Back to Church Sunday next month (September 28) aims to get thousands to return to the pews they once occupied. One organisation says it provides the ideal opportunity to re-engage with those who turned away when traditional services were replaced with contemporary alternatives.

The Prayer Book Society works to promote the Book of Common Prayer which dates from 1662 and is still the bedrock of our nation's church.

It says ever since modern services started to replace the traditional, through the Seventies and Eighties, congregations have been in decline.

The national society warmly welcomes the Church's drive to encourage people back and says it is much easier than many think to find a Prayer Book service.

"The 1662 Prayer Book is the traditional service book of the Church of England, and it contains the Church's historic beliefs", says a spokesman.

"The good news is that many parishes still use the Prayer Book, although in some it's relegated to early morning Communion and Evensong, whereas we feel it still has a place in the main Sunday service."

Now the national society, which operates in each of the Church of England dioceses, is urging parish priests to hold at least one Prayer Book service on Back to Church Sunday and promote the fact to parishioners.

"Many churches introduced new-style services in the belief that they would increase attendance, but the statistics suggest that the opposite is true", according to Prudence Dailey the Society's chairman. "We are encouraging people to search out their nearest Prayer Book service – and it's easier to find than many think."

The Prayer Book Society has a directory of churches using traditional services which is available at www.pbs.org.uk or from local PBS branches. "We hear from many people who really miss the Prayer Book services they know and love", adds Miss Dailey.

"But in fact there are a lot of cathedrals and churches still using them, and our website is a good place to find out those in a particular area."