4. The History of Decline
Between 1961 and 2001…
• the United Church of Canada (UCC) fell
from 1.04 million to 638,000, a loss of 39
per cent.
• Anglican membership plunged from 1.36
million to 642,000 - a decline of 53 per
cent.
Keith McKerracher, a retired marketing expert
5. The Future?
Bishop Drainville: The
Anglican diocese of
Quebec is “teetering
on the verge of
extinction”. Quebec
congregations (50 of
82) virtually have no
children, 35 had
parishioners with an
average age of 75 and
usually had only 8 to
10 people attending
Sunday services. Anglican
Journal, December 1, 2009.
“If trends in the United
Church continue…only
about 50,000 members
will be standing by to
blow out the candles
on its 125th birthday.”
David Haskell, Wilfred Laurier, Hamilton
Spectator, 2005
6. The United Church of Canada
2010 Observer Survey…
• More than 1/3 say congregations are not
financially healthy
• 46% say their church is shrinking
• More than ½ do not expect to last 15
years
• 24% give their congregations a 5 year
life
8. Is this the New Reality?
Old
• Born into the
Christian tradition
• Grew up in
incorporating the
basis of faith and its
practices and
observances
New
• Children no longer
accept the tradition
• Individual search for
value, meaning,
identity
• Majority… may have a
religious background,
but no longer practice
9. Spiritual Meaning - sources
• Family
• Religion
• Law
• Government
• Education
• Healthcare
10. A New Era in the Church?
Old Religion
• Dualism – church and
the world
• Missions
• Worship is devotional
• Expression - outward
New Spirituality
• Outside the traditional
church
• Not outside God or
the spirit
• God cannot be
contained
• Expression - inward
14. Preserve the tradition…
“We believe that worship and the
Eucharist are central to Anglican self-
understanding. It is this worship and
awe that propels us to reach out to
others with the Gospel of God’s
redeeming love in Jesus Christ.”
Rev. Doug Stout
The Queen’s visit. Lorna Dueck, Globe and Mail, Tuesday, Jul. 06, 2010
15. Or, move forward…
Religion needs
to reach into
itself to reveal
the spirituality
that is the
basis of its
light and
wisdom.
16. Spirituality defined…
…an awareness
of relationships
with all creation,
an appreciation
of presence and
purpose that
includes a sense
of meaning. (Fitchett
& Handzo, 1998).
17. What can the church do
looking forward?
1.Nature
2.Language
3.Community
18. Nature and Spiritual Renewal
A new awareness of nature
Climate change
Preservation of lands and species
Politics of nature
19. Language and Spiritual
Renewal
• Salvation
• Stories – creation
• One God
• Original sin
• Conversion
• Reconnection
• Dynamic whole
• Universe is ONE
• Consumer dreams
• New thirst
