We’re gathered digitally here today… rather than in church

THE Church of England now reaches more people via social media than in services, new figures reveal.

The statistics suggest the Church has now reached the point where more people follow its online accounts than attend regular services.

Around 1.1million attend services at least once a month, while the Church estimates 1.2 million people are “reached” every month via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin.

The figures showed that the decline in regular church attendance continued in 2016, with average Sunday attendance falling to a new low of 780,000 people.

Over the same period the Church has tripled its followers on both Facebook and Instagram.

But it admitted it was struggling to convert a growing digital audience to physical attendance.

William Nye, secretary general to the General Synod, said the figures were a “sobering reminder” of the challenge faces by the Church.

He said that while the internet was an area of growth, “our challenge is to join up that growing online church life to the physical community of church that forms the body of Christ”.

The figures also showed that another area of growth was midweek services, at which attendance by people who did not go on Sunday increased from 111,800 in 2011 to 122,700 in 2016.

The rise is thought to be partly explained by the growing popularity of services such as choral evensong, which is held in urban cathedrals and attracts young professionals.

Midweek services are also held as part of the “fresh expressions” movement, which organises less conventional services in an attempt to attract young adults.

Sam Donoghue, head of children and youth ministry support in the Diocese of London, said: “In some ways the idea of church being uncool has gone – children are growing up past that.”