The decline in church attendance of almost one quarter between 2019 and 2022 may be the result of reduced supply rather than lower demand. A new report suggests that too many churches abandoned their online offering and cut the number of services available.<\/p>\n
Church Attendance in October 2022: Post-Covid-19 trends, patterns and possibilities draws on data from five dioceses, and concludes that there is a \u201cstrong correlation\u201d between reduced provision and reduced attendance. \u201cNumbers are lower than in 2019 not because the demand for church is in inevitable decline but because of difficulties with the supply of both onsite and online church services,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n
\u201cChurches that stayed online and have not reduced their service numbers have fully regained 2019 attendance levels. It is only where churches have retrenched that their attendance is reduced.\u201d<\/p>\n
This should be a cause for optimism, the report argues: \u201cIf attendance is sensitive to the state and supply of church life and worship, then the future of attendance trends lies in the churches\u2019 own hands. Developing the number and relevance of services leads to church growth.\u201d New models of leadership that \u201ctake pressure off the stipendiary clergy\u201d may be key to recovering 2019 levels of attendance, it says.<\/p>\n
The report, hosted by the diocese of Oxford, draws on data from Canterbury, Chester, Guildford, Oxford, and Leeds.<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n The report shows \u2018strong correlation\u2019 rather than causation but authors write: \u2018Numbers are lower than in 2019 not because the demand for church is in inevitable decline but because of difficulties with the supply of both onsite and online church services\u2019 https:\/\/t.co\/For8BQawhM<\/a><\/p>\n — Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) April 3, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n