Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations

"They might just be getting their religion for the week when they're showing up for church."

That's how Hartford Institute researcher Charissa Mikoski describes a striking new finding: nearly 40% of church attenders don't regularly engage in faith practices outside of Sunday.

Reporter Tara Roberts has the full story.

Most churchgoers keep faith contained to Sunday, new research finds - Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations For many churchgoers, much of their religious and spiritual engagement ends when the worship service does, according to new research..

The Church of England is showing a COVID-rebound

Church of England celebrates continued post-pandemic growth The Church said it was encouraged by five years in a row of growth while acknowledging that growth, attendance and participation remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Are churchgoers "spiritual but also religious?" New research from the EPIC Attender Survey has some surprising answers — including that nearly 40% of church attenders regularly engage in neither religious nor spiritual practices outside of worship.

Worth a read:

Spiritual but also religious? New survey examines how church attenders practice their faith - Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations Most American churchgoers are deeply engaged in traditional religious practices — but far fewer incorporate broader spiritual practices into their daily lives.

We’ve been blown away by the response to the latest report!
Grateful to all the journalists, editors, and media outlets helping bring these findings to wider audiences.

Press | COVID-19 Religion Research Seeking statistics to support your story, interviews with experts, or resources to share with your readers? Learn more here.

Our own Dr. Allison Norton will be part of this RNS panel. Check it out on June 3!

Catholic and Orthodox communities report the highest average attendance, around 200 participants, partly reflecting their structural organization with fewer but larger parishes. Evangelical congregations average 75 attendees, while mainline Protestant churches report around 50

Thanks ZENIT English News Agency for reporting on our research!

New research reports an increase in church attendance and donations and a decrease in clergy departures - ZENIT - English Catholic and Orthodox communities report the highest average attendance, around 200 participants, partly reflecting their structural organization with fewer but larger parishes. Evangelical congregations average 75 attendees, while mainline Protestant churches report around 50

How are research findings are playing out in Washington state

After 25 years of decline, US churches see attendance rebound, new study finds - FāVS News A new national report offers the most comprehensive look yet at how America's churches have fared since COVID-19 — and the picture is more hopeful than many expected.

A new study finds that for the first time in 25 years, median in-person worship attendance at U.S. congregations has increased. But researchers caution that post-pandemic recovery is uneven.

Listen to our interview on NPR!https://www.npr.org/2026/04/24/nx-s1-5791664/study-in-person-worship-attendance-in-u-s-rises-for-first-time-in-decades

Researchers from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research said the median congregation grew from 65 in 2020 to about 70 today. That is not enough to erase earlier declines, but it is noteworthy.
Thanks for the coverage RNS and Bob Smietana!

Worship attendance at churches up for the first time in decades, according to new report ATLANTA (RNS) — Researchers from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research said the median congregation grew from 65 in 2020 to about 70 today. That is not enough to erase earlier declines, but it is noteworthy.

Our newest report is out! We're talking about it now at the Religion News Association conference. Take a look at what we discovered here:

Signs of Rebound Amid Uneven Recovery: The Changing Congregational Landscape - Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations A national study examining the health and wellness of American clergy after the pandemic found most are doing well mentally, emotionally and spiritually compared to the general public. However, 34% rated "fair" or "poor" overall wellness. Younger clergy reported lower wellbeing. Positive factors inc...