Bishops to target sinners at soccer matches

Sep 22 2008

A MIDLAND church diocese has unveiled its own soccer “God squad” who are setting out to save sinners – by converting fans at football matches.

The Bishops of Lichfield, Wolverhampton, Stafford and Shrewsbury have teamed up to encourage Premiership and Football League supporters to return to religion.

And the clergymen are hoping to score new recruits by launching a wacky advertising drive to convince fans on the terraces to make church-going a regular fixture. The campaign features funny football slogans including: “Because Jesus has already taken the penalty, you can be saved!”

As part of their “Back to Church Sunday” scheme, Lichfield Diocese is placing pun-filled adverts in all Midland Premier League, Football League and Blue Square Premier match-day programmes.

The ad campaign kicks off today in the West Bromwich Albion programme for their derby against bitter rivals Aston Villa.

Next Saturday the slogans will also feature in programmes for Midland matches at Walsall, Wolves, Stoke City, Shrewsbury Town and Burton Albion.

The scheme was dreamt up by Gavin Drake, who is director of communications for Lichfield Diocese and also acts as the pitch-side announcer for Walsall Football Club.

He said: “Die-hard football fans will often admit that you need a sense of humour to follow your team through the ups and downs; so we thought we’d help to inject a bit of humour in these programme adverts.

“Some say ‘football is the new religion’ but in reality far more people go to church on a Sunday than go to football matches on a Saturday.

“So if football fans respond to these adverts and come back to church, you can guarantee that they’ll never walk alone.

“Back to Church Sunday began in 2004 in the Diocese of Manchester and has since spread across the Church of England.

“The idea is that churchgoers agree to invite one person back to church. Last year in Lichfield Diocese some 6,000 people returned on Back to Church Sunday. And six months later between 700 and 900 had become regular members.”

The Archdeacon of Walsall, Bob Jackson, told the Sunday Mercury that the scheme was already a big hit with footy fans.

He said: “People invite their friends on Back to Church Sunday with no strings attached.

“We know many people will gladly respond to this.

“What we’ve proved is that up to 15 per cent like it so much they want to come back for good.

‘‘No wonder Back to Church Sunday has been such an encouragement.

“This year we want to work hard on improving our welcome even more.”

ben.goldby@sundaymercury.net