Health warning Please don’t feel that you have to do all the things in this timeline. Experience from the hundreds of churches across the country shows that the most important thing of all is the prayerful invitation of a friend. Everything else suggested here only serves to support that single thing.
For some, Back to Church Sunday is a misnomer as they have never been to church in the first place. Back to Church Sunday is designed to reach those coming back and those who are curious with a simple invitation and a warm welcome.
April
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Details and order forms will be on the diocesan website.
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Gather a team within your church to co-ordinate Back to Church.
Book yourselves onto a training morning by contacting
14 June
5 July All Saints,
12 July St Mary’s, Banbury
June
Look at your welcome packs, noticeboards, etc. What do they say about your church? Have your ordered your resources yet?
7 June Visit the 'Back to Church' stall at the living faith conference.
July
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Who’s planning the service on Back to Church Sunday? Make sure at least one person is thinking about how to make it special for newcomers. Look at the resources and ideas available on the website.
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If you have a Sunday School how will they get involved? Let the children imagine how to make the most of the day and who to invite.
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What can you do before or after the service? What about a Back to Church breakfast or a barbecue afterwards: make an event of it.
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Talk to your local school about Back to Church Sunday and ask if they would make it special for you. Bring in the band or school choir, or commission a banner from the school which will be unveiled on the day.
- Think about a follow up process starting in the week after Back to Church Sunday.
- Talk about Back to Church Sunday – through the magazine, news sheet, sermons, etc.
August
Plan to incorporate themes of welcome, friendship, mission etc to the Sundays leading up to back to church Sunday.
Last chance to order resources.
August and September
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Distribute prayer invitation cards. Make room in the service to think and pray about the day.
- Get every member of the congregation to pray for a friend who might like to be invited. Explain how the prayer cards work and how to invite a friend.
Only just thought about joining in – look at the website for how to do ‘BTCS Express’!
September
On the day:
- Have fun!
- Welcome your guests well.
- Let them know how they can get involved in church after Back to Church Sunday
October
Send off the feedback form to ensure that Back to Church 2009 works as well as 2008 and even better!
