tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366621735995057721.post1483136567550263239..comments2024-03-17T09:17:01.454+00:00Comments on Vic the Vicar!: CofE Statistics - A longer view (attendance)Vic Van Den Berghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09581156515370131898noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366621735995057721.post-56595189016152059742013-05-13T14:53:50.676+01:002013-05-13T14:53:50.676+01:00We in common with all other CofE churches have re-...We in common with all other CofE churches have re-done our Electoral Roll. We have seen a quite high percentage drop in the last one compiled 6 years ago.<br /><br />Funnily enough, we haven't seen such a huge decline in attendance figures?<br /><br />It seems to us us that people while willing to come to church, are unwilling to commit in terms of adding their names to the electoral roll, perhaps either not having the time, or, perhaps are not inclined to commit for the long term to our particular Benefice.<br /><br />We tried to research this, and have found that a large number of those no longer on the roll have died, moved away or have moved to another church. So, it's not all doom and gloom. And, we've confirmed about 45 in the past 3 years, most of them teens, who won't possibly be on the roll for a while or might fade away.<br /><br />Baptisms and weddings are up, 18 weddings scheduled across the benefice this year, 4 of which have already taken place. Some are out of parish, where individuals claim a connection (about half of the 18) while others are residential in the parish and we are seeing them at services now. Whether that will survive after the wedding remains to be seen - but surely that is an opportunity for us to win and to keep them in the community, not drive them away?<br /><br />A recent action on giving across the churches resulted in a fairly substantial rise in predictable income (direct giving) which seems to indicate some willingness from the committed to continue to support their local church.<br /><br />I'm sure that there are other reasons that I could quote, why some particular services have dropped off in attendance, while others have increased. But gentle decline is probably right, with some signs of an arrest in it and even some tentative signs of growth, but not of commitment.<br /><br />UKViewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18114944341930758335noreply@blogger.com