Latest statistics from the Church of England reveal a fourth consecutive 12 months of growth in attendance at services, although total figures remain lower than before the pandemic and more churches have change into smaller than have grown.
In 2024, the Church recorded 1.009 million regular worshippers, an increase of 0.6 per cent on the previous 12 months and the second 12 months in a row because the pandemic that overall figures have surpassed one million.
Data from the annual Statistics for Mission also show a rise of 1.5 per cent in average all age attendance at Sunday services, growing to 581,000 in 2024. Overall attendance across the week increased by 1.6 cent to achieve just over 702,000 last 12 months.
The Church of England said that the rise was being driven by a recovery in adult attendance, with average Sunday and weekly attendance by over-16s growing by 1.8 per cent each.
The statistics also show a rise in adult and teenage baptisms. In 2024, there have been 8,700 adult baptisms within the Church of England, up from 7,800 the previous 12 months. Among young people aged 11 to 17, baptisms rose from 2,100 in 2023 to 2,400 the next 12 months, while confirmations rose by 5.3 per cent from 10,700 to 11,300.
The figures show that the post-pandemic recovery is slowing, the report admits, nevertheless it concludes nonetheless that the Church of England is moving closer to its project pre-pandemic trend and in some places has seen more growth than expected.
“Of course, while nationally and in almost every diocese attendance was lower in 2024 than in 2018, across 16,000 Church of England churches there’s wide variation. Some churches have declined faster than the common, some less fast, and a few have grown,” the report reads.
“Church-level figures might be affected by unusual events, which might mask real trends, particularly in point comparisons; there’s subsequently not at all times a transparent trend when taking a look at a person church.
“Nevertheless, nonetheless one chooses to take a look at it, more Church of England churches became smaller from 2019 to 2024 than grew.
“As an illustration: in roughly 12% of churches the same old Sunday attendance, average Sunday attendance, and average weekly attendance were all higher in 2024 than in 2019; in roughly 48% of churches the same old Sunday attendance, average Sunday attendance, and average weekly attendance were all lower in 2024 than in 201925.
“That is just not to say that there usually are not positive signs: the post-pandemic recovery has been encouraging, as has the incontrovertible fact that attendance continued to rise, albeit barely, from 2023 to 2024. Some churches are growing.
“There were more adult baptisms in 2024 than in 2019. As has at all times been the case, persons are continuing to come back to faith, and to seek out a welcome in Church of England churches.”
Success stories include St Michael and All Angels church in Runcorn, which last 12 months held its biggest ever baptism service with 17 latest Christians, and enjoyed the best variety of confirmations in 20 years.
The Bishop of Colchester, Roger Morris, stays optimistic. He said: “Our church communities have continued to work imaginatively and enthusiastically to be able to recuperate after the pandemic.
“Although not in all places, nor to the identical degree in each place, we’re seeing increasingly people engaging with their local church, attending enquirers’ courses, looking for baptism and confirmation and playing an lively role within the church community.
“This report outlines some hugely positive signs of growth, particularly within the churches’ outreach to children and young people, a key priority for the Church of England.
“I’m hearing stories every week of individuals in North Essex who’ve found peace, meaning and purpose through their involvement with the church and of their deepening faith in God.”
The Bishop of Aston, Esther Prior, said God was continuing to work in “remarkable ways”.
“In the last couple of weeks I actually have confirmed over 30 latest believers, including 10 from Hodge Hill,” she said.
“It’s deeply moving to witness lives transformed by the hope of the gospel, signs that the Church is alive and growing.”
 Latest statistics from the Church of England reveal a fourth consecutive 12 months of growth in attendance at services, although total...){kind=link}