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Episcopal Church lost 11,833 Members in 2016. ASA also Dropped

Episcopal Church lost 11,833 Members in 2016
Domestic membership stands at 1,745,156; ASA down to 570,453

By Mary Ann Mueller
VOL Special Correspondent
www.virtueonline.org
Sept. 22, 2016

The Episcopal Church's 2016 membership figures revealed a Church in a continuing downward slide in membership and Average Sunday Attendance as well as plate and pledge income.

A total of 1,905,349 claim to be Episcopalians around the world, an overall drop of 11,833 baptized members. This includes 1,745,156 Episcopalians in the United States, showing a dip of 34,179 from the previous year. The foreign dioceses show an increase of 22,346 in membership to help balance out the greater loss of members in the United States, yet leaving the church with a net membership loss of 11,833.

Average Sunday Attendance figures also show a decline. Worldwide, 601,246 Episcopalians come to church on Sunday, showing a pew loss of 12,995.

The ASA figure for the 99 domestic dioceses is 570,453, a loss of 9,327 on a Sunday.

The domestic plate and pledge figures also dropped. In 2016, $1,312,430,692 was dropped into the collection plate, a drop of $1,288,475 over 2015.

The largest domestic dioceses with more than 50,000 baptized members are: Texas (75,794): Virginia (73,108); Massachusetts (57,117); New York (51,309); Los Angeles (50,323); Central Florida (50,183).

The smallest domestic dioceses with fewer than 5,000 baptized members are: Navajoland (707); Northern Michigan (1,362); Western Kansas (1,426); Eau Claire (1,888); Eastern Oregon (2,018); TEC San Joaquin (2,151); North Dakota (2,852); Springfield (4,100); Northern Indiana (4,201); Montana (4,485); Kansas (4,617).

Only 21 domestic dioceses show an increase in baptized members. The greatest increases percentage wise were experienced by the rump dioceses of San Joaquin (+8.5%) and South Carolina (+5.2%) The dioceses with triple digit member growth were Alabama (+397); Texas (+373); Florida (+308) and Delaware (+208); Tennessee (+195); North Carolina (+143); TEC Pittsburgh (+127); and Hawaii (+105).

The 21 growth dioceses are: Northwestern Pennsylvania (+2; 3,409; +0.1%); Wyoming (+6; 6,950; +0.1%); Eau Claire (+8; 1,888; +0.4%); North Dakota (+19; 2,580; +0.7%); Western Kansas (+29; 1,426; +2.1%); Idaho (+43; 4,790; +0.9%); Utah (+44; 5,405; +0.8%);
Atlanta (+55; 50,185; +0.1%); Navajoland (+72; 707; +1.3%); Nebraska (+72; 7,313; +0.2%); Nevada (+72; 5,667; -1.3%); Hawaii (+105; 6,695; +1.6%); TEC Pittsburgh (+127; 8,808; +1.5%); North Carolina (+143; 49,910; +0.3%); TEC San Joaquin (+168; 2,152; +8.5%); Tennessee (+195; 16,470; +1.2%); Delaware (+208; 9,544; +2.2%); Florida (+308; 25,597; +1.2%); TEC South Carolina (+347; 7,053; +5.2%); Texas (+373; 75,794; +0.5%); and Alabama (+397; 31,899; +1.3%).

The remaining 78 domestic dioceses all showed a loss of baptized membership. Dioceses which show a double-digit percentage drop are: Eastern Michigan (-14.7%); Western New York (-10.6%); and Western Michigan (-10.4%). Two dioceses lost more than two thousand members: New Jersey (-2,552) and New York (-2,044). Eight other dioceses show a drop of membership of more than one thousand including: Western New York (-1,002); Western Michigan (-1,007); Washington, DC (-1,046); Colorado (-1,057); Massachusetts (-1,670); Virginia (-1,794); Georgia (-1,194); and Connecticut (-1,716).

