[HoB/D] keeping track

[Louie Crew <lcrew@andromeda.rutgers.edu>]

In an article the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCE on May 6 (and posted here by
***************) the reporter had an obvious axe grind in attacking
bishops who urge us to be environmentally sensitive by not using bottled
water in Anaheim.   With sloppy journalism, the writer said:

"In a recent report, only 10 dioceses in the United States - mainly
conservative and traditionalist strongholds - reported more people in the
pews."   What recent report?  What does "mainly" mean here?

See my report of average Sunday attendance comparing 2007 and 2006, the
two most recent years for which THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH ANNUAL has parochial
data (in the Annuals for 2008 and 2009):

   http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/grow_decline_attend_06-07.html

Only six TEC dioceses reported increased attendance in that year, in order
of highest to next highest.....increase:

Colombia, 26.61%
Venezuela, 23.48%
Central Ecuador, 19.46%
Haiti, 12.38%
San Joaquin, .46%
Honduras, .02%

If you limit your review only to domestic dioceses, here are the 10 with
the least drop in attendance:

San Joaquin, .46%
RI, -0.06%
Maine, -0.72%
N. Dakota, -0.92%
Central FL, -0.96%
Utah, -1.01%
Alabama, -1.06%
Kentucky, -1.20%
Oregon, -1.26%
South Dakota, -1.29%

And here are the 10 dioceses with the greatest drop:

Lexington, -10.13%
Springfield, -10.13%
CNY, -10.17%
Colorado, -10..37%
NW Texas, -11.88%
Kansas, -12.70%
Northern MI, -13.75%
Rio Grande, -13.98%
Puerto Rico, -18.03%
Taiwan, -19.05%

I don't see much good news in any of these figures, and certainly no
pattern that shows a particular faction leading the way in growth in the
domestic dioceses.

Louie, L1 Newark


Louie Crew, 377 S. Harrison St., 12D, East Orange, NJ 07018 973-395-1068
http://queereye4lectionary.blogspot.com/  Queer Eye for the Lectionary

Later addendum:   See related statistics covering more than one year in the
report of the House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church,
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/gc2009_106480_ENG_HTM.htm