# Where have all the people gone?



## jambo (Dec 31, 2017)

Our church attendance was noticeably down today as it always is on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year each year. Why is this? Granted some people may be away visiting family who live in other parts of the country but then this should be offset by those returning to the area to visit family. Even in the summer when families are away on holiday the attendance is never as low as it is on this Sunday. Every year I keep meaning to ask people where they were but by the following Sunday I have forgotten. I don't see them going to another church and I can't see them just sitting in the house either. Is this a local thing or do other pastors/elders find the same thing?


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## Bill The Baptist (Dec 31, 2017)

jambo said:


> Our church attendance was noticeably down today as it always is on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year each year. Why is this? Granted some people may be away visiting family who live in other parts of the country but then this should be offset by those returning to the area to visit family. Even in the summer when families are away on holiday the attendance is never as low as it is on this Sunday. Every year I keep meaning to ask people where they were but by the following Sunday I have forgotten. I don't see them going to another church and I can't see them just sitting in the house either. Is this a local thing or do other pastors/elders find the same thing?



Our attendance was down today as well, but that was partially due to the snow and abnormally cold weather. I think it mostly has to do with people going out of town before school is back in session.


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## Edward (Dec 31, 2017)

No Sunday School or choir today, so a lot of folks shifted from 9:30 to 11. Historically, 9:30 is usually much larger than 11; that was clearly reversed today, with 11 about the same as a usual 9:30 and the 9:30 much lighter than the usual 11 crowd. So, overall attendance was down.

But, of course, the forecast earlier in the weekend was for an ice storm last night and parts of the Metroplex seemed to have been impacted, if Google Traffic is a good indication. And the sermon was by the second most junior assistant pastor. There is always a drop off from senior to associate and from associate to assistant. Attendance looked about as I expected.


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## TheOldCourse (Dec 31, 2017)

We were very light this morning as well. I assume it's due to travelling as I know a number of the missing members were out of town, but our church also cancelled our evening service tonight since the assumption is that people would rather enjoy the evening's festivities than attend to the worship of God. *Sigh*


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## SolaScriptura (Dec 31, 2017)

Our attendance was down about 25%! But that's ok... I knew it would be a smaller crowd, so I prepared a smaller sermon.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 3


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## Beezer (Dec 31, 2017)

Our service was noticeably light as well, but not as light as the church near us that canceled their service altogether! Unbelievable. 

Here's the reason they posted on FB:

_We will not be meeting for Sunday service today in order to give our volunteer team some well deserved time to relax and refresh! _​

Reactions: Sad 3


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## fredtgreco (Dec 31, 2017)

Interesting. We had our highest attendance since Easter. Part of that was a flood relief team in, and relatives in for a wedding, but we had very strong "regular" attendance.


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## Alan D. Strange (Dec 31, 2017)

I preached in a URCNA this morning (Community URC; Schererville, IN): good attendance as usual. The Dutch have a history, of course, of not less, but more, church this time of the year, with the historic practice (followed by few now) being services on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Old Year and New Year (in addition to the regular Lord's Day services). 

At any rate, the church was full.

Peace,
Alan

Reactions: Like 3


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## Herald (Dec 31, 2017)

Alan D. Strange said:


> I preached in a URCNA this morning (Community URC; Schererville, IN): good attendance as usual. The Dutch have a history, of course, of not less, but more, church this time of the year, with the historic practice (followed by few now) being services on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Old Year and New Year (in addition to the regular Lord's Day services).
> 
> At any rate, the church was full.
> 
> ...


Come on, Alan. They came to hear you! 

Seriously, it is good to know the church was full. Soli Deo Gloria!


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Dec 31, 2017)

We had more than usual at our evening service. Dr. Morales was there as well. He is one of our elders but lives out of state.


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## Timmay (Dec 31, 2017)

Light today for us, which is odd because we’ve gone to one service for the holidays, which means the church is usually packed. 


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## timfost (Dec 31, 2017)

We had usual attendance plus a few visitors.


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## Edm (Jan 1, 2018)

Light this week and last. I don’t have an explanation.


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## bookslover (Jan 1, 2018)

We were light this morning, as well. Traveling, sickness (in a couple of cases, serious), cold weather (well, cold for southern California), pastor on vacation.


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## Ben Zartman (Jan 1, 2018)

We were above average both AM and PM--saw some members from other churches that may have cancelled evening service visiting. Guess they didn't want to miss out on the last chance to worship in 2017!


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## Edm (Jan 1, 2018)

Not being sarcastic, but I’m betting that being able to pay tithes over the computer with a cc, has become an excuse to not show up on the last service of the year. With the changes In itemization on taxes in 2018, I’m betting tithes will decrease as well.


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## Jack K (Jan 1, 2018)

Our attendance looked to me to be pretty close to normal. We had both of our usual services and all our Sunday school classes meeting, and I think that helps. If you expect attendance to be low and announce you'll be on an abbreviated schedule because it's New Year's Eve, then people start to think maybe attending church is not really something to do on that day, and they don't come. It's self-fulfilling. The same goes for Christmas Eve last week.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Username4000 (Jan 2, 2018)

We baptized a child, so we had all the extra visitors. I didn't notice any members missing.


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