A total of 15 dioceses lost fewer than one hundred members, including: Arkansas (-56); East Carolina (-42); East Tennessee (-63); Eastern Oregon (-8); TEC Fort Worth (-57); Long Island (-12); Montana (-11); Northern Indiana (-57); Northern Michigan (-31); Rio Grande (-45); South Dakota (-12); Springfield (-38); West Tennessee (-10); West Virginia (-14); and Western North Carolina (-91).

Some 78 domestic dioceses that lost some of their baptized members include:

PROVINCE I: Connecticut (49,352; -1,716; -3.4%); Maine (11,437; -260; -2.2%); Massachusetts (57,117; -1,670; -2.7%); New Hampshire (11,903; -759; -6%); Rhode Island (17,482; -136; -0.8%); Vermont (6,128; -419; -6.4%); and Western Massachusetts (14,923; -695; -4.4%).

PROVINCE II: Albany (14,011; -754; -5.1%); Central New York (12,307; -291; -2.3%); Long Island (43,428; -12; -.03%); New Jersey (39,110; -2,552; -6.1%); New York (51,309; -2,044; -3.8%); Newark (25,252; -226; -0.9%); Rochester (7,455; -387; -2.7%); and Western New York (8,495; -1,002, -10.6%).

PROVINCE III: Bethlehem (10,129; -477; -4.5%); Central Pennsylvania (11,625; -684; -5.6%); Easton (7,841; -163; -2%); Maryland (36,461; -690; -1.9%); Pennsylvania (42,337; -156; -0.4%); Southern Virginia (25,572; -988; -3.7%); Southwestern Virginia (10,420; -101; -2.4%); Virginia (73,108; -1,794; -2.4%); Washington, DC (40,352; -1,046; -3.6%); and West Virginia (8,117; -14, -0.2%).

PROVINCE IV: Central Florida (28,253; -323; -1.1%); Central Gulf Coast (18,116; -235; -1.3%); East Carolina (17,343; -42; -0.2%); East Tennessee (15,006; -63; -0.4%); Georgia (14,700; -1,194; -7.5%); Kentucky (8,143; -142; -2.8%); Lexington (6,726; -197; -2.8%); Louisiana (17,288; -149; -0.9%); Mississippi (18,268; -138; -0.7%); Southeast Florida (32,475; -408; -1.2%); Southwest Florida (29,648; -683; -2.3%); Upper South Carolina (23,140; -718; -3%); West Tennessee (8,250; -10; -0.1%); and Western North Carolina (14,986; -91; -0.6).
PROVINCE V: Chicago (35,314; -182; -0.5%); Eastern Michigan (5,022; -866; -14.7%); Fond du Lac (5,009; -280; -5.3%); Indianapolis (9,146; -195; - 2.1%); Michigan (17,143; -396; -2.3%); Milwaukee (10,369; -626; -6.9%); Missouri (10,362; -255; -2.4%); Northern Indiana (4,201; -57; -1.3%); Northern Michigan (1,362; -31; -2.2%); Ohio (18,991; -392; -2%); Southern Ohio (19,219; -475; -2.4%); Springfield (4,100; -38; -0.9%); and Western Michigan (8,668; -1,007; -10.4%).

PROVINCE VI: Colorado (24,483; -1,057; -4.1%); Iowa (7,058; -659; -8.5%); Minnesota (19,620; -251; 1.3%); Montana (4,485; -11; 0.2%); South Dakota (8,962; -12; -0.1%).

PROVINCE VII: Arkansas (13,835; -56; -0.4%); Dallas (31,539; -523; -1.6%); TEC Fort Worth (4,617; -57; -1.2%): Kansas (10,416; -282; -2.6%); Northwest Texas (5,979; -565; -8.6%); Oklahoma (16,579; -158; - 0.9%); Rio Grande (10,758; -45; -0.4%); Western Missouri (9,723; -227; -2.3%); West Texas (22,876; -265; -1.1%); and Western Louisiana (8,543; -211; -2.4%).

