Traditionally, a Celebration Night or Wrap Party was a separate add-on night for guests to invite their friends and family to see what Alpha is all about and invite them to the next Alpha.
Many groups are now concluding with the "church" video and inviting guests one-on-one to the next Alpha when it's closer to the start date. The relational and personal invitation tends to be very effective.
12 ideas for the LAST Alpha session together
Watch the last video together and then during discussion time, ask each person to reflect on the past few months and jot down 1 or 2 highlights on a piece of paper. What were some memorable moments? Collect these to review later.
Arrange for the senior pastor to attend the last session, introduce him/herself, and invite Alpha guests to Sunday service (5 min max).
Provide Feedback Forms to your team and guests, digital or hardcopy (template can be found in the "materials" section, log in).
Share a few ways for Alpha guests to stay involved (Home groups, Bible studies, upcoming church events, etc.).
Ask if the group would like to stay together and form a new Life Group. Discuss how Life Group works at your church and why it's important to stay connected.
Share info about your next Alpha (start date, time) and provide invitation postcards so guests can invite their friends to the next Alpha.
Ask if any guests would like to be a helper on the next Alpha and what roles might interest them. (Or include this on your customized Feedback Form.)
Take a group picture and share it with everyone in your group (this is fun online too!).
Arrange a group meetup or Zoom chat in a couple of weeks to see how everyone is doing. Pay attention to any guests who are not connected to any church groups.
Pray a short blessing over each guest before closing. Consider writing a little Thank You note to each guest. Include your email or phone number if you feel comfortable.
Ask specific leaders & guests to share their experience with the Alpha Canada National Team. Fill in this online form with the details: Share Your Story
"I'm always sharing my story so that people can see that I've experienced it. I understand what we're inviting them to. It's not something strange and foreign to us. It's something that has transformed my life and I believe it can transform their life too." (Tammy Giffen, NS from guest > helper > host > pastor)
"We try to do it [Alpha] three times a year. The tip of the spear in terms of people who invite tend to be either recent Alpha graduates or people who have come through this experience." (Rob Hogendoorn, Lead Pastor of Forest City Community Church in London, ON)
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