“Back to School” season is now followed by Back to Church Sunday.

Today’s podcast offers you a preview of what several congregations in our listening area are doing this weekend.

Casey Jones is the executive director of Allegany Hope, a Belmont-based network of Christian congregations in Allegany County. They are not only participating in localizing this weekend’s Back to Church Sunday annual emphasis; they also cooperate with a number of prayer, social and mission-oriented projects together.

One of those areas of emphasis is the community of Friendship, New York. Churches there have planned free community lunches there, both Saturday and Sunday. (Sept. 14-15, 2024)

Back to Church Sunday happens on the third Sunday of September, after people are back to school and back from Labor Day Weekend. This is the 15th year of the national emphasis. There are paid and free resources available to churches each year, to help with their efforts to re-motivate their members and to invite neighbors in. They also have options available to promote a Back to Church Weekend for congregation which offer worship and events on Saturdays.

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• Allegany Hope offers a community-news oriented website, as well as on Facebook: “What God is Doing in Allegany County”
  
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• The National Back to Church website: backtochurch.com
  
• Several motivational videos about the evangelistic differences a congregation can foster in its community: Why have a B2CS? and Why invite a friend?
  
• Making it easy to invite a friend — for worship or a class or a meal:  3-reasons-to-invite
  
• A searchable map of participating congregations, with the Welcome Mat out, in PA and NY: www.findachurchnow.com