How user friendly are our churches?

England will be inviting people in their communities to come ‘Back to Church' on September 30. BARRY HOBSON asks CANON SISTER PENNY HORSEMAN, Bishop's adviser on evangelism, how parishes can respond

Barry: Inviting people back to church is fine - but we do that all the time?
Penny: Yes we do, but on September 30 there will be a higher profile and a national media campaign which we can hitch on to and our neighbours may well feel - "Everybody's doing it, so why not me".
Barry: So why have a Back to Church Sunday and how could we use it in our parishes?
Penny: Some people are saying: "We can't invite them back to church, they have never been in the first place." It is true that 40 per cent of the adult population of England have never attended Christian worship, but you will also see that another 40 per cent have left the church. In the jargon of our time, they are the de churched.
Barry: To whom is this initiative addressed?
Penny: People like Beryl, a regular church attender when younger, she stopped going to church when her husband Gerald's shift work made it difficult. After he died, family visits on Sunday were another reason for not going to church, but she is back now and involved in her faith once more.

Amanda and Paul both grew up with an understanding of God, but it was an invitation to a church event from Amanda's sister that was the turning point for them.  I meet people like this as I travel around our churches. They are all ages but they have come back - Back to Church.  Many of them were invited by people just like you. 

Barry: Have we got the time and energy for this?
Penny: Back to Church Sunday does not bneed to be a time consuming event for your congregation but it does need thoughtful preparation. Churches across the UK have taken part in recent years since Back to Church Sunday was first tried out in the Manchester Diocese.

On Church said; "We decided far too late to get involved in the event and therefore were ill prepared". It's not too early for you to think about doing this in 2007.

Another reports: "Three small country parishes congregations pleased with first go!

Barry: Is there an idea that will work whatever area you live in?
Penny: Numbers returning vary of course but one church commented: "20 per cent congregation increase. This caught the congregations imagination in a big way, many took bookmarks (to pray
for those they were going to invite) and invites. Brilliant concept, well presented and simple to use."
Barry: If we are thinking of using this or any other methods to invite people to come to a service of worship, is it a good time to look at how ‘user friendly' our churches are?
Penny: Why not try to look at your worship service through the eyes of someone who hasn't been to church for quite a while? Better still, why not get someone from another congregation to act as ‘a critical friend' to help you do this.
Barry: What does it feel like to come into church for the first time? Will people be encouraged to come again?
Penny: Help is at hand. Back to Church Sunday has a website from which you can download resources and art work to tailor your own package. You will find it at www.backtochurch.co.uk. I am happy to speak to deanaries, benefices and parishes about the experience of other churches in doing this and add a few tips of my own.

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