PROVINCE VIII: Alaska (6,824; -103; -1.5%); Arizona (20,488, -887; -4.1%) California (24,343; -397; -1.6%); Eastern Oregon (2,018; -8; -0.4%); El Cameo Real (11,224; -259; -2.3%); Los Angeles (50,323; -984; -1.9%); Northern California (13,280; -126; - 0.9%); Olympia (24,976; -382; - 1.5%); Oregon (15,028; -567; - 3.6%); San Diego (14,107; -434; -3%); and Spokane (4,890; 433; -8.1%).

There were 570,452 domestic Episcopalians who attended Sunday services in 2016, a drop of 9,327 from the previous year. A total of 28 dioceses showed an uptick in their ASA numbers, including:

Three dioceses showed triple digit increases: Washington, DC (+227); Virginia (+121); and Northwest Texas (+118). Four dioceses showed a single digit ASA increase including Central Gulf Coast (+4); Arkansas (+6); TEC San Joaquin (+6); and Western Kansas (+9). The only diocese showing a double-digit percentage growth was the Navajoland with a +12.3% increase.

Dioceses with an increased ASA are: Central Gulf Coast (+4; 18,116; +0.1%); Arkansas (+6; 13,835; +0.1%); TEC San Joaquin (6; +0.7%); Western Kansas (+9; 1,426; +1.6%); Wyoming (+14; 6,950; +0.8%); Western North Carolina (+18; 14,986; +0.3%); Western New York (+18; 8,495; +0.6%); Alabama (+20; 31,899; +0.2%); Indianapolis (+22; 9,146; +0.6%); Navajoland (+22; 707; +12.3%); Georgia (+24; 81,116; +0.4%); Nevada (+29; 5,667; +1.1%); TEC Fort Worth (+32;4,617; +2.3%); Rochester (+38; 7,455; +1.3%); Vermont (+47; 6,128; 22,876; +2.2%); West Texas (+47; 22,876; +0.5%); Pennsylvania (+56; 42,337; +0.4%); Northwestern Pennsylvania (+65; 3,409; +4.9%); TEC Pittsburgh (+69; 8,808; +3%); Maryland (+72; 36;461; +0.8%); Michigan (+80; 17,143; +1.3%); Dallas (+83; 31,539; +0.8%); Massachusetts (+85; 57,117; +4.9%); Nebraska (+86; 7,313; +3.5%); Oklahoma (+92; 16,579; +1.7%); Northwest Texas (+118; 22,876; +7%); Virginia (+121; 73;108; +0.5%); and Washington, DC (+227; 40,352; +1.8%).

The remaining 71 domestic dioceses showed a decrease in their ASA numbers. Dioceses which lost more than 200 parishioners per week include: Connecticut (-682); Long Island (-476); Arizona (-468); Los Angeles (-462); Newark (-380); Southern Virginia (-355); Alaska (-281); Albany (-346); New York (-265); Oregon (-242); Bethlehem (-222); Florida (-219); Minnesota (-210); and Western Louisiana (-205).

Ten dioceses that lost fewer than 50 parishioners on a Sunday include: Northern Michigan (-4); Springfield (-4); Ohio (-7); Eastern Oregon (-10); Montana (-12); Eau Claire (-18); North Dakota (-25); and Idaho (-28); Rhode Island (-40); and East Tennessee (-45).

Only one domestic diocese had an ASA double-digit percentage loss. It was Alaska at -18.8%.

PROVINCE I: Connecticut (13,271; -688; -4.9%); Maine (3,828; -27; -0.7%); New Hampshire (4,391; -78; -1.7%); Rhode Island (4,849; -40; -0.8%); and Western Massachusetts (4,289; -145; 3.3%).

PROVINCE II: Albany (5,339; -346; -6.1%); Central New York (3,788; -71; 1.8%); Long Island (12,525; -476; -3.7%); New Jersey (11,779; -72; -0.6%); New York (16,613; -265; -1.6%); and Newark (7,631; -380; 4.7%).

