Membership

Summary Of Work

The House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church is charged with preparing and presenting “a report on the State of the Church” [I.6.5(b)] and to set the form of the Parochial Report.

The committee met four times following the 74^th General Convention and offers the following “snapshot” of The Episcopal Church in the second triennium of the twenty-first century. Our primary resource is the annual Parochial Report and the Director of Research’s analysis of it. However, we also met with the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies, members of the Executive Council, Church Center staff, and representatives of the Church Pension Group, the Episcopal Church Foundation, the National Cathedral College, the seminary deans, and the Office of Government relations. Finally, we reviewed, at their request, draft reports from the Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church.

The whole committee participated in the gathering of information and then identified four areas of focus for small group work that inform the organization of this report: an overview of “who we are” in light of our statistical data; a discussion of the “tensions within the church,” particularly over the last triennium; a look at issues in the area of Christian formation; and a reflection on mission vitality. We then offer some conclusions, make recommendations for the next triennium and propose three resolutions. The report concludes with the data on membership, attendance, and finances.

Who We Are

The primary responsibility of the Committee on the State of the Church is to report to the House of Deputies on the present condition of the church’s affairs. That responsibility involves analysis of the Parochial and Diocesan Reports and other pertinent data so that the whole church can understand what is occurring in the church as a whole, not just in their parishes, dioceses, and provinces.

Many institutions, including other mainline Christian denominations, have the capability to gather and evaluate on a regular basis empirical indicators of their vital statistics. In 2002, the Episcopal Church restored its in-house research director position with the appointment of Dr. Kirk Hadaway, who now serves as a reliable source of information, facilitating important debates and decisions. Dr. Hadaway has reviewed past data for accuracy so that long-term trends can be reliably assessed. Further, on his recommendation, the Committee restored certain elements of the annual reports to ensure historic continuity.

Dr. Hadaway has connected his research databases with important church agencies and key offices at the Church Center. He has also participated in interdenominational exchanges and in the Hartford Seminary “Faith Communities Today” ecumenical research project of 2004. This work offers us a much more holistic and integrated picture of ourselves than is available from Parochial Report data alone. Dr. Hadaway’s professional skills and insights have enabled the Committee better to pursue answers to questions about which opinion across the church is divided. Below are but a few examples from his 2004 Growth Report for the Episcopal Church, titled “Is the Episcopal Church Growing (or Declining)?” The full report is available at www.episcopalchurch.org/research. The charts have been updated for this report.

Claims that membership and church attendance are declining dramatically are addressed in Figure 1, below, shedding light on changes in average worship attendance in the last fourteen years.

Figure 1

Episcopal Church Average Sunday Worship Attendance: 1991-2004

Taking the longer view of this trend is even more instructive, and places the experience of the most recent decade into a broader social and cultural context. Figure 2, below, helps us interpret what appears to be a precipitous drop in our membership in 1986. The dotted line shows actual reported membership for 1930-2004. The solid line shows membership numbers adjusted to account for reporting anomalies, including the removal of non-domestic dioceses from the reports in 1986 (a drop of 223,185), and a change in the Parochial Report in 1986 that asked for a count of “active members” whose baptisms were recorded in the church rather than simply the number of baptized persons in the congregation.

Figure 2

Episcopal Church Membership Trends: 1930 – 2004

Comparing our experience to that of other mainline denominations shows that a pronounced decline in church membership for all denominations begins in the 1960s and lasts though the mid-1970s (Figure 3). Dr. Hadaway’s report shows that there is an extremely strong correlation between this trend and the birth rate, such that a decline in the birth rate can account, in statistical terms, for 88% of the year-to-year variation in mainline membership. Although there is some recovery from this three-decade decline, what should be most evident is that The Episcopal Church is not alone in its concern over—or in showing the effects of—the profound changes that have taken place in the broader fabric of American culture.

Figure 3

Yearly Percent Change in Mainline Membership: 1946-2004

Dr Hadaway produces annually a one-page chart of “fast facts” about the Episcopal Church that is also available at www.episcopalchurch.org/research. The Committee on the State of the Church commends the restored research capability of The Episcopal Church and urges the wider church to take advantage of it.

