Back to Church Sunday 2011

Last Updated on Tuesday, 25 October 2011 14:02

Many churches across the Diocese made 25th September 2011 'Back to Church Sunday' and invited people from their parishes and networks to try church again.  There are great stories from many churches who took part of people being welcomed, people coming back to church after a long time away and encouragement from the special events.

St. Paul’s, Wordsworth Avenue in Sheffield had a visitor who had stopped going to his church a long while ago but was encouraged to return for the event. St. Thomas’ Kilnhurst put on bacon butties before the service, which went down a treat, and encouraged some who had been on the edge of church events to attend a service for the first time.

One newcomer to St. Peter and St. Paul, Barnaby Dun felt God calling her in the service and another was returning in her 50s having not been part of church since Sunday School.

Rev. Karen Skidmore from St. Cuthbert’s Herringthorpe was proud of her congregation for inviting so many friends and family members to join in worship on that Sunday and hopes that good relationships are being formed with those ‘on the fringe’. Around 20 people visited on the day. Rev. Eleanor Simpson from St. Mary’s Stainforth found that having their Harvest festival on the same Sunday encouraged some extra youth and children to attend the service.

The Parish of Great Snaith held a united parish service for the whole benefice as they took part in Back to Church Sunday for the first time. Rev. Peter Warren commented that it was an encouraging event and that they would be taking part again next year.

People were positive about the Back to Church Sunday service at All Saints in Darfield and St John Kimberworth Park were encouraged as they found people responding more positively to this year’s invitations that they had last year.

At St Andrew and St Peter Hoyland, a lady attended who had not been to church for a while since a close bereavement and who found the service very moving. She said she would return.

Visitors commented both at St. James' Church Rawcliffe and St. Luke’s Lodgemoor about how welcoming they found both churches.

These stories are just a snapshot of what happened across the Diocese – do send your stories to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it as they are encouraging to hear and will encourage more churches to get involved next year.