wfn.org | ELCA Reports 5.1 Million Members

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 23, 2002

ELCA REPORTS 5.1 MILLION MEMBERS
02-169-LA*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) reported a total of 5,099,877 baptized members in 10,766
congregations at the end of 2001.  That figure represents a decrease of
one half of one percent or a reduction of 26,042 baptized members from
the 5,125,919 members listed in 2000, according to the Rev. Lowell G.
Almen, secretary of the ELCA.
     Statistics submitted by ELCA congregations showed the loss
primarily was due to "roll cleaning" in congregations and the disbanding
last year of 37 congregations.
     In 2001, "roll cleaning" resulted in the loss of 184,409 members.
That's 4,263 more members than in 2000, when 180,146 were removed.
     Six congregations with a combined baptized membership of 2,835
withdrew from the ELCA in 2001.
     The total number of ELCA congregations declined 50, or 0.46
percent, from the 10,866 recorded in 2000.
     The average number of persons in worship on Sundays increased
slightly in 2001.  Each week, 1,573,994 or 30.86 percent of all baptized
members participate in worship.  Throughout the past 12 years, average
worship attendance, an indicator of active participation by members in
congregations, has fluctuated between 30 and 31 percent.
     Confirmed membership in 2001 decreased by 15,816 to 3,794,969 in
2001.  Communing and contributing membership, which demonstrates active
participation, decreased 19,833 to 2,460,496 in 2001 compared with
2,480,329 in 2000.
     The last time a gain of ELCA membership occurred was in 1991 with
the addition of 4,438 baptized members that year.  Throughout the past
decade since 1991, ELCA baptized membership has declined 150,706, about
2.9 percent.  Losses in baptized membership for previous years were:
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.
     "This decrease in ELCA membership sadly follows the pattern
reported by many U.S. church bodies during this period," Almen noted.
     For example, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod reported in 1990 a
baptized membership of 2,611,127 and 2,554,088 in 2000, a decrease of
57,039.  In 1990, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) listed total
membership at 2,856,713 and in 2000 2,525,330, a decline of 331,383.
For 2001, PCUSA membership was 2,493,781, down 31,549 from the previous
year.
     Contrary to the trend of decreases, however, The Episcopal Church
reported baptized membership in 2000 of 2,319,844, an increase of 22,908
from the previous year.  Active Episcopal communicant membership was
listed in 2000 as 1,857,843, up 45,409 or 2.5 percent from 1999.
     For 2001 in the ELCA, accessions by baptism, affirmation of faith,
and transfer from other ELCA congregations were down:
 * 528 fewer baptisms of children -- 77,541 in 2001, down from 78,069 in
2000;
 * 747 fewer affirmations of faith -- 63,072 in 2001, 63,819 in 2000;
and
 * 1,058 fewer transfers -- 78,660 in 2001, 79,718 in 2000.
     Adult baptisms increased by 287 -- from 8,169 in 2000 to 8,455 in
2001.  Transfers from other Lutheran congregations grew to 17,328 from
17,024, and accessions from non-Lutheran congregations was up 697 or 3.4
percent -- from 20,434 in 2000 to 21,131 in 2001.
     There were 526 fewer deaths in 2001 -- 49,807 -- and 1,433 fewer
transfers to other Lutheran congregations -- 13,986 in 2001 compared
with 15,419 in 2000.  Transfers to non-Lutheran congregations, however,
increased 1,341 or 8.4 percent -- from 15,945 in 2000 to 17,286 in 2001.
     The number of unconfirmed children partaking in the sacrament of
Holy Communion continued to grow in 2001 to 283,904 -- up from 281,171
in 2000.
     Confirmations of youth were down 2.5 percent or 1,469 in 2001 --
57,311 compared to 58,780 in 2000.
     The average number of baptized members per congregation decreased
in 2001 by one person to 476, but the average confirmed membership
remained the same at 355.  In 2001, the average number of communing and
contributing members per congregation was 231.
     For 2001, 2.6 percent of ELCA baptized members were African
American, Black, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latino, American Indian,
Alaska Native, Arab and Middle Eastern people.  For 2000, the percentage
of total ELCA members identified as persons of color or whose primary
language is other than English was 2.47 percent.
     African American or Black membership increased to 52,848, up 290;
Asian or Pacific Islander membership, 22,994, up 529; Latino membership,
38,706, up 1,166; and American Indian or Alaska Native membership,
7,161, down 279.  There were 10,281 members who identified their race or
ethnic heritage "other."
-- -- --
     A table of ELCA statistical information is maintained at
http://www.elca.org/co/news/table.html on the Web.

* The Rev. Lowell G. Almen is secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html