Church in Wales attendance statistics

 

The Archbishop of Wales addressing Governing Body, September 2023                     Source: Church Times/Church in Wales

One of the highlights of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales (CinW) used to be the Membership and Finance Report but no more.

The Annual report and Accounts 2023 presented by the Representative Body prepared for September 2024 meeting of the Governing Body summarises the position as follows (page 9):

"3. Accelerated decline in church attendance

The continuation of declining attendance

and an increasing age profile would result

in declining financial income for dioceses:

this would lead to an inability to present

established patterns of ministry to the

whole of Wales. The Representative Body

endeavours to maintain the highest financial

support to dioceses possible. Also, a

renewed focus on mission and evangelism,

including additional financial resources being

made available, aims to stimulate church

growth. A membership app is being rolled out

to assist with monitoring church attendance

statistics."

'Declining attendance' puts it mildly. British Religion in Numbers (BRIN) showed that the average Sunday attendance (over 18) in 2004 was 41,771. By 2009 attendance had dropped to 36,836.

Ten years on, CinW adult Sunday attendance (over 18) was given in their Membership and Finance Report as 30,424 in 2014. A year later it was 29,019. [See Sept 2016 entry.]

I have been unable to find any reference to current attendance figures for some time which suggests that the Church in Wales has something to hide.

Access to the 'membership app' referred to in the RB Report is by invitation, thus obscuring the data from inquisitive eyes.  I wonder why?

Lay Presidency

From The Living Church: Lay Presidency Comes to the Church of England "The Church of England’s blessings for same-sex couples, which stop short of marriage rites, have prompted a comparable protest from low-church evangelicals."

Not that it will bother the Church in Wales which has long since ceased to keep the faith. Nor will it affect those of us who have effectively been denied the sacraments following archbishop Barry Morgan's shameless withdrawal of sacramental and pastoral provision for Anglicans who do. 

As Anglicanism becomes more secularised the number of attendees tumbles. Collapse is inevitable.

The Church Growth Modelling forecasts, optimistically, the extinction of the Church in Wales by 2060 with just 3,000 in attendance.

That it should come to this!

Caption corner 17 August 2024

 

Source: X (formerly Twitter)

As usual publishable captions will appear as comments.

Truth and justice?

Rev Dr Bernard Randall Source: Christian Today (Photo: Christian Legal Centre)

From Christian Today:

"A chaplain who was sacked after telling school pupils that they did not need to agree with LGBT ideology is seeking a judicial review into the dismissal of his misconduct complaint against the Bishop of Derby. 

"Dr Bernard Randall lost his job at Trent College, Nottingham, over his comments in a 2019 sermon and was reported to the government's terrorism watchdog, Prevent, and the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA). After an investigation, the Diocese of Derby's safeguarding team concluded that he was a safeguarding risk to children and he lost his licence to officiate. 

"Prevent, the TRA, and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) all said they would not be taking any action against Dr Randall. 

"Despite this, the Diocese of Derby has refused to renew his licence, meaning he remains barred from preaching." 

Full report here. See also Christian Concern video on X (Twitter) here. How it started here.

Orthodox beliefs are now regarded as somewhat quaint in the Anglican hierarchy as is Christianity among the political elite.

Truth and injustice prevail.

Postscripts

 [16.08.2024] When will bishops be held to account? "If you challenge the progressive establishment, prepare to be abandoned by the hierarchy of the Church of England" - Rev. Dr Bernard Randall

[17.08.2024] Christian Concern Press Release: "Patron of ‘Educate and Celebrate’ whose schools’ gender identity teaching led to Christian chaplain blacklisting charged with sexual abuse against children"

Fresh start

First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan           Source: Pembrokeshire Herald

 Today is the feast of The Transfiguration, the same day that Eluned Morgan has been voted in as Wales’ first female First Minister following the resignation of Vaughan Gething after four months of turmoil.

After the eccentricities of Mark Drakeford and the poor judgement of his successor the people of Wales will be hoping for a Welsh government transfiguration.

Despite devolution the Health Service in Wales has crumbled.

Paying into the NHS throughout their working lives, long waiting lists for hospital treatment are forcing the elderly, particularly, to spend their savings on private treatment to avoid living out their retirement in pain.

The First Minister will need a miracle worker to sort out the mess. We wish her well. The task is not an enviable one.