CofE churches swell at Christmas, Easter, but smaller turnout on Sundays

Figures just released by the Church of England for 2006 show larger congregations at Christmas and Easter, but smaller Sunday congregations.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day attendance increased in 2006 by seven per cent and attendance at Easter by five per cent compared to 2005 in the latest provisional statistics.

Total attendance at Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services in 2006 was 2,994,100, the highest figure since data were first collected in 2000, when 2,852,000 attended such services.

The number taking Communion increased by four per cent, to 1,258,300, while numbers at Easter services rose by five per cent from 1,417,600 in 2005 to 1,484,700 in 2006.

In contrast, regular Sunday, weekly and monthly attendance each fell by one per cent. The provisional statistics confirm that around 1.7 million people attend Church of England church and cathedral worship each month, while around 1.2 million attend services each week – on Sunday or during the week - and just under one million each Sunday. Read more
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