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Latest figures show changing trends in church-going

31 January 2008

Figures just released by the Church of England for 2006 show larger congregations at Christmas and Easter, but smaller Sunday congregations.

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day attendance increased by seven per cent and attendance at Easter by five per cent compared to 2005 in the latest provisional statistics. Total attendance at Christmas Eve/Christmas Day services in 2006 was 2,994,100; the highest figure since data were first collected in 2000, when 2,852,000 attended such services. The number taking Communion increased by four per cent, to 1,258,300. Numbers at Easter services rose by five per cent from 1,417,600 in 2005 to 1,484,700 in 2006.

In contrast, regular Sunday, weekly and monthly attendance each fell by one per cent. The provisional statistics confirm that around 1.7 million people attend Church of England church and cathedral worship each month, while around 1.2 million attend services each week – on Sunday or during the week - and just under one million each Sunday.

The number of children and young people attending at least monthly was virtually unchanged. The latest provisional statistics show 442,000 under-16s attending services at some time in the month: a six percent increase on the 416,000 counted in 2001 when accurate weekly records were first systematically collated.

The figures show signs around the country of more sustained growth beyond special occasions. Half the dioceses saw an increase in one or more measure of their total church attendance levels over 2006, while three-quarters saw an increase in at least one measure of attendance of adults, children and young people or those of all ages.

At the same time, the latest polling by Opinion Research Business found 50 per cent of respondents in England affiliating themselves to the Church of England when asked which religion, if any, they regarded themselves as belonging to. Across Britain, 50 per cent affiliated themselves to the three Anglican Churches (England, Scotland and Wales) and 69 per cent to the Christian faith. Six per cent said they were members of another faith.

Attending church other than for weddings, funerals and baptisms was reported by 52 per cent of respondents, with 23 per cent saying they attended religious services at least once a month. Only 15 per cent said they had not attended a church or place of worship in the last year, with 85 per cent saying they had been to a service, a social event, a concert or performance, been seeking a quiet space or simply felt the need to go in.

Back to Church Sunday continued to grow in 2006, with the last Sunday in September designated as one when churchgoers invite and welcome a friend back to church. It began in 2004, when 160 churches tested the event in the Diocese of Manchester.  In 2007, people in 20 Church of England dioceses welcomed back 20,000 newcomers and returners in one day. This year, even more are expected to adopt Back to Church Sunday into their annual mission strategy. Research by Tearfund (2007) revealed that three million people are open to an invitation to church.

 

 

The provisional figures for 2006, released today, can be seen on the web. They show that:

  • Attendance at Church of England church services on Christmas Day/ Eve 2006 increased even more dramatically in 2006, by seven per cent on the year to 2,994,100, than in 2005 when attendance was seven per cent higher than 2001 at 2,786,200.  These figures do not include the large numbers attending carol and other services during Advent. At the same time, Easter observance regained most of the decrease recorded in 2005, with a five per cent increase in both attendance and communicants to return to the sort of figures seen earlier in the decade.
  • Average Sunday attendance fell by one per cent to 983,000. (2005: 993,000; 2004: 1,010,000), as did average weekly attendance: 1,163,000. (2005: 1,174,000; 2004: 1,186,000). Average monthly attendance also reduced by one per cent to 1,694,000, following no change last year. (2005: 1,706,000; 2004: 1,707,000). The average number of children and young people at services each week fell by two per cent to 228,000. (2005: 232,000; 2004:  235,000). The number attending monthly was statistically unchanged at 442,000.

The traditional ‘usual Sunday attendance’*** measure fell by one per cent to 871,000. (2005: 880,000; 2004: 903,000).

 

The Revd Lynda Barley, Head of Research and Statistics for the Archbishops’ Council, said: "Despite the one per cent fall in overall attendance, we are seeing a positive spirit of growth developing around the Church with more than half the dioceses seeing aspects of church attendance increasing.  We are beginning to see clear evidence of churches responding to the spiritual needs and the lifestyles of those they serve but there are aspects of church life that these statistics do not reflect.  Dioceses are supporting some 5,000 fresh expressions** of church many of which are not included in any of our national figures.

“The figures also show that attendance at church services outside Sundays continues to add a significant number to local congregations. For every 50 people attending church on a typical Sunday, another nine attend during the week and an extra 36 in total over a month.  Churches are responding well to the changing lifestyles of  their congregations. Our churches are in contact with 85 per cent of the nation. One in five people come in for peace and quiet.

“There are signs in several areas of the country of more sustained growth beyond special occasions. Half the dioceses saw an increase in one or more measure of their total church attendance levels over 2006: a third saw increases in total weekly attendance in 2006 or over the three years to 2006. This is encouraging news for local churches as they seek to meet the increasingly evident spiritual needs of their neighbourhoods.”

