“Back to Church” Sunday!

Please keep Sunday 13 September 2009 carefully marked on your calendar. This will a significant day in the life of the Ministry Units of this Diocese, and in 18 other Dioceses throughout Australia. 19 Dioceses are committed to participating in “Back to Church” Sunday.

For the past four years these days have been happening in the United Kingdom and more recently in Canada and New Zealand. They have been happening with good effect. Significant numbers of people have been drawn to these services – and a significant number have continued as regular worshippers in their local churches.

The central key to these days is focused around personal face-to-face invitations to come to worship. There is one simple sentence of invitation: “Would you like to come to Church with me on Sunday?” We are often a little scared of asking that question. And yet there are many folk who are just waiting for us to make the invitation.

One of the other keys to these days is the ability of congregations to be welcoming and desirous of offering warm hospitality and fellowship.

What kind of Church are we inviting our friends into? Between now and September we have the opportunity to reflect upon that question; and for us to take action according to our response to the question. If we need to look carefully at how we welcome people and offer hospitality, then now is the time to do it.

“Back to Church” Sunday is a good time to invite our own personal friends – but also a time to help folk who have moved into our area to connect or re-connect with the local Church community. It is a known fact that when people move to a new area often they do not get around to making the re-connection with the Church. Here is an opportunity to make the invitation to re-connect.

Make this a welcoming memorable day in the living memory of our Diocese – Sunday 13 September, 2009.

Enquiries for further information and support to the Ministry Training Officer, The Reverend Canon Gail Hagon: GHagon@nor.com.au