Episcopal Fast Facts: 2002–2004

Domestic Themes

As we gathered information from around the church, we discovered places where the church is thriving and growing, areas of tension and strife, places of hope and joy, and pockets of depression and decline. Since the 74^th General Convention, there has been growing tension and cause for some to reevaluate their commitment to the mission of The Episcopal Church. Some individuals and congregations have chosen to separate, some have chosen to stay and work on reconciliation, and some laid aside their differences and become more committed to the mission of the Church.

While we are living in stressful times, it is too soon to evaluate the effect of that stress on growth and stability in The Episcopal Church. In addressing the reasons for the loss of members since the 2003 General Convention, Dr. Hadaway said the explanation is complex and that the decline mirrors declines in all mainline churches over the last two years. At most, he said, a third could be attributed to the actions of General Convention. Perhaps of greater consequence is the fact that The Episcopal Church has the lowest birth rate and highest mean age of any mainline denomination, meaning that church growth must come through evangelism to the unchurched. Cultural trends (athletic and entertainment schedules, etc.) also have their effect on the size and vitality of local congregations.

In spite of the decline in total church membership, about half of our congregations (and nineteen dioceses) in 2004 reported an increase in active members (double the proportion in other mainline denominations), one-third reported an increase in average Sunday attendance, and more than half reported increased plate and pledge income.

Many churches that started during the 1950s and 1960s are being closed for economic reasons, and some more substantial congregations are in the process of withdrawing from denominational membership, although the effect of those withdrawals cannot yet be measured precisely.

International Relations

It is not yet possible to speculate what effect the past triennium will have on our relationships with other provinces of the Anglican Communion. The Windsor Report and the actions of both the Primates’ Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council in 2005 will play themselves out over several years, but, as noted below, tensions in the Communion are not new. In the meantime, we continue to have many friends “on the ground” throughout the Communion, thanks in part to the fine work of our missionaries, companion diocesan relationships and organizations like Episcopal Relief and Development, the United Thank Offering, the Young Adult Service Corps and African Team Ministries.

Tensions in the wake of the 74^th General Convention

Tensions over the authority and interpretation of scripture, the authority of bishops and institutions, the ordination of women, and cultural diversity have been simmering for many years in the Anglican Communion, and in some cases differing understandings have affected relationships among provinces. Several provinces, for example, do not accept the validity of women’s orders as priests or bishops. Diversity, however, has historically been a hallmark of the Communion, and such differences have not led to broken relationships.

Three actions in the summer of 2003—the approval by the Canadian Diocese of New Westminster of a rite for the blessing of same-gender unions, the consent to the election of the Rev. Canon V. Gene Robinson, a gay man living in a committed relationship, as Bishop of New Hampshire, and the approval by the General Convention of Resolution 2003–C051 recognizing “that local faith communities are operating within the bounds of our common life as they explore and experience liturgies celebrating and blessing same-sex unions”—have given these existing tensions a new focus, both in the Anglican Communion and within The Episcopal Church. In the Anglican Communion, these actions have led some provinces and dioceses to declare that they are out of communion—or in a state of impaired communion—with other provinces, dioceses, and bishops.

The Anglican Communion is comprised of 38 self-governing churches made up of over 500 dioceses in 164 countries, with a worshiping constituency of about 70 million people. Simply stated, the Communion is the result of the Church of England having been established in foreign lands during the colonization period and remaining after independence in the form of autonomous churches related to one another through the See of Canterbury. Current institutional avenues for relationship among the provinces—defined by the Windsor Report as “Instruments of Unity”—are: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, a decennial, non-legislative gathering of bishops; the Primates Meeting, or the gathering of senior presiding bishops and archbishops of the autonomous churches who meet to consult on theological or social issues; and the Anglican Consultative Council which brings together people of all orders to work on common concerns. Theological principles for Christian unity are stated in the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1888.

In The Episcopal Church, responses to some of the acts of the 74^th Convention have ranged from deep dismay and departure from the church to a sense of affirmation that has in some instances included the welcoming of new members attracted by the church’s stance.

As part of offering a “snap-shot” of the state of The Episcopal Church near the end of the 2004-2006 triennium, we will describe briefly some of the significant events at the Communion and Episcopal Church levels, outline what appear to be the primary areas of concern, and note some of the consequences of those tensions for the Anglican Communion and The Episcopal Church.

