Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S.

The Pew Foundation has released a further report on their study of religious life in America. This up date details the reasons people leave the churches they grew up in, became "unaffiliated" or joined another church.

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This have very important implications for us in the Episcopal Church. First it should inform our efforts to care for the needs of its members (retain its members). The two highest cohorts are people who simply drifed away and thouse who felt that their spiritual needs were not being met. Issues we can and must address in each of our parishes. for examile: programs that help individual's find engagment with others in the congregation and enrich their spiritual lives will certanly help in retention.

Second, there is important information to help our evangelization efforts. Regardless if the individual was formerly unafileated, changed between Protestant churchs or changed from beign Catholic to Protestant, they sight the same top two reasonds for being in their present church: enjoy the style/quality of the worship service and felt called by God. Obviously, every parish can put energy into growing the depth and spirit of there worship. How one reaches addresses the "feeling called by God" reason I can't say at the moment, that will take more thought.