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From the VicarageSeptember may sound a long way ahead . . .As it draws closer you will hear more about Back to Church Sunday. The date this year is 28th September. It all began four years ago with one person in Manchester suggesting everyone at the church should invite a friend to come back with them to church on one particular day. They tried it, and were amazed at what happened. Each person invited a friend to go with them. Only people with a previous link or connection with the church were especially invited. Those who went didn't feel awkward as there were others who hadn't been for ages too. The idea was soon taken up by others. Quickly more and more dioceses across England have joined in, and our own diocese of Worcester is running a pilot project this year. We have been invited to take part in it, and to tell the rest of the diocese how it goes. In 2006 17,000 people came back to church on Back to Church Sunday: in 2007 it was 20,000. Records from the beginning suggest a consistent average of ten new people coming back to each parish. The organisers say it has worked if one person comes back to church because of the invitation of a friend. Canon Robin Gamble from Manchester Diocese has said: "There are loads of people who used to go to church, who moved house or just stopped coming for whatever reason. Back to Church Sunday is a simple way of reaching out to them again with a personal invitation and a warm welcome". The Back to Church idea is designed to reach those who have been to church at some point in their lives, and then drifted away. The prayerful invitation of a friend is said to be the key to its working so well. New people with no experience of church have been curious to find out more in some places, and are just as welcome. As September draws closer, you may be asked to invite someone to come back to church with you; or you might be the one invited. Of course you don't need to wait till September to come. We hope to see you soon. The 'Back to Church Sunday' Prayer Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. We remember that we are created and loved by you. We welcome you now as you have already welcomed us. We pray that we may know the power of your personal invitation in our own lives. Give us confidence to offer a friend your personal invitation. We pray for Back to Church Sunday and thank you for the gift of church as community. Make us aware of you. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Revd Sue Irwin
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