Significant Events

October 2003, Primates’ Meeting. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, called the primates of the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion to a special meeting at Lambeth Palace in October 2003. The statement agreed to by all the primates affirmed “our pride in the Anglican inheritance of faith and order and our firm desire to remain part of a Communion, where what we hold in common is much greater than that which divides us in proclaiming Good News to the world.” They did, however, state that the actions in Canada and the United States threatened the unity of the Communion. They called “on the provinces concerned to make adequate provision for episcopal oversight of dissenting minorities,” and they asked the Archbishop to form a commission to examine the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury in “maintaining communion within and between provinces when grave difficulties arise.”

October 2003, Appointment of Lambeth Commission on Communion. Archbishop Williams announced the appointment of the commission requested by the primates, with the Most Rev. Dr. Robin Eames as chair.

November 2003, Consecration of the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.

January 2004, Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses (ACN) and Parishes formed. At a meeting held under the auspices of Christ Church, Plano, Texas, the ACN was formed as “a network of ‘confessing’ dioceses and congregations within ECUSA.” The ACN believes that the 74^th General Convention, “abandoned 2000 years of biblical teaching and historical church order.” The group’s goals are to provide “a means for remaining connected with the Anglican Communion,” and “a way for dioceses and parishes to remain under orthodox leadership.” (SOURCE: www.anglicancommunionnetwork.org).

March 2004, Creation of procedure for “Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight.” The House of Bishops issued a statement titled, “Caring for All the Churches: A Response of the House of Bishops,” in which they commit to provide pastoral care for dissenting congregations, “recognize that there may be a need for a bishop to delegate some pastoral oversight,” and outline a process for “Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight.” The process allows another bishop to be invited into a diocese to provide pastoral care within the context of the constitutional and canonical authority of bishops.

October 2004, The Windsor Report of the Lambeth Commission on Communion released.

February 2005, Primates’ Meeting in Northern Ireland. The primates received The Windsor Report and issued a communiqué requesting “that the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada voluntarily withdraw their members from the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) for the period leading up to the next Lambeth Conference.” It encouraged the ACC to schedule a hearing at their meeting in June 2005 for both churches to “have an opportunity to set out the thinking behind the recent actions of their Provinces,” and asked for “a moratorium on public Rites of Blessing for Same-sex unions and on the consecration of any bishop living in a sexual relationship outside Christian marriage.”

March 15, 2005, House of Bishops’ Covenant Statement. At a meeting in Texas, the House of Bishops adopted a “Covenant Statement” affirming a commitment to the Anglican Communion, expressing regret for the pain that others have experienced with respect to the actions of the 74^th General Convention, offering an apology and regret for having breached the bonds of affection by any failure to consult adequately with Anglican partners, and pledging to withhold consent to the consecration of any person elected to the episcopate until the 75^th General Convention. Additionally they promised not to authorize public rites for the blessing of same sex unions, and not to bless any such unions, at least until the 75^th General Convention. They pledged not to cross diocesan boundaries to provide episcopal ministry in violation of the canons, and asked that other bishops and clergy refrain from intervening in other dioceses.

June 2005, Anglican Consultative Council Meeting. The Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church sent their representatives but voluntarily withdrew from official participation. Both responded to the request to “set out the thinking of the recent actions of their Provinces,” and the response of The Episcopal Church has been published as, To Set Our Hope on Christ.

June 2005, ACC vote to include primates as members. The ACC voted, pending approval by the provinces, to include the primates as members of the ACC.

July 2005, The Third Afro-Anglicanism Conference. The gathering of over 270 participants and visitors from Africa, the Caribbean, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States produced the Toronto Accord, which summarized major areas of concern and provided direction for Afro-Anglicans until the next conference in 2015. It states, “We should continue to value and celebrate our differences, and avoid temptations of divisiveness by enforcing patterns of uniformity. Our Anglican Communion needs to be a listening church based on the solidarity of compassionate love.” It recommends adoption by all structures of the Anglican Communion of the Millennium Development Goals, “which can also be seen as ‘missional development goals,’ and it calls for reinstatement of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada to full participation in the Anglican Consultative Council.”

October 2005, The Third Anglican Global South to South Encounter. Delegates (103) from twenty provinces met in Egypt and issued a communiqué;, entitled “The Third Trumpet from the South,” calling for implementation of the Windsor Report. Paragraph 42 states, “Communion requires alignment with the will of God first and foremost, which establishes our commonality with one another. Such expressions of the will of God which Anglicans should hold in common are: one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Holy Scripture; apostolic teaching and practice; the historic Creeds of the Christian Church; the Articles of Religion and the doctrinal tenets as contained in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Holding truth and grace together by the power of the Holy Spirit, we go forward as those entrusted ‘with the faith once delivered’ (Jude 3).”

