[Episcopal News Service]
A survey by the Baptist Union of Great Britain has revealed that almost half the population in the nation attends church at least once a year--exclusive of weddings, baptisms and funerals. Nine percent said that they attended church once a week, 10 percent once a month, another 10 percent once a quarter, and 12 percent once a year. Just three percent said that they attended more than once a week.
The survey also underscored the difficulties faced by those who attend church only occasionally. About 18 percent said that they had reservations about the kind of welcome they received at church.
'When people come across the threshold it is important that we make them feel welcome,' said Nick Lear, a Baptist Union mission adviser. 'There's always room for improvement.' While attendance at Baptist churches has been increasing while other denominations have been losing support, he said that 'it's a pattern for all denominations that people are less willing nowadays to make a commitment.'
The Church of England has released attendance figures that 'reveal a larger church than was previously understood,' using statistics for attendance during a whole week, rather than just on Sundays. In the past, attendance at Christmas and Easter services was based only on those who took communion. At Christmas in 2000, 2.85 million attended services but fewer than half took communion. The church says that the new way of counting gives a more accurate picture of support, although critics say it is designed to mask the long-term decline in attendance at Sunday services.
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