Back to Church Sunday

“Because it’s you I’ll come”
Words spoken by a man who had just been invited by a neighbour and friend to his local church. It sums up the impact of a friend inviting a friend to his local church.

• Back to Church Sunday is an initiative to rekindle church going among people who have given it up. Members of a congregation invite friends they haven’t seen in church for a while to come to a service with them on Back to Church Sunday. That day the church makes an effort to be especially “user friendly” to visitors.

• Back to Church Sunday is an initiative which begun in one Church of England Diocese and now involves the whole denomination as well as ecumenical partners. During the four years that Back to Church Sunday has been running 30,000 people have come Back to Church.

• Back to Church Sunday demonstrates that personal invitation works. It shows that newcomers are likely to come to church if they know that there will be other newcomers on the same day. Responses from Back to Church Sunday have also shown that where the whole congregation is involved there is a multiplying effect. Some churches have seen their congregations increase by one hundred per cent on Back to Church Sunday. It has shown where there is wholehearted acceptance of people the welcome is genuine and heartfelt.

• Back to Church Sunday produces resources to enable local congregations with their Back to Church Sunday service. These include prayer cards, invitation cards, balloons, T-shirts and worship resources. This is produced in partnership with Traidcraft. There are also downloadable resources and suggestions at www.backtochurch.co.uk

• Back to Church Sunday is being piloted in Scotland in 2008. Already some individual congregations, local Churches Together Groups and Presbyteries have said they would like to be involved. This year Action of Churches Together in Scotland will facilitate Back to Church Sunday.

• A Back to Church Sunday Information and Training Day is being held on Tuesday 29 April 2008 at the Church of Scotland Office, 121 George Street Edinburgh from 10.30am-3.30pm. This will be an opportunity to hear more about Back to Church Sunday, find out how you can order resources, meet others interested in Back to Church Sunday and share in two workshops about ‘welcome’ and ‘working with your local media’. Download the program for the day.

• For further information or to register for the Information and Training Day please contact Revd. Lindsey Sanderson, on 01259 222361 or lindseysanderson@acts-scotland.org The Training Day is free of charge.