27  November 2025

I was visiting an elderly member of the church in hospital. Out of the blue, he asked me, ‘Is the Church in a state of decline?’ I confessed that membership, vocations and young people attending worship were all declining as we speak. ‘However,’ I added, ‘we are still here!’

In a congregation where two-thirds of the membership are over eighty, one would reckon that the quality of life would be seriously affected. I cannot say that this is true. Preparing lunch for the community, organising a Messy Church, caring for members in Nursing Home and hospital all happens cheerfully and efficiently.

‘Church of England mission statistics show small green shoots’ was the front page headline in a recent issue of the Church Times. The overall statistics painted a picture of decline. This ranged from average weekly attendance to the numbers of young people associated with congregations.

‘As the Statistics for Mission figures clearly demonstrate,’ said Dr. Ken Eames, senior statistical research officer, ‘by almost every measure, in almost every diocese, Church of England attendance and participation was significantly lower in 2024 than in 2018.’

So where are the green shoots. Consider these two. Adult baptisms increased from 7,400 to 8,700. This represents a group of women and men who are coming to faith later in life. Whilst the number of funerals has dropped, the proportion of funerals held in church has increased.

‘Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die …’ This is our hope. At the heart of the Gospel is the necessity of the seed to die before being raised in a bountiful harvest. Times change. The old passes. Something new is born. We are its midwives. Advent is the season to become alert to what is happening now!