Further information on earlier report
The Church Times today reports that average attendance at Church of England Sunday services dropped two per cent in 2009, compared with 2008, provisional figures released by Church House this week suggest. Attendance by children and young people, however, remained steady, with figures indicating that it had risen over the longer term.
Average attendance on a Sunday in 2009 dropped to 944,000 during 2009, having stood at 960,000 in 2008, and 978,000 in 2007. Average attendance each week (taking into account services not on a Sunday) dropped slightly to 1.131 million from 1.145 million in 2008, and 1.16 million in 2007.
Average monthly attendance also dropped slightly in 2009 to 1.651 million, from 1.667 million in 2008, and 1.69 million in 2007