A vibrant community spirit is flourishing across the Church of England as the latest figures reveal attendance growth for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, regular worshippers rose by 1.2% to reach 1.02 million, while Sunday services saw a 1.5% increase, with 582,000 attending weekly. Overall weekly attendance climbed by 1.2% to 701,000.
Significantly, growth among adults played a key role in these increases, with Sunday and weekly attendance among this group rising by 1.8% and 1.5% respectively. Meanwhile, online engagement is booming, as visits to the Church of England’s church finder website surged by 55%, accumulating nearly 200 million page views in 2024 alone.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, currently serving as the Church’s interim head, welcomed the encouraging statistics. “The Church of England exists to share the good news of Jesus Christ and serve our neighbours in every community,” he said. “These figures suggest more people, especially young adults, are coming to faith and experiencing life transformation.”
Archbishop Cottrell noted his own experiences visiting churches across England, baptising and confirming new believers, affirming the growth reflected in the data. “This is a testament to the faith and hope of those sharing the gospel daily,” he added, expressing his prayer that many more will discover Jesus’ message of love and grace during uncertain times.
Debbie Clinton, Director for Vision and Strategy at the Church of England, emphasized that behind each statistic is an individual living out their faith in their local community. “We’re witnessing exciting growth stories in diverse settings—from urban centers and estates to post-industrial and coastal towns,” she said. “Our goal is for every young person to have access to thriving children, youth, and family ministries. Encouragingly, more churches are now seeing over 25 young people regularly involved.”
One remarkable turnaround is evident at St John’s Upper Norwood in South London. Formerly in decline, the church has experienced a dramatic revival, now hosting over 300 people for its Palm Sunday Mass, complete with a live donkey, and drawing some 2,000 attendees to its Easter barbecue.
The church’s monthly Messy Church events attract around 400 children and families, many of whom have since been baptized and joined weekly services. A faith-based parent and toddler group also boasts 400 regular participants, while ‘Messy Meals’ gatherings bring together about 80 attendees weekly. These successes are credited to two years of intentional outreach led by Associate Vicar Rachael Gledhill.
Looking ahead, St John’s plans to hire a youth minister and expand its children’s music ministry. Vicar Fr John Pritchard sums up the church’s renewed spirit: “We were a church in decline but we are not anymore. People are seeking community and value, and the Gospel meets that need. We remain true to our identity, following the liturgical calendar and welcoming all. People want to belong, and here, everyone is a neighbour.”
