Frankly, I am sad that many of the older traditional denoms are losing people; not just the LCMS but the Roman Catholic churches as well. Locally, they are closing up several RC churches for lack of money, people, AND priests.
I have no quarrel with many, many non-denom churches, but one of the excellent points the Catholics on here often make is the host of off-the-wall “so-called” Christian churches that pop up constantly. Good example of this is the One-ness Pentecostals (and they aren’t even new).
I am not surprised, incidentally, that the ELCA is losing membership, primarily because they are so liberal.
***Frankly, I am sad that many of the older traditional denoms are losing people; not just the LCMS but the Roman Catholic churches as well. Locally, they are closing up several RC churches for lack of money, people, AND priests.***
Overall, Catholic churches are growing; they tend to respond by adding Masses. I grew up in a parish with 3 priests. We had Masses on Saturday at 4:30 and 6:30 and on Sunday at 7:00, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30 and 5:00. As well as each weekday at 7:00 and 5:00.
I think that we are just reverting back to those schedules.