(Sept. 23, 2011 - by Ralph Kurtenbach) A year ago, Mary Kyrsys had helped to promote "Back to Church Sunday" in the U.K., but then led congregational prayer in a church that hadn't joined the effort.

"It was quite sad really to not be doing it in my own home church," Kyrsys said. Nonetheless, she prayed aloud for the participating churches across England. Afterwards Kyrsys was pleasantly surprised when a couple thanked her for mentioning "Back to Church Sunday."

They'd heard radio commercials on the Church of England campaign to get people back into the pews, and they were relieved to learn that they hadn't erred on the date (Sept. 26, 2010). "So praise God, they came!" Kyrsys told producers from HCJB Global-UK which produced the radio spots promoting the event.

Again this year, the Church of England has arranged for stations to air a 30-second commercial produced by HCJB Global-UK's radio department, Whistling Frog Productions. The announcement begins with British churchgoers describing their reasons for attending church.

"Quite often I go there and I just cry because I'm so overwhelmed with the love I feel."

"It's a shared experience."

"It's a place where if I've had a rough week, I can just leave it all behind."

Back to Church Sunday began in Manchester in 2004. In 2009 an estimated 82,000 people came back to church across the U.K. as a result of this event. This year's Church of England call to return to fellowship is set for Sunday, Sept. 25.

Source: HCJB Global-UK