According to the new report According to the UCC Center for Analysis, Research and Development, the United Church of Christ lost more than 286,000 members from 2012 to 2022.
During that decade, the theologically liberal mainline Protestant denomination experienced a net loss of 286,610 members and 551 congregations.
According to reports christian postAt UCC, the number of celebrations decreased from 4,794 to 4,603 congregations, and membership decreased from approximately 773,000 to approximately 712,000.
Furthermore, the number of members in 2022 has also significantly decreased from 1960, when the sect’s membership was reported to be approximately 2.24 million, which is more than three times the current number.
The reporter also revealed that the UCC removed 128 congregations from its records in 2022, an increase of 50.6 percent compared to 2021, when 85 congregations were removed.
The report notes that the increase in congregational movement is due to the UCC’s “removal of churches from records two years after they have been marked inactive unless the conference requests an extension or otherwise renews the inactive designation.” “It is related to the board’s new policy.”
“As this was the first year this policy was enacted, we do not expect the number of inactive churches to be removed to be as high in subsequent years. It will become clear whether the situation returns to that level,” the report said.
Another significant decline in UCCs occurred between 2005 and 2007, with an average of three We experienced a decline in nearby congregations.”
in statement Last week, CARDD Director Erika Dolhop said the report highlighting UCC trends helps local congregations “identify where the church may have special strengths and help the church find new ways to thrive.” He said he hopes it will help people “find inspiration to find their way.”
Dolhop also noted that the report found that smaller UCC congregations volunteered at the highest rates for a variety of projects and ministries.
“This finding highlights the unique gifts of small churches, which tend to be tight-knit, close-knit communities,” she continued. “Churches with the smallest membership tend to have the most people attending in-person services relative to their membership.”
“Not everyone who attends a service is necessarily a member of the church, but this calculation is another way to approximate participation, and smaller churches typically have the highest participation.”
Other findings in the report show that while 83.1 percent of UCCs are white, 4.8 percent are African American, 4 percent are Asian or Pacific Islander, and less than 1 percent are Hispanic. Ta.
Last July, during the 2023 General Conference, UCC elected the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson as its first female president and general minister.
In his nomination speech before last year’s General Conference, Mr. Thompson said there is “hope welling up” within the UCC and that the denomination “will continue to see the Spirit of God poured out among us in many ways. “It’s a place I’ve seen before,” he said.
“Here we salute the resilience of those who came before us, who took risks and often accomplished more with less than we currently have. This is the place we find ourselves in now as we reflect on God’s call to be light and light,” Thompson said.
Image credit: ©Getty Images/KL Yuen
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributor to Christian Headlines and host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast dedicated to sound doctrine and Biblical truth. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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