Posted on 07/04/2024 9:37:49 AM PDT by Cronos
The United Church of Christ (UCC), a mainline Protestant denomination known for its progressive stance on social issues, faces a significant decline in membership according to a recent report by the UCC Center for Analytics. From 2012 to 2022, the denomination lost over 286,000 members and 551 congregations, marking a continuing trend over several decades.
Six decades have seen a dramatic decline in UCC membership, with numbers plummeting from over 2.24 million in 1960 to just 712,000 in 2022. This decline is partially attributed to a 2005 resolution supporting same-sex marriage, which caused some congregations to leave the UCC.
The recent increase in church closures reported by the UCC might not paint the whole picture. The report itself acknowledges a new policy implemented in 2022 that automatically removes inactive churches from records after two years. This might explain the jump compared to previous years. Future data will show if this policy stabilizes the numbers or if there's an underlying decline.
However, the report also highlights a longer-term trend of membership and congregation decline, particularly around 2005-2007. Back then, the UCC's stance on same-sex marriage played a significant role, leading to an average closure rate of “almost three congregations per week.”
Despite the shrinking numbers, the UCC points to some silver linings. Smaller congregations, according to the statement by CARDD Director Erica Dollhopf, tend to have higher volunteer engagement and attendance, highlighting their close-knit communities.
She said, “the smallest churches by membership size tend to have the most people attending in-person worship relative to membership. While not everyone who attends worship is necessarily a church member, this calculation is another way to approximate engagement, which generally is highest within smaller churches.”
The Great Lakes region, encompassing states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia, has the highest percentage of United Church of Christ (UCC) members at 30.6%.
Following closely is the Mid-Atlantic region, with 20% of UCC members, and the New England region in third place, comprising 19.7% of the denomination's members. In contrast, the Western region, extending from the West Coast to states like Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming, has a lower proportion, accounting for only 9.4% of members and 13.1% of congregations.
Additionally, the recent election of Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson as the first female president and general minister has brought renewed hope and excitement.
In her nomination speech, Thompson emphasized the UCC's resilience and the ongoing spirit of progress. "Here is where we have seen the Spirit of God poured forth among us in many ways," she said, "And here is the place we identify as now, as we ponder the call of God to be salt and light to the world."
The report also delves into the denomination's demographics, revealing a predominantly white membership (83.1%). The Great Lakes region holds the highest concentration of UCC members, followed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. The Western region, despite its geographic size, has the smallest percentage of members and congregations.
While the UCC grapples with declining membership, the new leadership seeks to navigate the challenges and continue the denomination's legacy of social justice and inclusivity. The report's findings offer valuable insights into the church's current state, providing a platform for informed discussions and potential strategies for future growth.
The United Church of Christ is a near-fraudulent entity for Christ.
I had dear older relatives who went there, who were pretty much conservatives, but as a teen, was shocked at the liberal approach.
You could tell they stood for little.
Meanwhile the very conservative 7th Day Adventists are about 1/3 “white”, 1/3 “Black”, 15% “Hispanic”, 8% “Asian” and the rest “other” or “mixed”.
Who do white Liberal in religion represent? Thenselves.
Not surprised at all. All UCC watchers have seen it coming.
Jeremiah Wright’s Trinity Church was (is?) UCC.
The Evangelical and Reformed Church merged with Congregationalists( derived from the Puritans) to form UCC. Pretty much the same path that church institutions have followed throughout the Church age, declension from the scripture as inerrant leaves them rotting at the core, see now the Southern Baptists.So it was with the Israelites throughout the Old Testament.
The local UCC is one sad freakin’ outfit. Fag flags flying 24/7, rainbow-gay-fag painted bench in front, gay messages in rainbow colors on their electronic signboard, “no hate” etc signs all over the place.
I feel sorry for the older members who feel it is their church home but are now forced to endure all this crap. They’re lucky they don’t have to say they’re queer just to get in the door.
We attended a local cogno church that was more cong than ucc. About 130 attendants each Sunday. Active church.
Unfortunately it became more ucc with Minister change a s now 20 years later there are 4 to 8 cars in the lot during services.
The UCC hold ceremonies honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” - one of their mottos is “go forth and sin some more.” this is some “church”
Where are you getting that from?
Yeah, whatever you do, don’t consider your own darkness in the losses. Just keep pushing the envelope of God’s grace, and refuse to heed His warnings. LORD have mercy on them; they’re going to need it.
I attended a service at the Hillcrest Congregational Church in La Habra Heights, Calif., which was part of their annual art festival held in February. Judging from the minister's comments during the service, it seems quite a few of the parishioners found the hymnals objectionable. This is probably why the older hymnals were still available in the pews.
I haven't been to that church in at least a couple decades, but it seems that the once-popular art festival has been discontinued and their website has not been updated in months. La Habra Heights and the nearby Sun Gold Hills neighborhood of Whittier, two of the reddest precincts in California, if not America, isn't the best location for a left-wing church.
I can only imagine.
My observation.... Many small hardcore Christian (is there any other kind?) churches are renting industrial offices with rather small congregants. I think the age of the big church is gone as they are mostly turning left wing pro abortion pro homo “feel good” lecture centers.
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