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Doug Mears, Michelle Koster

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Drop! What Drop!

Vicars in Gloucestershire have hit back at claims that they are failing to reverse the sharp decline in congregations. The Church Survey UK is seeking the views of Christians to help the Church increase attendances.

Survey organiser the Rev. Jonathan Williams says Gloucestershire’s Christians are critical to the scarcity of vicars in rural areas and lament the fact they don't see enough of them. More than 100,000 Church of England worshippers have been lost nationally between 2000 and 2002, according to the Church’s own survey. The Rev. Ian Farrow, vicar of Bisley Church, said he has noticed a slight decline in numbers but has been active in attracting people back to the pews. "In the rural areas the population is ageing, it is becoming too expensive for young families to set up home there, which is why congregations are thinning out, but we are active in keeping numbers up. we try and hold services that are more user-friendly." The Rev. Jan Taylor of Alvington, Lydney disagrees with the view that your congregations are declining. "In some of my churches there has been an increase in attendance, and the number of younger folk attending has shot up," she said. "But we are constantly making sure that church is part of the community, building links and bridges to encourage people to attend church."

Canon Tony Ross, Rural Dean of Fairford, cares for five churches. "The number of clergy in rural areas has diminished that we have to look at the bigger picture," he said. "If we think of an inner-city parish in Gloucester with 20,000 people, it will have a vicar and possibly a curate. That's 10,000 people each. In my Fairford deanery, there are no group parishes with more than 3,500 people. The problem comes in a number of people they have to look after. A lot of people have left the countryside, because one person will work on a farm instead of five. But I don't think the number of clergy is responsible for the fall in attendance. Its changes in society. 40 years ago the church was responsible for organising everything in the community. Now Sundays are not special for most people. The shops are open and people do DIY. The Church has to compete with a lot of other things. It needs to address this."

For further information on this survey, email Christian.survey@virgin.net