Posted on 04/29/2006 6:07:30 PM PDT by sionnsar
AMERICAN Episcopalians have the lowest rate of worship attendance of any Christian denomination, a Gallup poll reports. Episcopalians come third from last on the table of weekly attendance with less than one in three attending services, beating only Jews and those who have no religion. The Episcopal Church “is prone to attract people with less sense of being full-blown Episcopalians than simply participants in a particular congregation that happens to be Episcopal” the Rev Dr William Sachs, Vice President for Learning and Leadership at the Episcopal Church Foundation in New York, told The Church of England Newspaper. “The good news is that we get people in the door; the challenge is to hold them and to form them,” Dr Sachs, the Church’s leading statistician, noted.
In a series of interviews conducted from 2002 to 2005, Gallup interviewed 11,000 adult Americans and asked, “How often do you attend church or synagogue — at least once a week, almost every week, about once a month, seldom, or never?” Approximately 44 per cent of American adults reported attending worship services weekly, or almost weekly, the April 14 report stated. The results varied among religious groups and denominations with almost two-thirds of Mormons, conservative Protestants and Pentecostal Protestants reporting they attended weekly services. Roman Catholics and members of the ‘mainline’ Protestant churches: Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians varied in attendance between 43 and 45 per cent. Episcopalians came last among Christian denominations, reporting only 32 per cent weekly attendance while Jews reported only 15 per cent attendance.
Dr Sachs noted that Sunday worship attendance did not completely measure the vitality of the Church. “We often put great emphasis on small-group life either in study and prayer groups or in mission and outreach groups. “The good news is that active congregations offer a variety of doorways to participation; the bad news is that too often we are unclear about our identity as Christians and our direction as Episcopal congregations. People like to know where they are going and why,” he said.
Conflict within the Church may have diminished attendance as well, he noted. However the “most important factor” Dr Sachs said, was that people “want clear religious identity and clear, practical purpose”. “A dual focus on formation and on mission would do much to enhance the Episcopal Church’s life,” he said.
–Church of England Newspaper
Dr. Sachs, an awful lot of your church has just walked away over the past four decades, not bothering with forwarding addresses (letters dimissory), because of our former church's departure from the Faith,finding new homes in Continuing, Orthodox, Roman and Protestant churches. Only those of us in the Continuing Churches are ever likely to darken your doors again, and then only after a major reformation of your church has occurred.
(signed) A Cradle and Continuing Anglican,
sionnsar.]
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. I think a few more Gay Bishops would help things. [/sarc]
Not surprised. They turned their backs and sought after man
rejecting God.
Moron. One reason the mainline is dying is that they have dull-witted ideologues for leaders. Here's a radical notion for the "Rev Dr": how about a single focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Nah. No way. What was I thinking.
The "whatever is cool and hip" crowd of religious groups finds it hard to keep people with convictions?
Imagine that!
So much for the idea of the "up to date inclusive church."
It doesn't work. I guess spiritual arsenic is good for the soul. (sarcasm)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.