Australia: Ageing Anglicans see signs of growth

BY GRAHAM DOWNIE, RELIGION REPORTER
29 Nov, 2010

Significantly fewer baptisms, confirmations and weddings mark an ageing Anglican Church in the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

Figures provided recently by the Church indicate a continuing ageing of its membership. From 1997 to 2007, baptisms and weddings in the diocese declined by 35 per cent and, more significantly, confirmations by 57 per cent.

By comparison, church funerals, mainly involving older people, declined only 9 per cent.

Over those 10 years, the general population grew 8 per cent, and the Anglican population declined 3.8 per cent. During those years, the number of parishes ceasing to offer Sunday School for children almost doubled to 44 per cent and regular church attendance in the diocese declined by about 2.3 per cent. the rest