ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 1, 2006
ELCA Membership Drops 1.6 Percent to 4.85 Million in 2005
06-113-FI/LA*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) reported a baptized membership of 4,850,776 in 10,549
congregations in 2005, according to the Rev. Lowell G. Almen,
ELCA secretary. That figure represents a decrease of about 1.62
percent or a reduction of 79,653 baptized members since 2004, he
said.
In the past 15 years the ELCA baptized membership has
decreased about 390,000 from 5,240,739 members reported in 1990.
About half of the decline occurred between 2002 and 2005. The
combined decrease for these four years resulted in a decline of
249,101 baptized members, according to annual reports from
congregations compiled by the ELCA Office of the Secretary.
Parochial reports indicated the loss was due to a decrease
in the number of new members, the disbanding of 31 congregations
and "roll cleaning" in many remaining congregations. Roll
cleaning resulted in a loss of 208,436 members in 2005 following
a loss of 192,825 members in 2004. Those reductions occur when
long inactive members who indicate no interest in continued
participation are removed from the rolls of congregations.
Twenty-two congregations with a combined baptized membership
of 14,083 withdrew from the ELCA in 2005. One congregation with
membership of 111 was removed.
The average number of people in worship on Sundays decreased
slightly in 2005, Almen said. A total of 1,439,747 or 29.68
percent of all baptized ELCA members participated in worship each
week. Average worship attendance, an indicator of active
participation by members in congregations, has fluctuated in the
ELCA between 30 and 31 percent.
Confirmed membership in 2005 decreased by 49,039 to
3,636,948. Communing and contributing membership, which
demonstrates active participation, decreased by 48,276 to
2,256,700 in 2005. That followed a decline of 44,879 in 2004 for
a two-year total decline of 93,155.
A gain in ELCA membership last occurred in 1991, with a net
gain of 4,438 baptized members that year. Losses in baptized
membership for previous years were: 54,496 in 2004; 53,081 in
2003; 61,871 in 2002; 26,043 in 2001; 23,749 in 2000; 28,557 in
1999; 6,830 in 1998; 2,308 in 1997; 9,517 in 1996; 8,559 in 1995;
12,752 in 1994; 21,783 in 1993; and 10,609 in 1992.
The decrease in ELCA membership reflects a pattern reported
by many U.S. church bodies during this period, Almen said.
For 2005 in the ELCA, accessions by baptism, affirmations of
faith and transfers from other ELCA congregations declined:
+ 3,498 fewer baptisms of children -- 67,652 in 2005, down from
71,150 in 2004
+ 3,360 fewer affirmations of faith -- 53,961 in 2005 and 57,321
in 2004
+ 3,201 fewer transfers from Lutheran congregations -- 76,518 in
2005 and 79,719 in 2004
There were 6,764 adult baptisms in 2005 -- down from 7,168
in 2004. There were 17,794 accessions from non-Lutheran
congregations in 2005 -- down from 18,682 in 2004.
There were 19 more deaths in 2005 -- 47,210 compared to
47,191 in 2004. There were 3,671 fewer transfers to other
Lutheran congregations -- 53,429 in 2005 compared to 57,100 in
2004.
The average number of baptized members per congregation
decreased in 2005 by six people to 463, and the average confirmed
membership decreased by three people to 348. In 2005 the average
number of communing and contributing members slipped by four to
216 per congregation.
For 2005, 3.1 percent of ELCA baptized members were
identified as persons of color or persons whose primary language
is other than English, essentially unchanged from 2004.
-- -- --
A table summarizing annual statistic reports is at
http://www.ELCA.org/news/table.html on the ELCA Web site.
* The Rev. Lowell G. Almen is secretary of the ELCA.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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