October 2005, The Anglican Theological Conference of 25 Latin American and Caribbean Bishops. Twenty-three of the bishops issued the “Panama Declaration” to “proclaim our solidarity and make public our desire for unity in Christ.” It notes that neither of the polarized “biblical and theological tendencies” labeled the Global North and the Global South “represent our way of thinking, neither our spirit. For this reason, we propose a tendency that we refer to as Global Central, a position which encourages our Communion to rescue the participatory, diverse, tolerant and inclusive character that has identified us as the ‘via media’ approach to Christianity for a great number of years in our history.”

November 2005, Hope and A Future Conference. The gathering of approximately 2,400 participants, sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Anglican Communion Network, included seven archbishops from Africa, Asia and the West Indies, who pledged their solidarity with the ACN “as long as you remain faithful, biblical, evangelical and orthodox” (Archbishop Datuk Yong Ping Chung, of South East Asia).

Primary Areas of Tension or Concern

The Committee’s report to the 74^th Convention included a section titled, “Tensions in the Church,” pointing out that controversy within the church is not new, and emphasizing the work of reconciliation. For some, tension and controversies threaten traditional faith and practice. For others tensions and controversies offer new perspectives and opportunities for new life

The report identified “issues of authority,” as a tension and cited questions about the balance of authority among Holy Scripture, tradition and reason, about how and by whom decisions are made, and about “how much variation in the exercise of autonomy our concept of episcopal authority is willing to tolerate.”

Note particularly that a most significant area of tension derives from the very different polities of member provinces of the Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church, from its earliest period of formation, has operated on democratic principles. Our bishops are elected by the clergy and laity of their dioceses, whereas in many other provinces around the globe, they are appointed, often by other bishops. Bishops in The Episcopal Church share authority with clergy and laity in many aspects of the church’s ministry. Our presiding bishop does not have the authority to overturn an episcopal election properly conducted and receiving the necessary canonical consents. Nor does a bishop diocesan have the authority to void arbitrarily the decisions of a diocesan convention.

Those in the Anglican Communion whose church governance shares this “balance of power” heritage (c.f. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Central America) tend to be more accepting of our decisions, even if they are not in full agreement with them. Other global communion members, more accustomed to an episcopate with greater discretionary authority, may have difficulty with church structures where responsibility for decision-making is shared. For a helpful exploration of these and other issues raised by the Windsor Report, we commend the Fall 2005 issue of The Anglican Theological Review, available at http://anglicantheologicalreview.org.

All of these tensions continue, and, in fact, most are addressed in the Windsor Report, which we commend to the Church for study as a gift intended to build up the Body of Christ. As the Lambeth Commission chair, the Most Rev. Dr. Robin Eames notes in its Foreword, the report “is part of a process. It is part of a pilgrimage towards healing and reconciliation.”

The Windsor Report asks us to consider seriously the nature of communion as it describes the relationship of the Anglican provinces. Among the questions to consider in studying the report are:

• Is communion based in “bonds of affection,” in common beliefs, in common prayer and sacramental worship, in institutional structures?
• What is the appropriate balance among these elements?
• How much emphasis do we place on the development of relationships and how much on the development of institutional structures?
• Does sacramental worship—not explicitly considered by the Windsor Report—play a role in maintaining communion?
• How do we maintain communion in the face of significant disagreement, particularly when disagreement is rooted in cultural and political as well as theological differences?
• Are there limits to diversity, and in particular, to diversity in interpreting the moral teachings of Scripture and the Christian tradition?
• To what extent can we unite around key elements considered essential to faith and order and live with the messiness of creative tension around the rest?
• Who decides what is “essential”?
• What should be the role of the laity in the Communion’s decision-making process?
• To what extent does change in one province need to be approved by others?
• Does the Communion need a more centralized structure?
• Does the Communion need a formal covenant and/or body of canon law?

