Churches in Rochdale say 'Wish You Were Here'

Heart-shaped cloud and the motto 'wish you were here'

A sweet welcome on Back to Church Sunday 25th September.

Churchgoers in Rochdale are inviting friends and neighbours back to church as part of an annual event which started in Greater Manchester last year and is catching on around the country. 

And for those who accept the invitation, there are giveaways including bars of Fairtrade chocolate.

Handwritten invitation postcards featuring a heart-shaped cloud and the motto 'wish you were here' are being delivered this week by churchgoers to people they know who have lost contact with church. 

Banners, posters and gifts bags containing Co-op Fairtrade chocolate are also part of the Back to Church Sunday package, designed to give a sweet 'welcome back' to those who come again.

On Back to Church Sunday 2004 more than 880 people returned to church in Greater Manchester and a university study showed 9 out of 10 would come again.

The Bishop of Manchester the Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch said, "There are lots of people who would like to come back to church.  A personal invitation and a friend to go with can make all the difference."

Back to Church Sunday began last year in the Church of England Diocese of Manchester but this year has been adopted also by the Diocese of Wakefield and other churches around the country.

Churches taking part in Rochdale include:
 
Hopwood, St John
Heywood, St Margaret
Heywood, All Souls
Heywood, St Luke
Middleton, St Leonard
Thornham, St John
Tonge-cum-Alkrington, St Michael
Balderstone, St Mary
Belfield, St Ann
Norden, St Paul
Rochdale, St George with St Alban