On the evening of 12th August 2026, the UK will experience a solar eclipse the likes of which won't be see again until 2090. If you want to meet with people in your community, have a collective experience of awe and wonder, and practise authentic faith-sharing - this could be the perfect opportunity.
The big idea
Churches are invited to host community viewing events for the eclipse as a way of meeting new people, delighting in the beauty of creation, and engaging in gentle, relational faith-sharing.
The near-total solar eclipse is a moment when millions of people of all faiths and none will be caught in a shared experience of awe, wonder, and transcendence. As churches, we have a unique opportunity to speak into that moment of wonder. To gently but intentionally point to the creator who makes it possible.
This could take many forms - in a church garden or the top of a local hill, a lively family barbecue or a space for quiet reflection, a chance for science and faith dialogue or discussions about wellbeing.
The key is to take this opportunity, in a moment when people's openness to the divine might be elevated, to speak something of the love of Jesus - through actions and words - to the people we meet.
This is both an exciting one-off opportunity for 2026, and also a pilot to explore whether an annual Connexional Day of Outreach (with a changing focus) would be beneficial for faith-sharing confidence across the Methodist Church.
Find out more:
How do I get involved?
By holding a viewing event in your local area! Resources will be available soon to help you plan and hold an event, but for now you might want to simply hold the date in your and your church's calendar.
Viewing events can be organised by a local church or by a Circuit, and the more people who are involved the better. Whatever your role in the church, if you are interested, why not ask to discuss the possibility of joining in with this Day of Outreach at the next relevant opportunity.
Fill in the form at the bottom of this page if you are interesting in being involved in this pilot and to stay up to date with when resources and online events become available.
Why a Connexional Day of Outreach?
It's good to do things together! While some churches will be experienced at this kind of missional outreach, for others this will be a daunting thing to try. By doing something at the same time, challenges, learnings, and joys can all be widely shared and drawn from.
While 'Connexional Day of Outreach' is not language we'd encourage you to use when advertising your local event - we hope it reflects the fact this is an opportunity for Methodists across Britain to feel connected and equipped by stepping out in mission and evangelism together.
In resourcing and encouraging churches in a particular outreach idea, we also hope to remove some of the barriers that churches might face when planning events, while leaving plenty of room for local creativity and adaptability.
When is the Eclipse? And why is it a big deal?
The partial solar eclipse will occur between 18:00 and 20:00 on Wednesday 12th August, with peak obscuration soon after 19:00. The moon will obscure between 90-95% of the sun (with greater totality in the South West), causing the sky to go almost completely dark for a few minutes in what would usually be daylight. There will be other partial solar eclipses in future years, but this is the most significant one most people in the UK will have the chance to see in their lifetimes, which means there will be significant public interest.
What resources will be available? And when?
Resources will include:
- A guide for planning and holding an event, with lots of ideas to pick and choose from depending on your context.
- Suggestions for reflecting on your outreach, how to do follow-up, and use your experience to do evangelistic outreach in the future.
- Worship ideas for before and after the event.
- Digital resources to help advertise your event.
Planning guidance will be available in May, with other resources following shortly after
To express your interest and be notified with further information and resources, fill in the form below or complete it here