Across US, houses of worship struggle to rebuild attendance

Among evangelical Protestants, 37% attend in person at least weekly now, compared with 42% in 2019.

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New York ,United States ,Friendswood ,Texas ,North Carolina ,Brooklyn ,Florida ,Illinois ,Columbus ,Ohio ,Brazoria ,Charlotte ,First Church ,Temple Beth El ,Houston ,Coral Gables ,Friendswood United Methodist Church ,American ,Judith Siegal ,Bob Stec ,Asher Knight ,John Elkins ,Bishop Timothy Clarke ,Steven Paulikas ,Sarah Wilson ,Saint Episcopal Church ,Westminster United Methodist Church ,Public Affairs Research ,Barnabas Lutheran Church ,Ambrose Catholic Parish ,Sovereign Grace Fellowship ,Southern Baptist ,African American ,All Saint Episcopal Church ,New York City ,United Methodist Church ,Friendswood Sunday ,Rabbi Asher Knight ,Temple Judea ,Jewish High Holy Days ,Rabbi Judith Siegal ,Meredith Mills ,Ap News ,Across Us ,Ouses Of Worship Struggle To Rebuild Attendance ,Krhd 25 News ,Kxxv 25 News ,Texas News ,When Westminster United Methodist Church In Houston Resumed Person Services Late Last Year ,Ftera Seven Month Halt Due To Covid 19 ,Here Were Sundays When Only Three Worshippers Showed Up ,Ccording To The Pastor ,Eredith Mills Since Then ,Ttendance Has Inched Back Up ,Ut Its Still Only About Half The Pre Pandemic Turnout Of 160 Or 170 ,Ills Estimates Its Frustrating ,He Said People Just Seem To Want Leave Home Less These Days Some Houses Of Worship Are Faring Better Than Mills Church ,Ome Worse Polls By The Associated Press Norc Center For Public Affairs Research Shows How Dramatically Church Attendance Fell During Worst Of Pandemic Last Year ,Ven As Many Say They Are Now Returning To Regular Service Attendance Among Mainline Protestants ,Ust 1 Said Ina May 2020 Poll That They Were Attending In Person Services At Least Oncea Week The New ,4 Say They Re Doing So Now ,Ompared To 16 Who Say They Did In 2019 Among Evangelical Protestants ,7 Now Say They Are Attending Services In Person At Least Weekly ,Hile 42 Said They Did That In 2019 The May 2020 Poll ,Ust 11 Said They Were Attending Services In Person That Often Among Catholics ,6 Attend In Person At Least Weekly Now ,Ompared With 30 In 2019 The 2020 Poll ,Onducted As Many Bishops Temporarily Waived The Obligation For Weekly Mass Attendance ,Ust 5 Were Worshipping In Person At Least Weekly St Ambrose Catholic Parish Brunswick ,He Six Services Each Weekend Drewa Total Of About 3 ,800 Worshippers Before The Pandemic ,Ob Stec Current Weekend Attendance Is About 2 ,800 ,Tec Says ,With 1 ,600 Or More Households Joining Online Worship Elsewhere ,Hurches Large And Small Have Taken Hits In Attendance John Elkins ,Eaching Pastor At Sovereign Grace Fellowship In Brazoria ,Ays 25 To 30 People Have Attended Services Recently ,Own From Around 50 Before The Pandemic For Some ,I Was Not Political Enough ,E Said Via Email Some Wanted More Activities ,Ome Just Stopped Going To Church Sovereign Grace ,A Southern Baptist Church ,Ad Never Offered Online Worship Before The Pandemic When In Person Was Halted Fora Month 2020 ,Eaving Online Worship As The Only Option ,Lkins Said He Did More Crisis Counseling For Congregation Members Than Ever Before At The Much Larger First Church Of God In Columbus ,Here Wasa Near Total Halt To In Person Worship Between March 2020 And September Of This Year On Two Sundays ,Orshippers Were Invited Back To The Church Test Feasibility Of In Person Services But It Was Obvious They Still Uncomfortable Came Dressed Like Working At Chernobyl ,Aid The Senior Pastor ,Voking Hazmat Suits Appropriate For Confrontinga Nuclear Disaster Pre Pandemic ,He Predominantly African American Church Held Three Services Each Weekend ,Ncluding One On Saturday Evenings ,Ith Average Total Attendance Of 2 ,500 Now There Sa Single Service On Sunday ,Nd Only 500 Worshippers With Masks And Proof Of Vaccination Are Allowed Intoa Sanctuary That Can Seat More Than 1 ,500 The Return To In Person Worship Gives Usa Sense Of