Statewide UM membership rebounds in ’04

Increases wipe out
losses reported in
’03 by Texas conferences
The number of Texas United Methodists went up 0.2 percent to 851,249 at the end of last year. That’s based on unofficial statistics reported during the state’s seven annual conference sessions in May and June.
The increase of 1,033 over the 2003 year-end total reverses the membership loss of 477 reported last year. That loss in 2003 came after seven straight years of net United Methodist membership increases across the Lone Star State.
Texas is home to more United Methodists than any other state.
Unofficial membership totals for all 63 U.S. annual conferences should be available later this month.
Average weekly worship attendance appeared to slip slightly during 2004 despite a 10,500 increase in statewide attendance totals. Changes in the way the Central Texas Conference calculated its worship figures accounted for the discrepancy.
Central Texas reported an average 61,316 people in worship each week during 2004, up 2,748 (4.7 percent) from 2003. On last year’s report, however, Central Texas reported only 47,500 in worship on an average week in 2003.
The state’s three largest conferences reported net membership gains during 2004. Two of the state’s seven conferences reported increases in average weekly worship attendance.
The Fort Worth-based Central Texas Conference led the list in both categories. It reported its 30th straight year of membership growth. The total went up by 1,099 (0.7 percent) to 158,553.
The Dallas-based North Texas Conference reversed its 2003 membership loss with a 903 increase (0.6 percent) for 2004. The total stood at 159,917.
Before 2003 North Texas had reported seven straight years of net membership increases.
North Texas worship attendance increased by 155 (0.2 percent) to 62,638 during 2004.
The Houston-based Texas Conference reported its sixth straight year of membership growth in 2004. The count went up by 974 (0.3 percent) to 290,855.
But Texas Conference worship attendance fell for the third straight year. Average weekly crowds went down 2,023 (1.8 percent) to 109,245.
After its first reported net membership increase in decades during 2003, the Lubbock-based Northwest Texas Conference returned to the loss column in 2004. Membership stood at 67,131, down 885 (1.3 percent) from 2003. Worship attendance was 23,037, down 861 (3.6 percent) from 2003.
Both San Antonio-based conferences reported membership and worship attendance declines:
> The Southwest Texas Conference saw membership fall by 191 (0.2 percent) to 120,080 and worship attendance go down by 157 (0.3 percent) to 50,805. Membership in Southwest Texas has now slipped for two straight years. Worship attendance has been falling for three.
> The Rio Grande Conference, which includes some 100 Spanish-speaking congregations in Texas and New Mexico, reported 2004 membership at 14,848, down 79 (0.5 percent) from 2003. Attendance fell by 163 (3.1 percent) to 5,175.
The Albuquerque-based New Mexico Conference, which covers West Texas from Odessa to El Paso, lost 1.9 percent of its members during 2004. The count fell by 788 to 39,865. Worship attendance dropped by 195 (1.1 percent) to 17,581.
Nevertheless, the New Mexico Conference showed the highest percentage of worshipers compared to members in 2004. Worship attendance averaged 44.1 percent of total membership. That was up from 43.7 percent in 2003.
Southwest Texas ranked second, with 42.3 percent of its membership figure in worship each week during 2004. That’s the same as in 2003.
Statewide United Methodist worship attendance averaged 38.7 percent of total membership. That was up from 37.5 percent in 2003.