WELS membership declining
WELS membership declining
From its high of 421,396 souls in 1990, membership in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has fallen to 395,947 souls in 2006, according to the 2006 Statistical Report. WELS has lost 5,743 communicants over these years.
“The shrinking membership makes an impact on the work that congregations do locally and the work we do together as a synod because you’re operating with a continually smaller base,” says Bruce Becker, administrator of WELS Parish Services.
But where WELS has seen the greatest decline is in the number of non-communicants in the synod, with a loss of 19,706 children from 1990 to 2006.
However, over the past 16 years, WELS has confirmed 96,817 children and 66,125 adults. But more than 150,000 people have been released from membership because they were removed by their congregation or asked for release.
These trends follow those of other denominations, although WELS’ percentage of decline may be slightly less than others.
According to Becker, analyzing membership trends in the synod and in local congregations can be important. He says, “It is an indication of where we are as a church body . . . and makes you aware of what is happening in your local congregation. It also helps you plan where to put your emphasis in the future.
For more WELS statistics, check out the 2006 Statistical Report at archive.wels.net/jump/statistics.
“The shrinking membership makes an impact on the work that congregations do locally and the work we do together as a synod because you’re operating with a continually smaller base,” says Bruce Becker, administrator of WELS Parish Services.
But where WELS has seen the greatest decline is in the number of non-communicants in the synod, with a loss of 19,706 children from 1990 to 2006.
However, over the past 16 years, WELS has confirmed 96,817 children and 66,125 adults. But more than 150,000 people have been released from membership because they were removed by their congregation or asked for release.
These trends follow those of other denominations, although WELS’ percentage of decline may be slightly less than others.
According to Becker, analyzing membership trends in the synod and in local congregations can be important. He says, “It is an indication of where we are as a church body . . . and makes you aware of what is happening in your local congregation. It also helps you plan where to put your emphasis in the future.
For more WELS statistics, check out the 2006 Statistical Report at archive.wels.net/jump/statistics.
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