 

Other features of the 2006 statistics released today:

Twenty-four out of 44 dioceses saw increases in one or more measures of total attendance; 22 saw increases in one or more measures of adult attendance; 24 saw increases in one or more measures of attendance of children and young people; and 33 saw increases in one or more measures of attendance of any sort. The accompanying tables provide detailed diocesan information for 2005 and 2006 together with national comparisons for 2002 to 2006.

The accompanying maps* show dioceses that showed increases in weekly church attendance -  adults 2006, adults 2005/6, all age 2006, all age 2005/6.

The number of children and young people in regular contact with local Church of England services of worship has steadily increased each year since 2001 when accurate weekly records began to be systematically collated.  It is now six per cent higher than 2001 levels. Almost twice as many children and young people attend church services over a typical month compared to the number present on an average week.  Much of this growth is due to contact with children and young people in the week rather than on Sundays.

The number of adults in regular contact with local church services of worship has maintained at similar levels since 2002.  The approximation to attendance levels over a typical month continues to show that around 1.7 million adults attend Church of England churches each month.  This is 46 percent more than the average attendance level each week and 72 per cent more than on an average Sunday.

The number of adult baptisms increased from 9,100 to 9,300; an increase of 1 in 9 (11 per cent) since 2002. The number of child baptisms decreased by 1 per cent to 38,200. The decline in infant baptisms continued.

The number of marriages conducted in England in 2005 fell by 10 per cent, when the number in the Church of England was unchanged. Against this background, the number conducted in Church of England parish churches in 2006 was down by five percent to 54,300. The number of funerals conducted by the Church of England continues to decline as death rates continue to fall.

In 2006, the parish electoral rolls stood at 1,266,000. The size of the parish electoral rolls, although similar overall to adult church attendance over a typical month, masks wide-ranging practices across the Church of England parishes and dioceses.

 

Notes

 

*The maps

  • The 13 dioceses that saw increases in (all age) weekly attendance figures in 2006 were: Bath & Wells, Chester, Gloucester, Guildford, London, Manchester, Portsmouth, St Albans, Sodor & Man, Wakefield, Winchester, Worcester, York.
  • The14 dioceses that saw increases in (all age) weekly attendance over 2004 to 2006 were: Bath & Wells, Birmingham, Gloucester, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, Rochester, St Albans, St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, Salisbury, Truro, Wakefield, Worcester, York.

 

Reasons for attending a church or place of worship given to ORB by survey respondents (total 85 per cent of all respondents).

  • 20 per cent said they had entered a church ‘to seek a quiet space’
  • 19 per cent said they were walking past and ‘felt the need to go in’
  • 17 per cent had been to a church through their children’s school
  • 23 per cent for a concert or theatrical performance
  • 32 per cent for a social or community event
  • 27 per cent had been to a normal Sunday service
  • 11 per cent had been to a weekday service
  • 57 per cent had been to a church funeral
  • 48 per cent to a wedding
  • 43 per cent a memorial service
  • 39 per cent had attended a baptism
  • Christmas attendance was cited by 39 per cent of respondents
  • Easter by 29 per cent
  • a Service of Remembrance by 27 per cent
  • and Harvest Festivals by 20 per cent.

 

ORB (Opinion Research Business) surveyed 1002 adults aged 18 and over in Great Britain by telephone poll between September 26th and 27th, 2007, and the results have been weighted to be representative of all adults. These surveys have been carried out every two years since 2001, producing similar results.

 

Other key statistics

  • Other key statistics are: 72 per cent of people in England are Christian (Government census 2001) 85 per cent of adults have attended a church/place of worship in the past year (ORB 2007).
  • Church attendance over the Christmas period has increased by around a third since 2001, according to research published in December 2005. See http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr9605.html. This trend is supported by evidence from Christmas 2005 and 2006.

 

Definitions

** Fresh Expressions is a movement led by the Church of England and the Methodist Church to nurture contemporary forms of church life alongside traditional ones. Fresh Expressions have been formed in a variety of ways, from new congregations to café churches or even a farm shop project.

 

In the tables relating to attendance at church services (attached) the following measures of church attendance are used:

Average Sunday attendance: the average number of attendees at Sunday church services, typically over a four-week period in October.

Average weekly attendance: the average number of attendees at church services throughout the week, typically over a four-week period in October.

Each of the above measures is provided separately for adults and children/young people aged under 16 years. The highest and lowest counts over the four-week period are calculated as follows:

Highest Sunday/weekly attendance: the sum of the highest Sunday (weekly) attendances over the four-week period. The 'highest' figures on the accompanying tables are proxies (in fact under-estimates) for monthly attendance levels.

Lowest Sunday/weekly attendance: the sum of the lowest Sunday (weekly) attendances over the four-week period.

Attendance figures are only included where local churches held at least one church-based service (which included adult presence) during the week under examination.

***The traditional usual Sunday attendance (uSa) measure is interpreted differently across the dioceses and is therefore not regarded as statistically accurate as a comparison.