UM member count drops 0.8% in 2004

United Methodist News Service
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—U.S. membership in The United Methodist Church decreased by less than 1 percent in 2004, the latest report from the denomination’s finance agency shows.
Worship attendance experienced a similar dip, the General Council on Finance and Administration reported this month in The State of the Connection.
The number of U.S. United Methodists went down 0.81 percent from 2003 to 2004, to about 8.07 million. Worship attendance slipped 0.96 percent during 2004.
Membership has declined annually since The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968. Over the last 10 years, U.S. membership has decreased 5.48 percent.
Countering the U.S. decline, United Methodist lay membership in Africa, Asia and Europe increased more than 68 percent from 1995 to 2004, to 1.88 million.
“In the (overseas) central conferences, significant growth has been seen in Africa, with a growth rate of 30 percent in the last four years,” said Scott Brewer, senior researcher for the Nashville-based fiscal agency.
Europe, particularly in the former Soviet Republics and Eastern Bloc areas, has also experienced expansion, reporting a growth rate of 3.5 percent during the same period, he said.
  Of the 63 U.S.-based conferences, 13 reported membership increases during 2004. Sixteen reported attendance growth.
The agency said it was consulting with the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table to analyze the membership and attendance statistics.
“Preliminary analysis has begun to make its way into dialogue regarding church vision and programming,” said John Goolsbey, deputy general secretary for administration at the finance council. “In early March, GCFA staff discussed the report with the Council of Bishops Executive Committee. We have shared the report, as well, with members of the Connectional Table.
“The 2004 membership and attendance data show declines in membership and attendance that are greater than projected. These are continuations of long-term trends requiring thoughtful analysis and critical dialogue. We will continue to collaborate with the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table regarding the implications of these trends for the denomination’s vision and future ministry.”
The report is available at gcfa.org/State%20of%20Connection.pdf.
The 13 U.S. conferences reporting membership increases during 2004 were Alabama-West Florida (0.54 percent), Alaska Missionary (0.02 percent), Central Texas (0.52), Kentucky (0.15), Louisiana (0.17), North Carolina (0.63), North Georgia (1.19), North Texas (0.57), Oklahoma Missionary (0.34), Red Bird Missionary (2.41), Tennessee (0.57), Texas (0.34) and Western North Carolina (0.39).
Fifty conferences posted membership declines from 2003. The highest decrease percentage decreases were ranged 4.33 percent in the Yellowstone Conference, 3.5 percent in Northern Illinois and 3.3 percent in New England.
The 16 conferences reporting attendance growth in 2004 were Alabama-West Florida (up 2.35 percent), Alaska Missionary (0.58), Central Pennsylvania (0.67), Florida (0.02), Holston (0.73), Missouri (0.57), Nebraska (1.72), New York (1.0), North Georgia (0.22), North Texas (0.25), Northern Illinois (0.66), Oklahoma (0.57), Peninsula-Delaware (0.27), Tennessee (1.03), Western North Carolina (0.96) and Wyoming (2.28).
Forty-seven U.S. conferences posted drops in attendance between 2003 and 2004. Worship attendance dropped 17.39 percent in the Troy Conference, 8.43 percent in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference and 5.13 percent in the Pacific Northwest Conference.
Hispanic membership was up 6.18 percent, the eighth consecutive year of growth. In addition, Asian membership was slightly up for the fourth consecutive year.
Of all congregations reporting statistics in 2004, 35.9 percent reported membership increases, the agency said.
The largest U.S. conferences in terms of membership were Virginia, 341,850, North Georgia, 337,635, and Florida, 326,272.