We also commend for study the published response given by representatives of The Episcopal Church to the Anglican Consultative Council in June 2005. To Set Our Hope on Christ addresses specifically the invitation of Paragraph 135 of the Windsor Report, to offer an explanation “from within the sources of authority that we as Anglicans have received in scripture, the apostolic tradition and reasoned reflection, [of] how a person living in a same-gender union may be considered eligible to lead the flock of Christ.”

Consequences of Current Tensions

Our discussions considered possible consequences of the events and tensions of the last triennium, both within the Anglican Communion and The Episcopal Church. In the Windsor Report, we have a stimulus for conversation throughout the Communion about who we are as Anglicans and how we might most fruitfully live into the future. We note that it offers suggestions for significant changes in traditional Anglican ecclesiology.

The “Global North” and the “Global South” are becoming more polarized, while a new Global Central perspective is emerging. Some bishops and primates have felt called to intervene in other dioceses, particularly in the US and Canada, to minister to those they believe are marginalized for their stance on current issues. And some mission efforts and projects of Episcopal Church bodies have been canceled or curtailed.

Meanwhile, many Episcopalians feel a renewed sense of connection to our Anglican heritage. Some dioceses and congregations are experiencing polarization and a loss of fellowship. While some individuals have “taken sides” regarding the current issues, many others remain confused, ambivalent or even indifferent. Some previously unchurched people are joining Episcopal congregations, and although some individuals and congregations feel compelled to leave The Episcopal Church, many individuals, congregations and dioceses are refocusing on what they perceive to be the mission of the church. We noted that there is an increased interest in affiliations like the American Anglican Council and the Anglican Communion Network.

Some experience a loss of a clear sense of moral authority in the church but others have a new respect for the church as a prophetic voice. Although some congregations and dioceses are experiencing financial losses, more people are reading Scripture, participating in Bible study groups and engaging in intentional conversations. Some dioceses and congregations are creating environments in which it is safe to be vulnerable, regardless of one’s point of view.

Many of the tensions identified above and brought into more intense focus since 2003 have in fact been part of the Anglican witness since the Reformation. Our hope for the Church is that we not be driven apart by our current differences but that we embrace, in a spirit of hope and a climate of respect, the opportunities our differences offer for vitality in our mission and for reconciliation at deeper and deeper levels.

Christian Formation

In a world that is facing ever increasing threats to values and morals, Christian formation can serve as a response and foundation to offer people a life of meaning and purpose. How we spread the Gospel in the church and the world is guided by our Christian formation. It helps us to identify who we are as Episcopalians and energizes us to do the ministry of the church. Christian formation is a key partner to mission vitality, or ministry. Vehicles of Christian formation include:

20/20

We need to prepare congregations to receive people and to know what it means to be part of Christ’s body and a reconciling force in the world. The 20/20 evangelism initiative has deep connections to Christian formation. For the national advertising campaign to be most effective, churches and dioceses must be prepared to welcome new members and help them become formed in the church’s theology, spirituality and liturgical tradition.

Anglican Communion

The publicity given to the 2003 General Convention exposed both Episcopalians and the public to our Anglican heritage and connections within the worldwide Anglican Communion. With the Windsor Report and To Set Our Hope on Christ, we have tools to explore our theological, liturgical and ecclesial heritage. How, given the great diversity among the member churches do we learn to understand and appreciate the authenticity of our brothers and sisters who hold differing views?

Generational Ministries

We commend efforts to tailor Christian formation for Generation Xers (born in the 1970s) and Millennials (born after the 1980s) and the nationwide advertising campaign begun in 2004 in both English and Spanish that is aimed at Generation-X viewers unaffiliated with any church. Young Episcopalians who leave the church in college are only half as likely to return later, as compared with other denominations, probably due to the diminishing of college ministries. We are a Church with an aging membership and a low birth rate. Unchecked, this trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future, with predictable consequences.

During this triennium, The Episcopal Church, embraced a new initiative, called the Pastoral Leadership Search Effort (PLSE), sponsored by the Fund for Theological Education and the Lilly Foundation, designed to identify and cultivate young men and women who might consider ordained ministry. Some 60 high school and college age people have been nominated for the program and are receiving materials and mentoring. All congregations received a video and information about PLSE.

The Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church has proposed that a new Standing Commission on Youth and Christian Formation be created and funded. We fully endorse this effort to provide policy oversight and direction for the cluster of ministries to young people as well as Christian formation work with other specialty demographic groups.

