me. I need to Trust in Him. I encourage all of you to try the Alpha program. Maybe you are at a crossroads in your life. Maybe you are questioning God and trying to find your place. God knows where you belong and He will guide you to where you need to go. You just have to allow Him. I am personally inviting you to attend the Alpha sessions. If you need more information on Alpha or you would like to register visit our parish website. Thank you for listening and have a great day! God bless!