back to church Sunday
September 28 2008 is being kept in the Diocese as 'Back to Church' Sunday, following very successful trials in the Church of England.
The co-ordinator for the Dioceses is Canon Val Hamer.
You can click on the following images to open pdf files of the magazine of the Missionary Diocese of Wakefield from two years ago, to give a flavour of what the Day can mean.
From the Back to Church website:
People in churches all over Britain, and for the first time, in other parts of the world, will be backing Back to Church Sunday this September 28th and inviting a friend back to church with them.
Thirty seven Church of England dioceses from Exeter to Newcastle will join with Churches Together in Scotland, the Church in Wales, Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed churches nationwide, Elim Pentecostal Church and Anglican churches in New Zealand and Canada.
This is exponential growth for Back to Church Sunday, which began in Manchester in 2004 with the message ‘Missing You’, and spread to Wakefield in 2005, nine Church of England dioceses in 2006 and 20 in 2007, when 20,000 people came back to church in one day.
Research by the Diocese of Lichfield after last year’s Back to Church Sunday suggested that 6000 people came back to church on that day and that, six months later, between 700 and 900 (12-15%) had become regular members. About a further 3000 are still in touch with their inviting churches and may have come at Christmas or to a social event.
The Archdeacon of Walsall, Bob Jackson, said: “People invite their friends on Back to Church Sunday with no strings attached. We know many people will gladly respond to this. What we’ve proved is that up to 15% like it so much they want to come back for good. No wonder Back to Church Sunday has been such an encouragement. This year we want to work hard on improving our welcome even more.”
The venture is supported by Traidcraft, which produces fairly traded and environmentally friendly resources for churches to advertise their invitation and welcome. Churches buy a Back to Church pack, with posters, prayer cards, balloons, welcome team T-shirts, and ‘friendly feedback’ cards so churches can develop their welcome.