Theological Education

Clergy and lay leaders of the church are prepared for their respective ministries in full-time residential settings, continuing education formats, and in distance learning centers. A Church Pension Group study of students in Episcopal seminaries shows: The average age at ordination to the priesthood (now 46)has not changed significantly in recent years; the biggest increase in ordinations for any particular age group is for those over age 55; 85% of priests are over the age of 55; ordination of younger persons (defined as those under 35) is concentrated in a few dioceses; the number of males and females being trained is roughly equal but the average age of female ordinands is significantly higher, a statistic that bears watching; low numbers of young women entering the priesthood, combined with issues around retention, mean that the church may be failing to develop the next generation of female clergy leadership. Lastly, 50% of our ordinands come through seminaries other than the eleven Episcopal seminaries.

One recent analysis revealed that the younger students are coming from active diocesan camp programs. Although many, perhaps most, seminarians make tremendous financial sacrifices to attend seminary, with the onset of more young students, we can anticipate an upswing of those who bring even fewer resources to seminary and who will graduate with substantially higher debt. This is a quite serious problem because The Episcopal Church is the only mainline denomination that does not offer financial support to students or seminarians. If the church hopes to attract younger people to the ordained ministry, it must reevaluate the way it funds and prepares its clergy.

Changes to Title III of our canons provide alternative paths to ordination, leading to creative approaches to increasing the supply of deacons and priests for small, remote and isolated congregations. However, there is a concern that alternative educational approaches may minimize the importance of a seminary education in preparation for the priesthood. The advantages of living, learning and worshiping in an academic community with people from diverse cultures, dioceses and congregations should not be discounted.

Episcopal seminaries are increasingly diversifying their offerings, developing new diaconal training institutes, experimenting with “short courses,” and establishing “distance learning” programs. Many such offerings are tailored to persons interested in lay vocations within the church and those interested in acquiring greater depth of scriptural or spiritual understanding.

We learned that the removal of the Parochial Report line for reporting the 1% contribution for theological education that is asked of parishes has had a negative effect on seminary funding. As a consequence, the State of the Church Committee has recommended that Executive Council return the 1% question to the Parochial Report.

Mission Vitality

We live in a rapidly changing world with growing economic disparity between and within nations, and with dramatic cultural shifts toward a more secularized society. Those who look, act or behave differently are often regarded with fear and suspicion and the frantic pace often isolates friends and neighbors. Even the political environment is increasingly polarized.

Within the church we also face obstacles to health and growth; among them are a very low birth rate, a decrease in available time, and a media driven tendency to focus on controversy. Mission priorities suffer, and few younger Americans (especially those in the GenX and Millennial generations) have the denominational loyalty of their forebears.

The cost of property insurance, salaries and health care are placing new financial challenges on all congregations, but particularly the smaller ones. The Church Pension Group estimates that a budget of $130,000 and 75 members is needed to maintain a full-time Rector and a minimum program. Our nation is changing demographically, average Sunday attendance (ASA) is declining in all but seven of our domestic dioceses, and the economy in many rural and urban is struggling. Churches with an ASA less than 75 are at risk. (Note that 62% of Episcopal churches have an ASA of less than 100).

Yet, there many places of great vitality and energy, physically healthy, Gospel centered and spiritually nurturing, focused on mission, on the objectives of 20/20, and on becoming congregations that are aware that the mission of the church to “restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” They honor the Baptismal Covenant to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself” and Christ’s command to “go and make disciples of all nations.”

Our world is in desperate need of the grace and good news of the Gospel and we see this as a time of great missionary urgency and opportunity. We find renewed interest for meeting this need in creative strategies for evangelism, prayer and spiritual development, recruiting and equipping innovative leaders, strengthening congregational life, and focusing on children, youth and campus ministries.

Below are a few examples of dynamic mission-focused ministry we wish to highlight:

20/20

The 20/20 Task Force encouraged the Episcopal Church to “build a church of disciples who make disciples” (http://members.aol.com/taskforce2020/report.htm). The report notes that one indicator of success would be an “average growth rate of 3.5% per year for 20 years.” The decline in membership and average Sunday attendance since 2002 indicates that this movement faces an uphill statistical challenge.

