The latest report from the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations initiative was published in April, and what it revealed was striking. Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations is a “multi-faceted and longitudinal research project” dedicated to examining how churches in the U.S. responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term consequences of the pandemic on congregational life, and what congregational life looks like post-pandemic. For the first time since 2022, congregations saw a rebound in in-person attendance. Median in-person attendance jumped to 70 people, showing an increase from pre-pandemic levels, and the first increase for congregations in 25 years.
The study, backed by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, echoes other reports that have pointed to modest increases in religious participation. As a pastor who also participated in the study, I can say that I have noticed this modest increase in religious participation in my own congregation. Congregational life seems to be on a modest upswing, but that does not erase decades of decline.
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