Shoppers help church prepare to welcome newcomers on 'Back to Church Sunday'
22 September 2009

Shoppers in Bournville have been surveyed by churchgoers in the run up to the annual ‘Back to Church Sunday’ when thousands of people are invited to give their local church a second chance.

Back to Church Sunday is being held on the 27th of September and Christians are being urged to invite a friend to church on a day when they will not be the only newcomer.

Around 37,000 people went ‘Back to Church’ in 2008 and in the Diocese of Birmingham some 90 churches gave a special welcome to newcomers in the last week of September.

This year all churches in all 44 Church of England dioceses are taking part as well as Anglican churches in Australia, Argentina, Canada and New Zealand.

St Francis Bournville is one of the churches in Birmingham Diocese taking part in Back to Church Sunday 2009.

Churchgoers who surveyed shoppers on Bournville Green heard that comfort and warmth were an important factor when considering going to a church service.

The shoppers said they wanted the Church to listen and to be relevant to the needs of the local community both in services and local events. But overall most people thought church was either excellent or good.

St Francis Bournville is celebrating Back to Church Sunday with a harvest festival on Sunday 27th September at 10 am.  All ages are welcome at the service.

The Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Revd David Urquhart will be launching Back to Church Sunday on Friday September 25th when he will be travelling around the diocese by bicycle and public transport, chiming bells as an appeal to people to come back to church.

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