Course has special meaning for Nalven
It was 1996 when the Rev. Claudia Nalven took a course on Christianity that influenced her dramatically.
She even changed careers, leaving the field of journalism she had entered in the early 1980s, to study theology.
As the new assistant rector at St. Mark Episcopal Church in Geneva, she is looking forward to offering others the same opportunity to find spiritual meaning. She will teach the Alpha Course this fall to parishioners and to the community.
"It's special to me because it's the way I came to faith and into a relationship with God," Nalven said. "I was a newspaper reporter when I heard about the course and decided to take it. I wasn't going to church at the time. I was feeling stuck in my life and I wanted to know if there was something else for me. Also, I was raised thinking the church was about rules and punishment."
According to Nalven, the Alpha Course is a 10-week introduction to the Christian faith that seeks answers to such questions as "Who was Jesus?" and "Why did he die?"
"It's for people who are skeptical, for those who don't have a church," Nalven said. "It's for people who want to learn about God but not church. It's a safe way to encounter God without all the baggage."
St. Mark's has offered the course to parishioners before but this is the first time it is available to the community.
The course will be offered at 7 p.m. Thursdays beginning Sept. 13 at the church at 320 Franklin St. in Geneva. Those interested can find out more at an introductory dinner at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 in the church's fellowship hall.
Nalven says the course started in London. The Web site, www.alphausa.org, claims that more than 8 million people worldwide have taken the course.
New Yorker
Nalven came to St. Mark's in January after completing her studies at Trinity Seminary in Pittsburgh. Before attending Trinity, she had lived in New York almost all her life.
She has also lived in such diverse locations as Nantucket, Mass., and Hong Kong, but living in Geneva has given her a first taste of the Midwest.
"I'm loving it, but I do have a hard time with the people being so nice," she said. "New Yorkers are very aggressive and I was suspicious. But I learned it's because people are nice, not because they want something. It's a different style. I am enjoying my new life and making new friends."
Nalven has been ordained as a transitional deacon and she will be ordained as an Episcopal priest Oct. 12 at St. Mark's.
Nalven has two adult sons, who live in North Carolina and in Maryland.
For information, call Nalven at (630) 232-0133.
Come to a luau:
Faith and food have been closely linked through the ages, no matter the tradition or denomination.
Hosanna! Lutheran Church and Preschool is planning a luau for the annual church picnic at 12:15 p.m. Sunday.
The event will include a pig roast. Hamburgers, hot dogs and bratwurst will also be served. The community is invited. Guests can bring an appetizer, salad or dessert to share but it isn't necessary. Hosanna! is at 36W925 Red Gate Road in St. Charles; use the entrance just east of Randall Road. For information, call (630) 584-6434.