PROVINCE III: Bethlehem (3,211; -222; -6.5%); Central Pennsylvania (4,055; -159; 3.8%); Easton (2,422; -108; 4.3%); Pennsylvania (12,552; -156; -0.4%); Southern Virginia (9,036; -988; -3.7%); Southwestern Virginia (3,913; -101; -2.4%); and West Virginia (2,543; -161; 0.6%).

PROVINCE IV: Atlanta (14,786; -181;1.2%); Central Florida (12,992; -122, -0.9%); East Carolina (6,145; -89; 1.4%); East Tennessee (4,951; -45; 0.9%); Florida (8,085; -219, -2.6%); Kentucky (2,958; -151; -4.9%); Lexington (2,732; -122; -4.9%); Louisiana (4,505; -75, -1.6%); Mississippi (5,986; -99; -1.6%); North Carolina (13,732; -180; -1.3%); TEC South Carolina (2,852; -58, -2%); Southeast Florida (11,638; -262; -2.2%); Southwest Florida (12,080; -485; -3.9%); Tennessee (5,458; -31; -0.6%); Upper South Carolina (6,959; -149; -2.1%); and West Tennessee (3,067; -71; -2.3%).

PROVINCE V: Chicago (12,048; -63; -0.5%); Eastern Michigan (1,922; -69; -3.5%); Eau Claire (769; -18; 2.3%); Fond du Lac (1,769; -61; -3.3%); Milwaukee (3,257; -144; -4.2%); Missouri (3,568; -75; -2.1%); Northern Indiana (1,910; -153; -7.4%); Northern Michigan (471; -4; -0.8%); Ohio (5,988; -7; -0.1%); Southern Ohio (6,565; -94; -1.4%); Springfield (1,541; -4; -0.3%); and Western Michigan (3,491; -147; -4%).

PROVINCE VI: Colorado (163; -1.7%); Iowa (148; -5.9%); Minnesota (210; -3.3%); Montana (12; -0.8%); North Dakota (25; -3.8%); and South Dakota (77; -4%).

PROVINCE VII: Kansas (3,352; -190; -5.4%); Rio Grande (3,601; -51; -1.4%); Texas (24,201; -327, -1.3%); Western Missouri (3,181; -117; -3.5%); and Western Louisiana (2,898; -205; -6.6%).

PROVINCE VIII: Alaska (1,216; -281; -18.8%); Arizona (8,011; -468; -5.5%) California (7,004; -199, -2.8%); Eastern Oregon (895; -10; -1.1%); El Cameo Real (3,695; -86; -2.3%) Hawaii (2,912; -154; - 5%); Idaho (1,437; -28; -1.9%); Los Angeles (15,250; -462; -2.9%); Northern California (5,160; -129; - 1.1%); Olympia (8,837; -169; - 1.9%); Oregon (5,742; -242; - 4%); San Diego (5,439; -112; -2%); Spokane (1,757; -69; -3.8%); and Utah (699; -68; - 4%).

FINANCES 2016 The domestic dioceses brought in $1,312,430,692 in their collective 2016 Plate & Pledge offerings a -0.1% drop from the previous year.

Some 42 domestic dioceses showed an increase in their offering plate income include:

PROVINCE I: Massachusetts ($33,892,131; +0.1%); and Rhode Island ($8,176,510; +1.9%).

PROVINCE II: Central New York ($6,442,751; +0.2%); and Rochester ($5,455,469; +1.7%).

PROVINCE III: Delaware ($6,578,886; +$1.5%); Maryland ($22,071,702; +0.6%); Southern Virginia ($21,299,920; +0.8%); and Virginia ($58,112,856; +1.5%).

PROVINCE IV: Alabama ($31,739,547; +4%); Atlanta ($41,716,660 +1.6%); Central Florida ($24,510,028; +0.6%); Central Gulf Coast ($14,995,894; +3.9%); East Carolina ($13,504,387; +4%); East Tennessee ($14,227,667; +1.4%); Florida ($29,818,535; +0.7) Georgia ($14,851,519; +0.2%); Kentucky ($7,269,358; +1.8%); Mississippi ($16,855,912; +1%); North Carolina ($38,572,791; +1.7%); TEC South Carolina ($6,301,606; +4.1); Southeast Florida ($20, 212,417; +0.1%); Southwest Florida ($25,779,875; +0.4%); Tennessee ($14,805,975; +0.8%); and West Tennessee ($11,567,539; +3.3%).

