REGULARS who strolled down to their village pub for a pint on January 31 could have had a big surprise.

For they would have found their vicar conducting a course in Christianity.

When the Rev Andrew Rowland was inducted at St Mary the Virgin, West Moors, last week he extended an open invitation to everyone to meet him down at The Tap and Railway pub.

Everyone laughed but he was actually serious - because he's running an Alpha course there on Tuesday evenings.

Alpha, now used by many denominations all over the world, has been a runaway success in introducing "unchurched" people to Christianity. Participants share a meal together before watching a video or presentation and then they talk in groups about what they've seen.

"I think that a lot of people are reluctant to come through the door of the church," Andrew said.

"The whole point of Alpha is that it's fun, it's relaxed and anybody can say what they like during the discussion afterwards - no subject is barred.

"Jesus was seen in ordinary places where people were and that's where to run Alpha."

Andrew first mooted the idea of Alpha in the pub on the Aldhelm's Way pilgrimage last year, when he talked to senior colleagues.

"I have got a heart for mission," he added.

"St Mary's is a traditional church with largely older people and I wanted to take the Gospel message to other age groups and that's best done where people are."

Landlady Beverley Mansbridge said she saw the Tap and Railway as a community pub which took part in many school and charity events.

"It's just an extension of that," she said. "We might get a different type of person who doesn't normally think of coming to the pub .

"It's nice to get another link to another part of the community."

First published: February 1, 2006