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March 2006, Page 2.
Index of articles:
by subject,
by date.
Church Statistics for 2005
Maybe it seems unspiritual that someone has to count the congregation at every church service and enter the numbers of children and adults in a register? But memories fade, and collecting figures is one way of trying to work out what works and what doesn’t in the way we do church. Here’s a summary of the last four years - it will also be reported to the Annual Meeting and it’s up for discussion there.
| 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | |
| Church Electoral Roll at APCM: | 117 | 117 | 123 | 127 |
| Average Sunday Attendance (over 16’s) | 86.7 | 89.4 | 84 | 85 |
| regulars | 80.2 | 79.6 | 77.5 | 77.5 |
| visitors at Baptisms & Thanksgivings | 6.5 | 9.8 | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| Thanksgiving & Blessing Services | 21 | 17 | 17 | 21 |
| during a main Sunday service | 9 | 9 | 6 | 9 |
| on separate occasions | 12 | 8 | 11 | 12 |
| Baptisms (all in Sunday services) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Weddings | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Funerals | 27 | 32 | 19 | 24 |
| at the church | 10 | 12 | 6 | 16 |
| at the crematorium only | 17 | 20 | 13 | 8 |
| Christmas Eve & Day attendance | 109 | 98 | 92 | 91 |
| those receiving communion | 63 | 61 | 65 | 68 |
| Easter Attendance | 91 | 116 | 86 | 107 |
| those receiving communion | 79 | 96 | 80 | 102 |
Despite us all getting a year older, numbers seem to be holding up - so we must have gained a few younger people who are coming regularly.
For the first few months of the year it seemed that the first Sunday (when we have 8am and 10.30am services) was less popular, but attendance at 10.30am services picked up again later, and the 8am keeps its 15 or so regulars. It was reported nationally that Christmas attendance was up last Christmas, and (to our surprise) Eccleshill’s figures bear this out, largely because the Crib Service was popular. On the other hand, Easter wasn’t well-supported in 2005 - or maybe 2004 was a blip?
The figures can’t measure the quality of people’s discipleship or the depth of the spiritual experience they get - but they can help us plan the future. The Annual Meeting (23rd April at 11am) is part of that planning - we invite you to join us.
John Hartley