PROVINCE V: Ohio ($13,542,778; +0.82%); Southern Ohio ($14,367,552; +0.3%); Springfield ($3,201,869; +5%); and Western Michigan ($7,685,075; +2.1%).

PROVINCE VI: Nebraska ($5,063,838; +1.3%); and Wyoming ($3,411,496; +1.3%).

PROVINCE VII: Dallas ($28,314,691; +2.2%); TEC Fort Worth ($3,807,079; +2.1%); Northwest Texas ($5,616,048; +0.2%); and Rio Grande ($8,340,247; +4%).

PROVINCE VIII: California ($21,119,065; +3%); El Camino Real ($8,518,286; +2.4%); Hawaii ($5,086,482; +1.1%); Northern California ($16,854,124; +3.4%); Olympia ($21,568,853; +2.6%); Oregon ($10,855,795; +0.6%); San Joaquin ($1,522,939; +3.1); and Spokane ($3,310,696; +0.7%).

The 57 domestic dioceses which showed a decrease in their offering plates include:

PROVINCE I: Connecticut ($31,958,169; -2.2%); Maine ($7,199,266; -3.1%); New Hampshire ($6,910,422; -0.2%); Vermont ($3,765,892; -2.1%); and Western Massachusetts ($7,415,340; -2.5%).

PROVINCE II: Albany ($8,113,185; -1.6%); Long Island ($21,075,383; -1.2%); New Jersey ($21,321,885; -0.7%); New York ($34,983,559; -1.8%); Newark ($15,338,180; 3%); and Western New York ($4,987,910; -1.4%).

PROVINCE III: Bethlehem ($5,664,673; -2.1%); Central Pennsylvania ($7,737,517; -2.5%); Easton ($5,044,162; -1%); Northwestern Pennsylvania ($2,187,236; -0.6%); Pennsylvania ($29,313,596; -0.3%) TEC Pittsburgh ($5,087,976; -0.5%); Southwestern Virginia ($9,689,445; -1.3%); Washington, DC ($32,155,905; -3.1%); and West Virginia ($5,587,152; -3.9%).

PROVINCE IV:Lexington ($5,799,719; -3.2%); Louisiana ($10,922,544; -2.5%); Upper South Carolina ($19,975,617; -0.6%); and Western North Carolina ($13,811,023; -0.1%).

PROVINCE V: Chicago ($27,081,636; -0.7%); Eastern Michigan ($3,371,710; -4.4%); Eau Claire ($1,160,127; -4.2%); Fond du Lac ($3,582,533; -2.7%); Indianapolis ($7,189,625; -2.1%); Michigan ($13,611,776; -1.5%); Milwaukee ($7,666,746; -1.5%); Missouri ($9,578,829; -0.2%); Northern Indiana ($3,865,249; -0.2%); Northern Michigan ($444,421; -4.1%).

PROVINCE VI: Colorado ($21,949,809; -1.2%); Iowa ($5,038,493; -4.2%); Minnesota ($13,458,505; -0.4%); Montana ($3,175,096; -2.7%); North Dakota ($913,200; -12.7%); and South Dakota ($1,824,571; -3%).

PROVINCE VII: Arkansas ($11,667,693; -1.2%); Kansas ($7,434,627; -.03%); Oklahoma ($12,897,354; -1.8%); and Texas ($73,509,839; -1.1%)

PROVINCE VIII: Alaska ($2,411,268; -3.3%); Arizona ($14,860,457; -0.2%); Eastern Oregon ($1,625,967; -6%); Idaho ($2,750,647; -1.9%); Los Angeles ($32,518,881; - 3.7%); Navajoland ($23,772; -0.1%); Nevada ($2,834,926; -2.6%); San Diego ($1,522,939; -3.1%); and Utah ($2,430,405; -0.1%).

