Churches enjoyed bumper Easter attendances
Clergy have reported packed services over Easter, as increasing numbers of young people are coming to church.
It follows the recent survey by the Bible Society, which found that the share of the population who attend a service a month has risen from eight per cent in 2018 to 12 per cent last year. But surprisingly, the figures for those aged 18 to 24 have quadrupled, to 16 per cent.
Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn, said that the numbers at services were up by as much as a half in some areas. He said that, despite so much recent bad publicity about the Church, “there is such a hunger for faith, especially among the young.”
The rector at one church in London said: “The world is a much more frightening and chaotic place than when I was growing up. People in their 20s and 30s have had two major financial crashes, a pandemic, a land war in Europe, a housing crisis. The world is not a place for optimism right now. The stability and comfort that God can provide is something that appeals to young people.”
Churches certainly provide a sense of community, a social network as well as a spiritual one, which can help young people who are struggling to connect with others.
The Bible Society survey also found that Catholics may become the largest denomination in Britain, for the first time in 500 years. Anglicanism, on the other hand, could fall behind Pentecostalism, and become the UK’s third largest denomination.
The Anglican share of regular churchgoers of all ages fell from 41 per cent in 2018 to 34 per cent in 2024, while at the same time the Catholic share rose from 23 per cent to 31 per cent.
The Bible Society survey also found that, whereas in 2018 just four per cent of 18 to 24 year-olds attended church once a month, now 16 per cent of the same age group are doing so.
And, although British people are still more likely to be non-believers, those who are Christian are practising their faith with greater zeal.
Meanwhile, the Church of England has seen a boom in visits to its church-finding website, with views on AChurchNearYou.Com soaring. Visits last year hit 198.6 million – up from 128.1 million in 2023 and a rise of more than three quarters on the previous year.
The figure does not include the 9.7-million-page impressions from the site’s army of local editors, who maintain and update parish pages, adding and tagging worship services, events and community action projects such as food banks.
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Churches mark 80th Anniversary of VE Day with commemorations, bell ringing, and prayers for peace
Churches across England have played their part in the recent commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
The commemorations on 8th May provided an opportunity to honour the sacrifices made by those who served in the conflict. They also provided an opportunity to pray for lasting peace, echoing the spirit of unity that defined the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Across the country, thousands of church bells rang out at 6.30pm on VE Day. This echoed the bellringing that swept across the country in 1945, as churches and cathedrals joined in the national joy and thanksgiving.
Thousands of parishes held their own services of commemoration, while people at home lit virtual candles online, in honour of loved ones who had taken part in the war.
The Bishop of St Germans, Hugh Nelson, the lead Bishop for the Armed Forces, said:
“The 80th anniversary of VE Day was a time to remember with deep gratitude the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today.”
He went on to say that in this “increasingly dangerous world”, it was good “to offer prayers for peace. As we honour the past, so we renew our commitment to building a more peaceful and just world for all.”
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Surge in visits to church search website AChurchNearYou.com
The number of page visits to the Church of England’s church-finder website soared by 55 per cent last year to almost 200 million, as growing numbers of people searched for their local congregation.
Public page views on AChurchNearYou.Com hit 198.6 million in 2024 – up from 128.1 million in 2023 and up more than three quarters on the previous year.
The figure does not include the 9.7-million-page impressions from the site’s army of local editors, who maintain and update parish pages, adding and tagging worship services, events and community action projects such as food banks.
Users shared a total of 11,733 church services and events from AChurchNearYou.Com on social media last year – a 268 per cent increase in a year.
And 18,445 services and events were added to calendars on people’s mobile phones and other devices, a 200 per cent increase on the previous year.
The surging use of AChurchNearYou.Com comes after polls suggested growing interest in faith.
The Bible Society’s recent report The Quiet Revival pointed to evidence of a turnaround in the numbers of young people identifying as Christian, and who say they regularly attend church.
The Church of England’s Head of Digital, Amaris Cole, said: “We’re delighted that more people than ever are looking for a local church via our church-finder tool, AChurchNearYou.com.
“The staggering increase shows the public are more interested than ever in connecting with one of our communities, whether for a service, an event, a family activity or one of the amazing projects our churches run.
“Our churches regularly report newcomers who have found them through the site, so the rise in page hits is giving our editors confidence in inviting the public in to one of our 16,000 spaces.
“Because everyone is welcome, we’ve prioritised accessibility by adding tags to help visitors find the service for them – whether there is wheelchair access, gluten-free refreshments, British Sign Language translation or dementia friendly. These can be found by using the tags when searching for churches in your area.”
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Faith of the northern saints explored in short film
The power of the Lord’s Prayer is celebrated in a new short film that is part of the Archbishop of York’s current ‘Faith in the North’ initiative.
Then as Now is available to watch from the Archbishop of York’s YouTube channel (from 6 May).
Set in the magnificent landscape of the north-east, the film interweaves the faith of the old northern saints from the 7th century (including St Cuthbert and St Hild) to the faith of Christians today.
Then as Now was created by an ordinand at St Hild College, Oliver Murray.
Oliver Murray explains: “This film is about rediscovering the power of the Lord’s Prayer alongside the men and women who first shared it, spreading the light of faith in the north. It’s incredible to see how this ancient prayer still speaks to our hearts, offering guidance and comfort in every season of life.”
Faith in the North is a prayer, storytelling and church-planting movement led by Archbishop Cottrell. His aim is to encourage people across the Northern Province to explore the Lord’s Prayer afresh during 2025.
Archbishop Cottrell says: “The Lord’s Prayer has been spoken through the centuries by countless people seeking strength, direction, and peace.
“If you’ve never prayed before, this is the best place to start and if you’ve been praying this for some time, it’s a great opportunity to engage anew with each line of the prayer. Join me in rediscovering Christ’s story in our hearts and communities today.”
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Church grants scheme launched to kick start housing plans
Churches hoping to build affordable homes for their communities on pockets of land they own – or as part of schemes such as rebuilding parish halls– have been invited to apply for grants to pay for expert advice from a new £3.2 million fund.
Funding of up to £25,000 towards the cost of architect, consultant and other professional fees is available through the Church of England scheme.
The national initiative aims to help parishes and dioceses work towards achieving the goals set out in the Coming Home report, from the Archbishops’ Commission on Housing, Church and Community. The landmark study called on the Church of England to lead by example in working to solve the housing crisis.
Now a newly formed Church of England Housing Project team is actively seeking parishes interested in developing such homes.
For example, an outdated church hall could be rebuilt to include a few flats above it, or a surplus car park could be redeveloped to provide some social homes.
As one of the team explained: “There are many creative ways to use church land or property to provide housing for people in need, whilst improving community facilities or bolstering parish finances.”
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House of Bishops responds to Independent Reviewer’s report
The House of Bishops has issued a formal response to the Independent Reviewer’s report on the submission from WATCH (Women and the Church), regarding the appointment of diocesan bishops who do not ordain women as priests.
The House reaffirmed that “the flourishing of women as priests and bishops is integral to the outworking of the Declaration and the Five Guiding Principles.”
The House asked the Standing Commission to propose options on how it can improve the provision for ordained women.
The House also said that it “remains committed to ensuring that all traditions within the Church can continue to flourish together”.