Connection And Community ,Larke Said But You Also Have Safety At All Saints Episcopal Church In The New York City Borough Of Brooklyn ,Verage Sunday Attendance Dropped From About 140 Pre Pandemic To As Low 30 Before Climbing Back ,Eaching 120 Earlier This Month The Rev Steven Paulikas Creditsa Mandatory Mask Policy Wearing Puts People At Ease About Their Health And Allows Them To Do What Come Church Worship God ,E Said Attendance Is Down Sharply From Pre Pandemic Levels At St Barnabas Lutheran Church In Cary ,Hich Halted In Person ,Ndoor Worship For More Than Six Months In 2020 Instead It Held Drive Services The Parking Lot Before Pandemic ,Bout 115 People Would Attend One Of Two Services Offered On Sundays ,Aid The Pastor ,Arah Wilson Now Theres One Service ,Nd Attendance Is Down By More Than Half Some Families Are Still Nervous About Being Ina Room With Others ,Ven Though Most People Attending Are Vaccinated And We Require Masks ,He Said Other People Have Re Ordered Their Priorities And Worship Isnt One Of Them Friendswood United Methodist Church ,N The Houston Suburbs ,As Endured Not Only Covid 19 Disruptions But Also Flooding Duringa Winter Storm Last February That Rendered The Sanctuary Unusable It Just Reopened For Services This Month ,Im Bass Pre Pandemic ,Riendswoods Sunday Services Would Draw About 900 Worshippers Bass Was Pleased That 650 Gathered When The Sanctuary Reopened For High Energy ,Usic Filled Services On Dec 5 However ,E Said Average Attendance Has Been Only Half Of That During Most The Pandemic ,Reatinga 400 ,000 Shortfall In Expected Giving Like Many Houses Of Worship ,Riendswood Offered Online Services As An Alternative To In Person Attendance He Considers Thema Mixed Blessinga Plus For Elderly Congregation Members Worried About Their Health ,Uta Disincentive For Others Who Are Increasingly Disconnected From The Church They Ve Become Spectators ,Ass Said At Temple Beth El In Charlotte ,Abbi Asher Knight Was Elated That Recent Hannukah Celebrations Drew About 300 People In Person Overall ,Ttendance Now Is Roughly Half Of Pre Pandemic Levels ,Ut An Improvement Over Periods Earlier This Year When Onlya Handful Of Worshippers Appeared It Was Demoralizing And Painful To Lead Worship With Virtually No One Present ,E Said But In October And November ,Eople Got The Booster And Their Children Vaccinated They Slowly Started Coming Back In September ,Mida Surge In Covid Cases ,Emple Judea In Coral Gables ,Bserved The Jewish High Holy Days With No In Person Services So Sanctuary Wouldnt Look Empty For Online ,Abbi Judith Siegal And Her Staff Filled It With Cardboard Cutouts Of Congregation Members ,Ncluding Children And Pets In Person Worship Has Now Resumed ,Nd The Range Of Weekly Attendance 75 To 125 People Is Close Pre Pandemic Levels We Re Still Wearing Masks ,Nd The Seating Is Still Spread Out ,Iegal Said But Our Members Love It Among Christians ,He Option Of Worshipping Online Has Been Embraced By Many Evangelical Protestants ,Ccording To The Ap Norc Poll About 3 In 10 Have Livestreamed Services At Least Weekly Recent Months ,Ompared With About 1 In 10 Catholics Or Mainline Protestants Three Quarters Of Evangelical Say They Pray Privately At Least Weekly ,Ompared With Roughly Half Of Mainline Protestants And Catholics ,He Poll Found Roughlya Quarter Of Evangelical Protestants Say They Ve Recently Talked By Phone Or Video Conference Witha Religious Spiritual Leader At Leasta Few Timesa Month ,Ompared With About 1 In 10 Mainline Protestants And Catholics Some Faith Leaders ,Uch As Meredith Mills ,Ee Some Positives ,Uch As More Energy In The Church ,Ven With Fewer Worshippers The Ones Showing Up Right Now Are People Who Really Want To Be There ,He Said There Sa Lot Of Joy In The Room Sunday Mornings Its One Reasons That ,Respite Everything ,I Still Love My Job The Ap Norc Poll Of 1 ,083 Adults Was Conducted Oct 21 25 Usinga Sample Designed To Be Representative Of Us Population The Margin Sampling Error For All Respondents Is Plus Or Minus 4 Percentage Points ,