Anglican Communion News Service

The internationally acclaimed Alpha Course will be screened on Sky Digital at 20:30 on Friday evenings from 7 February 2003. According to statistics compiled by the Christian Research Organisation, more than 1.3 million people in the UK have already completed the Alpha Course. Now satellite TV viewers will be able to watch it on the GOD Channel (Sky 671).

The Alpha TV series, which will run for 15 weeks, follows the same topics as those discussed in the 24,000 Alpha groups running world-wide, helping viewers to explore the meaning of life. The screening of the complete Alpha Course follows the success of an ITV 10-part documentary hosted by Sir David Frost, who described it as "a phenomenon - an extraordinary story."

Presented by the Revd Nicky Gumbel, the Alpha series on the GOD Channel kicks off with "Christianity: Boring, Untrue and Irrelevant?" and includes such questions as "How can I make the most of the rest of my life?"

"We have heard so many wonderful stories of people whose lives have been changed through Alpha in churches of all denominations," he said. "I'm delighted the Course is to be broadcast on the GOD Channel. It is a partnership which I believe will give many more people the opportunity to explore the meaning of life."

Alpha is aimed at people who don't go to church, offering a practical introduction to the Christian faith. It has swept Europe, Africa and the USA and is now in 130 countries around the world.

For more information about Alpha visit: www.alphacourse.org

For more information about the GOD Channel visit: www.god.tv