>>As you find with Catholics, membership and attendance are 2 different things ... Only about 20% of Catholics are actually attending or active in their church ..<<
That’s silly.
The number of Catholics who are active members of a parish are counted by the envelopes returned.
If one donates, one is counted as an active member. We don’t even have children’s envelopes.
It was the same way when I was attending a Presbyterian Church. If I didn’t return an envelope, even if it was empty, I was not counted as an active member. However, if I did turn in that envelope, my husband and children were counted as active members.
Each diocese have a “Bishop’s fund” where the parish is taxed per number of members they have. Less members, less money they pay. It goes without saying that the parish would eliminate inactive members from their books so as not to pay the larger amount.
LOL ..I am sorry but I do not believe you are correct ...I still get stuff from my old Parish ,, I am still on their membership rolls ..I have not been a Catholic in 30 years,
I never used an envelope when I went to the Catholic church. Are you trying to tell me in the 3rd world membership is by donation or envelope only?? LOL
The envelope scam is one used by people that do not go to church but want to get married or baptize a baby to prove attendance which is required for the sacraments
Church membership is counted by baptisms in the case of infants and confirmation for adult converts
You must have gone to the PCUSA ... LOL ....
.Most protestant pastors know their members and attenders apart and know who is there, and who is not.. .. I never use an envelope but I am on the membership rolls and have a members voting rights.
The only thing the envelopes are used for in my church is to give the folks their tax numbers ...the pastor NEVER SEES them, neither do the elders.. the money is counted and banked by one person ..and the tax records kept..