CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) had 4,774,203 baptized members in 10,470 congregations at
the end of 2006, according to the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA
secretary. Those figures represent decreases of 76,573 baptized
members and 79 congregations since 2005.
The secretary's comparison of congregational statistics for
2005 and 2006 noted that confirmed membership in the ELCA
declined in 2006 by 56,546 to 3,580,402.
In the past 16 years the ELCA lost approximately 466,000
baptized members from the 5,240,739 members reported in 1990,
Almen said. More than two-thirds of the decline occurred between
2002 and 2006, with a combined decrease of 325,674 baptized
members, according to annual reports from congregations compiled
by the ELCA Office of the Secretary.
Parochial reports showed the loss was because of a decrease
in the number of new members, the disbanding of 40 congregations,
and "roll cleaning" in many remaining congregations, Almen said.
Roll cleaning resulted in a loss of 202,246 members in 2006 and a
loss of 208,436 members in 2005. Those reductions occur when
long-inactive members, who indicate no interest in continued
participation, are removed from the rolls of congregations, he
explained.
Nineteen congregations with a combined baptized membership
of 7,196 withdrew from the ELCA in 2006. One congregation with
membership of 104 was removed.
The average number of people in worship on Sundays decreased
slightly in 2006. A total 1,408,682 or 29.50 percent of all
baptized ELCA members participated in worship each week. That
percentage fluctuated in the ELCA between 30 and 31 percent in
recent years.
The last time a gain of ELCA membership occurred was in
1991, with a net gain of 4,438 baptized members that year, Almen
reported.
Baptisms, affirmations of faith and transfers from other
Lutheran congregations accounted for fewer new members in 2006
than they did in 2005. There were 66,166 baptisms of children in
2006 -- down 1,486 from 67,652 in 2005. There were 52,357
affirmations of faith in 2006, compared to 53,961 in 2005. There
were 71,110 transfers from Lutheran congregations in 2006 -- down
5,408 from 76,518 in 2005.
Adult baptisms decreased by 359 -- from 6,764 in 2005 to
6,405 in 2006. Accessions from non-Lutheran congregations
declined 1,003 -- from 17,794 in 2005 to 16,791 in 2006.
There were 1,513 fewer deaths of ELCA members -- 47,210 in
2005 to 45,697 in 2006. There were 3,176 fewer transfers to
other Lutheran congregations -- from 53,429 in 2005 to 50,253 in
2006.
The average number of baptized members per congregation
decreased in 2006 by four people to 459, and the average
confirmed membership decreased by three people to 345.
For 2006, 3.15 percent of ELCA baptized members were
identified as persons of color or persons whose primary language
is not English, essentially unchanged from 2005, according to
Almen.
-- -- --
A table summarizing annual statistics compiled by the ELCA
Office of the Secretary is at http://www.ELCA.org/news/table.html
on the Web.
* The Rev. Lowell G. Almen is secretary of the ELCA.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
