Advent and Christmas can be a time when people who have never been to church, or who haven’t attended in years, look for a place to celebrate. Making sure your A Church Near You (ACNY) page is up-to-date can help them to find your church and feel more comfortable about visiting.
Churches across the Diocese of York are encouraged to check their A Church Near You pages before the season begins. Add your Advent and Christmas services and events, including carol services, Christingles, crib services, and Midnight Mass, with accurate times, locations, and a short description of what visitors can expect. Remember to use the ‘Advent’ and ‘Christmas’ tags, along with other relevant tags, to help people find your events.
It’s also a good time to look at your page through the eyes of someone visiting for the first time. Is it clear where to go or which door to use? Can they find information about parking, accessibility, and children’s facilities? A few reassuring words about what happens during a service can make a real difference, particularly for someone unfamiliar with church.
The Church of England has shared guidance on how to get your A Church Near You page ready for Advent and Christmas, including instructions for adding and tagging services. You can also find free posters, social media graphics, and other resources for this year’s theme, The Gift of Christmas.
Taking a little time to update your page now could help someone feel welcome enough to come through your doors this festive season.
Photo credit: ID 130745250 | Advent © Arybickii | Dreamstime.com
