North Carolina church attendance remains low since the start of the COVID pandemic

When COVID-19 hit the United States, it not only closed businesses and workplaces, but also closed churches across the country.

As religious leaders faced restrictions, their congregations were forced to look to new ways of doing business; changes that many believed will forever change what it means to worship.

“People are really struggling right now with what matters and I think they are really taking stock of their lives,” said Reverend Chuck Jacob, senior pastor at The Good Shepherd Church in Durham. “What do I really care about?” What do I believe in? What is my time worth? What about my time in person? And I think this is a critical time for the calling of the church. the real things in life? “

Jacob still remembers seeing the world shut down, shut down the church, and wondering what was to come next.

“To be really honest with you, the scary part for me was that I saw what was going on in New York and New Jersey. I have family there and I hear and read the stories of destroyed mortuaries. , refrigerators for corpses are topped and they all say the wave is coming, “he said. “Personally, it was how to prepare people to see death in a way that we haven’t seen in a long time.”

He said luckily this wave never hit, but the pandemic has had a significant impact.

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His congregation, like so many others. had to scramble to find the technology for the live streaming service. Later, as some restrictions were lifted, the church had to learn how to add social distancing, where the best airflow was, and how to navigate immunization statuses.

Now, almost two years after the constant pivots began, the cult still has not returned to what it looked like before the pandemic. Jacob estimated that in-person attendance was down about 60%.

He said this was probably due in part to the fact that older members and those caring for vulnerable people continued to be cautious. But, he also said, as the pandemic forces people to reassess their lives and priorities, some may wonder where the church stands.

“It’s like the snow globe has been shaken and you don’t know how it’s all going to work out. I think we’re all struggling with that,” Jacob said.

The ABC data team analyzed mobility data across the United States and found that in many places Americans were not attending in-person church services in as large numbers as before the pandemic.

In North Carolina, the team found that 90% of counties had fewer people attending church in October 2021 than in January 2021. Physical attendance is down 20% on average across the state. Attendance was lower in metropolitan areas and in predominantly non-white areas, according to the mobility data analyzed. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents reported very little change in attendance.

Reverend Jay Augustine is the pastor of St. Joseph AME Church in Durham. He said his congregation’s physical attendance was about half of what it used to be, but he doesn’t think that means fewer people worship.

“Our numbers online have skyrocketed, which is really wonderful. So realistically, and thinking about what the church means right now and thinking about the possibilities with optimism about the possibilities of the church in the future, I am focusing on growing a church and recreating community and community can mean different things, ”Augustine said.

He said the shift to offering services online has allowed people from across the country to join them regularly, which would not have been possible if the pandemic hadn’t forced them to pivot.

“So we feel really blessed that the pivot was something that was needed, but the pivot was something that really helped and enhanced our ministry,” Augustine said.

He believes the pandemic has brought more and more people closer to God.

Augustine and Jacob don’t see the options for virtual worship going away anytime soon. However, Jacob said he always tries to attract more people to worship in person because he sees a lot of value in meeting in person. He thinks that being physically surrounded by other people who are going through similar struggles is of great value.

“What’s the value, even just seeing them and you say, ‘Their hook. I too can. “or to see those who are politically different from you and who are actually humanized,” Jacob said.

Despite the constant changes that all places of worship have had to endure, Augustine said he remains optimistic about the future of the cult and his congregation as the pandemic continues.

“With this spirit of perpetual optimism, we feel incredibly good about the future and we feel good about our current situation, despite the circumstances, so for me, despite the other losses that have existed, we will thank God for the blessings we have. And that’s the true spirit of Christmas, ”he said.