But 20/20 is about more than statistics, and signs of momentum suggest that the principles of 20/20 have been taken up by bold leaders with vision. At least one diocese has made “disciples making disciples” its mission statement. New chapters of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew indicate renewed interest in prayer, particularly prayer for healing, and at least one diocese has recently opened a healing center at its conference center. There is renewed interest in reading and studying the Bible. Diocesan leadership training schools are on the increase. Programs such as Happening have been popular with youth, and there is a trend toward replacing or augmenting traditional Sunday school with more comprehensive youth ministry.

These trends suggest a response to the longing for spiritual renewal evident among both church members and the unchurched. For some, this means developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; for others it may be new or increased participation in the spiritual life and mission-oriented ministry of a Christian community.

Three projects developed by staff at the Episcopal Church Center deserve special mention for the quality of their response to this yearning for growth and renewal. First, the recent advertising campaign responds to Generation Xers, many of whom describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” with an invitation to Christian community. To view the ads, visit www.comeandgrow.org.

Second, the Groundwork Lenten study materials, sent to all congregations for use in 2005, offered a resource to assist individuals and congregations engage Holy Scripture and the mission of God’s church. Groundwork II, sent in 2006, helps congregations reflect on how they invite people into their midst and into the Episcopal Church. Find materials at www.episcopalchurch.org/groundwork.

Finally, the freshly redesigned website for The Episcopal Church, www.episcopalchurch.org, has a wealth of resources for church leaders, for those already familiar with the church and seeking to learn more, and for those who are seekers and newcomers. For the latter, we commend www.comeandgrow.org.

Healthy and Growing Churches

Congregational wellbeing and church growth go hand-in-hand. Unhealthy congregations rarely grow. In order to remain healthy and to grow, The Episcopal Church, like all main-line churches, must direct its energy in ways that are radically different from just a few generations ago.

Characteristics of healthy, growing congregations are:

Open Communication—involves clergy, lay leadership and members, and extends to the community. Most of these churches take advantage of e-mail and other forms of modern communication.

Creative Collaboration— suggests networking with other Episcopal churches, and other denominations, to share ministry. Financial challenge can lead to creative new ways of doing ministry, education and outreach.

Intentional Ministries— encourages churches to focus on, and invest in specific ministries, meeting community needs. Children and youth are nurtured and incorporated into the full life of the parish.

Competent Education— mandates the provision of stimulating and life forming education programs for children and adults. “Journey to Adulthood”, designed for small and middle sized churches, forms young people preparing for Confirmation. Providing education programs, such as Bible Study and Education for Ministry tends to attract people from other denominations, non-churched people, people seeking answers to religious questions, and those searching for meaning in the light of events such as those of September 11, 2001.

Holistic Worship— offers an approach to worship in which music and preaching, as well as lay and clergy participation are molded into a meaningful, life-giving experience. They bring all the components of a faith community together in one central act of worship that nourishes the soul and inspires ministry beyond the doors of the parish.

Clergy Well-being— maintains clergy in healthy, balanced lives and encourages them to participate in important support programs such as CREDO and Fresh Start. More parishes and dioceses are including sabbatical time in their letters of agreement with clergy.

Global Mission

As an international church with dioceses and congregations in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe and Asia, The Episcopal Church can address spiritual and material challenges, facing the world today. We can reach across various divides in a spirit of generosity, reconciliation and compassion through the work of our missionaries, our companion diocese relationships, the work of Episcopal Relief and Development and that of the United Thank Offering. Our Jubilee Ministry, created by 67^th General Convention in 1982 to serve poor and oppressed people wherever they are found and to build a just society, has tripled in size since 1998 to almost 600 sites in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Haiti and Honduras.

The belief that our faith is made complete through our actions (James 2:22) resonates with many youth and young adults today and makes the church relevant to their lives and values. A vibrant example is the Young Adult Service Corps, through which young adults from 26 dioceses have served in 20 countries since 2000.

As a committee, we are convinced that when we heed closely Christ’s call to us in the Great Commandment and Great Commission, the church is at its best, and we all become “bringers of hope and proclaimers of joy.” A renewed commitment to the primary mission and ministry of the church will be a powerful antidote to our inward-focused preoccupations of the past triennium. We commend to the church at large the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) recently promulgated by the United Nations, and now being adopted and supported actively by church leadership around the globe. These goals aim to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty, to achieve universal primary education, to promote gender equality and empower women, to reduce child mortality, to improve maternal health, to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, to ensure environmental sustainability and to develop a global partnership for development. More information is available at www.un.org/millenniumgoals.

