CHURCHGOING is prone to rise this Christmas, as 45 per cent of UK adults plan to attend a church service or event this yr, a recent study published this week suggests.
The poll, Christmas and the Church, which was published on Sunday by Tearfund, in collaboration with Savanta, observed an increase from 40 to 45 per cent — “nearly one in two UK adults”, they are saying.
Savanta interviewed 2017 UK adults in November. In the report, it states: “Data were weighted to be nationally representative of all UK adults by key demographic characteristics including age, gender, region and social grade.”
Tearfund qualify the figures, explaining: “The rise in data since last yr refers to asking respondents in the event that they attended church at Christmas last yr, and in the event that they plan to attend this yr, relatively than tracking data YoY [year on year].”
The report suggests that UK adults are drawn to church for a combination of reasons, including tradition, spiritual meaning, and looking for support. Of those that go, 39 per cent say that it’s “a part of their Christmas tradition”. One third (34 per cent) go for the “atmosphere”, while a couple of quarter (28 per cent) see Christmas as a “meaningful time for spiritual reflection”.
Among non-Christians, 34 per cent said that they “plan to attend a church service or event this yr”: up from 30 per cent last yr. An identical proportion of non-active Christians (35 per cent) said that they intended to do the identical: up from 31 per cent last yr.
Going to church this Christmas is hottest amongst Gen Z: 60 per cent of those surveyed said that they might attend, followed by millennials (59 per cent), Gen X (36 per cent), baby-boomers (30 per cent), and the silent generation (24 per cent).
Thirty-eight per cent of non-Christians said that they arrive away from a church at Christmas feeling “joyful”, “peaceful” (34 per cent), or “hopeful” (25 per cent).
Besides offering spiritual support, churches provide practical help to those in need through the Christmas period. The survey reports that two in five UK adults (42 per cent) say that they, or someone they know, have been supported by a church at Christmas.
One in ten respondents have used a foodbank in a church (12 per cent), received free meals (10 per cent), or accessed warm spaces (11 per cent). Of those surveyed, 23 per cent said that either they or someone they know have received free Christmas Day meals from churches.
The director of world fund-raising and communications at Tearfund, Stuart Lee, said in an announcement on Sunday: “These figures underline something deeply significant: churches remain at the guts of community life at Christmas. . . From foodbanks to warm spaces, churches are stepping in where they’re needed most.”
