COVID19: The Church in Response

Aug 26, 2020 by

By American Anglican Council:

[…] We see that our audience is composed primarily of committed Anglicans, many of whom are already returning to Church. On July 8, The Barna Research Group reported that “One in three Practicing Christians has stopped attending Church during COVID-19” (https://www.barna.com/research/new-sunday-morning-part-2/).  According to this Barna Survey, 35% were only attending their pre-COVID19 church, a combined 32% were either watching multiple online worship services or switching to a new church, and 32% stopped attending church during COVID.  The drop out right was higher (50%) for the millennial generation.

By contrast, one in three of our audience (35.9%) have already resumed in-person worship weekly at the church they attended prior to and during COVID, another combined 37.7% view online worship every week plus an online Bible study and/or service in the community, while 16.3% watch online worship weekly without any other connections to their church.  That leaves just over a combined 10% who responded that they are not connected with a local church weekly, worship with their family at home, or no longer attend church at all.

What this tells us is that our readers are very committed followers of Jesus Christ in the Anglican way! Almost 90% identified as Anglican/Episcopal.  They are mature in age and life experience (most are 65+) and are already members or intend to become members of the church they attend (79%).  A strong majority (86%) are involved weekly in worship, bible study, and/or served in a ministry area in the local church prior to COVID.  It is evident from the submitted comments that those surveyed are still very engaged in their churches in multiple capacities because they care very deeply about their faith, the Church, and where we are headed as a nation.

But there is a concern to note!  When asked when they plan to return to in-person worship, the second largest result from those asked was 27.5% who said they weren’t sure when they will return.  This may represent those who are 65-and-older and who are considered a “high-risk” population.  Since most respondents are retired as well, this raises a significant pastoral concern: how will church leaders, ordained and lay, provide meaningful Christian community and relationships for those who choose to stay home and continue to worship online?

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