Although the Committee on the State of the Church recognizes that policy proposals are not its primary function, we are convinced that the “state of the church” would benefit from renewed focus upon God’s mission and our true call to serve the needs of the least among us. Therefore, as the committee has done on a few significant occasions in the past, we offer below a resolution recommending a specific financial commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Additional Conclusions and Recommendations for the Next Triennium

Budget for the 2007–2009 Triennium

The House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church will meet five times during the next triennium, including one meeting in the vicinity of New York City. This will require a total of $76,000. [See also the resolution below, “Triennial Survey of Congregations.”]

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church work with the Director of Research for The Episcopal Church, who will conduct a survey of the congregations of The Episcopal Church during each triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request that the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $48,500 for the implementation of this resolution in the 2007-2009 triennium.

EXPLANATION

Canon I.6, Sec. 5(b) calls for the House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church to report to each General Convention. The report depends on the data collected through the annual Parochial Report, which includes:

• Average Sunday Attendance (ASA)
• Active Baptized Members (ABM)
• Data regarding baptisms, confirmations, and receptions
• Plate and pledge offerings; bequests and other income
• Operating and non-operating expenses

In order to present a clearer and more useful picture of the life and vitality of the Episcopal Church and its congregations, significant information beyond the annual Parochial Report is needed. This information may include:

• Racial/ethnic makeup
• Age structure of congregations
• Gender ratios
• Christian formation initiatives
• Congregational dynamics
• Any other statistics that may change from triennium to triennium.

This resolution is a response to the request of Executive Council that the State of the Church Committee provide guidance about the best means of obtaining the various kinds of data we need for better informed policy decisions. The 73^rd General Convention had approved a resolution (2000–A101) calling for a “comprehensive demographic census” of the church by 2005. The resolution was not funded, but were the church to undertake such a census, the cost would be in the neighborhood of $2,400,000.

Through this resolution, the committee proposes a new routine of a survey of all congregations that does not burden the Parochial Report but that can give the whole church, as well as the Committee on the State of the Church, more robust information on the health and vitality of its congregations. It cannot provide detailed demographic data, but it is much less expensive than a census and will have the flexibility to tailor some questions to obtain information specific to a given triennium.

Resolved, the House of ______ concurring, That Canon I.4.6(i) is hereby amended to read as follows:

(i) Each diocese shall annually report to the Executive Council such financial information as may be required in a form authorized by Executive Council. Each diocese shall also report annually to the Executive Council the name and address of each new parish or mission and each parish or mission closed or removed.

EXPLANATION

This amendment requires reporting of data essential to maintain accurate records of the Episcopal Church’s active congregations and to ensure that each congregation is included in the annual Parochial Report process.

Resolved, the House of ______ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church:

EXPLANATION

The past two General Conventions have adopted and embraced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and urged every diocese to do the same and signify that commitment by giving 0.7% of their budgets toward international development projects that work toward their realization.

This resolution seeks to have the mission priorities, budget and calendar of our church reflect a grass roots movement among Episcopalians, congregations and dioceses. As of October 1, 2005, sixty-one dioceses were engaging the MDGs in some form, and issues of international development and global reconciliation as integral to discipleship and our life together as Christ’s body were high on the agenda of individuals and groups at all levels of our common life.

Our participation as a wider church in ecumenical and interfaith organizations such as the ONE Campaign and the Micah Challenge has highlighted this commitment. But even more significant are the literally thousands of Episcopalians who have become more connected with our brothers and sisters around the globe over the past triennium through engagement with the Gospel imperative reflected in the MDGs.

While a resolution such as this might not normally come out of the Committee on the State of the Church, we feel very strongly that it reflects an important shift in the state of the church, a shift toward an outward looking sense of mission, toward a deepening commitment to build relationships across cultural and economic divides and toward a renewed commitment to participation in Christ’s mission of reconciliation. Individuals, congregations and even dioceses who may not be in agreement on the issues that could divide us are finding common ground in a commitment to something of enormous significance for the future of our global community.

[We are indebted to the Global Reconciliation Commission of the Diocese of Missouri for the language of the resolution and much of the explanation, and we are well aware that similar, if not identical resolutions will be offered to the Convention. However, we believe it needs to be included in the “Blue Book” as an “A” resolution.]

Episcopal Church Statistics 2000-2004