FOREIGN DIOCESES

The 10 foreign dioceses and two jurisdictions present a mixed bag. The largest diocese is Haiti, which shows a baptized membership of 84,943, a 381 (+0.5%) uptick from 2015. Even though there was an increase in membership, there was a decrease in ASA. Only 14,443 show up to church on Sunday, which is a drop of 950 (-6.2%)

Honduras shows the greatest percentage increase. There are 43,060 baptized Episcopal Hondurans, an increase of 23,605 (+121.3%). But the Honduran ASA shows a drop of 2,020 (-28.2%) church attendees down to 5,152 who still worship on Sunday.

Haiti, the US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico all have recently been hammered by powerful hurricanes and the islanders have been left to pick up the pieces.

There are 5,391 baptized in the Dominican Republic, a drop of 139 (-2.5%) with the ASA also showing a dip of 169 (-6.3%) to 2,511 on a Sunday. The Virgin Islands showed an overall drop in both membership and ASA. There are 3,501 baptized members, a drop of 387 (-10%). On the ASA ledger, 1,514 congregants show up for church on a given Sunday, a drop of 181 (-10.7%).

Puerto Rico has 5,062 Episcopalians, down 37 (-0.7%). A total of 2,231 attend church, a drop of 182 (-7.5%) ASA decline.

The two Episcopal dioceses in Ecuador -- Central and Litoral -- both show a decline in church membership. The larger diocese -- Litoral -- has 8,627 church members, a 919 (-9.6%) drop from the previous year. The smaller diocese -- Central -- has a 572 (-38.1%) drop in baptized, with 930 remaining. Litoral showed an increase in the ASA, climbing by 126 souls to 1,113 (+ 12.8%) increased. Central dropped 259 (-33.1%) to 523 in Sunday attendance.

Columbia has 3,263 members, an increase of 244 (+8.1%). However, Columbia's ASA dropped 38 (-3.5%) members, showing that 1,040 attend churches on Sunday.

Venezuela has a baptized membership of 1,080, of which fewer than half (46%) attend church on Sunday. On average, 507 members go to Sunday services. There is no other statistical information available from Venezuela.

There are 17 Episcopal churches scattered across the face of Europe in six countries. A total of 2,851 Episcopalians are members, which is an increase of 63 (+2.3%). However, only 950 attend Sunday worship, a drop of 40 (-1.8%).

Taiwan claims 1,225 members, which is an increase of 96 (+8.5%) and there is also an uptick in the ASA by 38 (+5.7%) members, bringing the number of Taiwanese who attend to 699.

Micronesia is the smallest jurisdiction. Only 260 belong to the Episcopal Church, which is an increase of 11 (+4.4%). On a given Sunday, 110 go to church, which reflects an increase of 7 (+6.8%).

EPISCOPAL CHURCH TOTALS

Episcopal Church totals show that there are 1,745,156 Episcopalians in the domestic church, another 160,193 in the foreign dioceses for a grand total of 1,905,349 Episcopalians worldwide.

American dioceses saw a drop of 34,179 (-1.9%) while the foreign dioceses saw an increase of 22,346 (+16.2), for a net loss of 11,833 souls (-0.6%).

Sunday church attendance slipped across the board. The domestic ASA sat at 570,453, with the foreign dioceses adding another 30,793, for a church wide ASA of 601,246. The American dioceses lost 9,327 (-1.6%) people in the pews, while the foreign dioceses hemorrhaged 3,668 (-10.6%) for a total of 12,995 (-2.1%) fewer Episcopal souls attending church worldwide.

Financially, the domestic church brought $1,213,719,167 during 2016 through plate and pledge, a drop of $1,288,475 (-0.1%) from the 2015 figure of $1,313,719,167.

Foreign dioceses did not file financial reports.

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline

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