actually we're growing. When I arrived there were only 42 on any given Sunday, now there are 70. Our median age is 34.
Moreover, the ASA does not tell the whole story. After VGR was consecrated, I took a stand against the diocese (the bishop and delegation voted to confirm his election), asked the bishop not to preach from our pulpit, ended table fellowship with him and the vestry voted to join the ACN.
At that time, 2003, we were pushing 80 per Sunday after a phenomenal period of growth. But when I took the stand I did about 30 original liberal parishioners left.
Our attendance was very low for a while but God blessed us and though we lost 30, we gained about 50 through evangelism, mostly college kids and non-episcopalians.
We are in the middle of a growth curve now and we are pushing 80 again.
Nothing wrong with any of that. You knew when the liberals left and no longer desired pastoral oversight.
It was the philosophy underlying this quote that gave me pause, " Parish priests generally, hopefully, have better and more important things to do with their time than sweep through their membership lists to remove inactive names. "
I submit that knowing who is in the flock and who isn't is integral to pastoral care, and in the smaller church that is going to fall upon the priest or pastor.