Even though I said I wouldn’t be tracking UUA congregation certification numbers this year — RevThom is doing an admirable job at Coffee Hour — I couldn’t help myself.
With 397 congregations in — and excluding the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines; something is odd with its reporting — the net increase is 1306 members. Not bad. Take away the three new congregations that have reported (and so didn’t report last year) and you have a net increase of 1198, or 1.88% of the aggregate of 63,606 members (excluding the new churches).
If I recall correctly, the percentage increase did the same thing last year, by levelling off and endeing up virtually nil by the end. I hope not, but fear so, especially since there’s a new pressure. Non-contributing churches are marked as such; the church in Fall River, Mass. being the first so “honored.” (I’m of two minds about this practice.)
People are submitting their forms fast and furious, so we may see half of the congregations reporting in the next day or two, at which time I’ll report back.
Hi Scott,
I feel like I’m walking in the footsteps of giants.
I have a methodological question. Why do you discount new churches? It would seem that if we were growing by starting more churches, that is real growth.
My other methodological question: are you counting Canadian churches or not? I decided I would include only our congregations from the 50 states, DC, and San Juan.
RevThom
Scott, what do you mean about Fall River? Are you saying that when Eliot Church registers that it will be marked as being a non-paying baddie (Sp?)? Just curious, also, what are your two minds on this? If this is the case my mind is also cloven in twain (sp again?)…