Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices - Blogs - State of the Union, State of the Church

January 31, 2011

State of the Union, State of the Church

The State of the Union address is a yearly snapshot of where our president thinks our nation stands. The State of the Episcopal Church report published every three years is a snapshot of where our church stands.

In his address, President Obama began with a nostalgic look back at an America that is no more: “Many people watching tonight can probably remember a time when finding a good job meant showing up at a nearby factory or a business downtown. You didn't always need a degree, and your competition was pretty much limited to your neighbors. If you worked hard, chances are you'd have a job for life, with a decent paycheck, good benefits, and the occasional promotion. Maybe you'd even have the pride of seeing your kids work at the same company.” The church, too, has a nostalgic view of 1950s America when the church was growing and Sunday Schools full.

Certainly one of the major issues facing America barely mentioned in his speech was our aging nation. That is a central issue that the State of the Church must address.

Take a look at this chart.

[Data based on the Faith Communities Today (FACT) Survey]

With 56% of our members over age 50 what is ahead for us? This isn’t just a question for the government around Social Security and Medicare, it is a huge question for our future as a church.

Our aging church is only one issue the State of the Church Report will cover. I serve on the House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church who is charged with producing the report. This committee has met continuously since 1806 and produces the Parochial Report. I would love to hear from readers demographic issues they would like the committee to address. We need to think of the State of our Church in terms beyond average Sunday attendance and number of pledging households.