This is our first full reporting period of the post-COVID era1. Last year we noted an elder at a large congregation in middle Tennessee reported their attendance was down 15-percent. It is estimated only one-in-ten churches gained in numbers during 2020-2021. North Second Street actually saw a slight increase in 2021 as we got back to normal. That just teed up these remarkable numbers.
Year Attendance Giving (budget)
Jan-June 2018 48 $2028 (2059)
Jan-June 2019 56 $2524 (2268)
Jan-June 2020 46 $2397 (2450)
Jan-June 2021 47 $2891 (2450)
Jan-June 2022 65 $2831 (2625)
To God be all the glory! Before we discuss our attendance figures, we must mention the most important event of the year. The sheep at North Second Street selected and submitted to shepherds. David Brown and David Muiznieks were ordained as elders on March the sixth. Scott Ford and Jim Lahue were appointed as deacons of the church. And for the first time in the history of this congregation, we are in line with the teaching and tradition of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are put in order as a New Testament church and all our blessings are from God to his obedient people!
How big has our jump in attendance been? It is the largest percentage increase ever recorded (no average was recorded from 2000-07). Our Sunday morning attendance2 is up 10.7 per week over last year’s post-lockdown average (64.5 < 53.8) for an increase of 19.9-percent! God gives the increase.
For the second year in a row, we are on track to have a higher attendance average on Wednesday night (42.3) than Sunday evening (42.1). It would be nice to have the Lord’s day evening number closer to 52, which would be 80-percent of morning worship. However, it is very encouraging to see your smiling faces in the middle of the week in such humbling numbers.
Our giving continues to be a source of thankfulness. It is down slightly from last year ($60 per week). But in the big scheme of things we are giving $886 per month over our operating budget. May God bless the seed and the sower!
Our growth has come from new birth, regular visitors, and those who have joined our hands on the plow. Chris Steffen was baptized into Christ in February. The Marcus and Rachel Griffy family (Hadley, Lilly, and Jace) placed their membership with us, as did the Josh and Brianne Stipsits (Emily, Lyanna, and Brayden). Josh is currently deployed to Kuwait, while Brianne and the kids are visiting family in Arkansas. Plus, Dennie Thomas joined the work at the end of June.
We did suffer some loss this year. Polly Waynick was never an official member her but we mourned her death with her son and long-time member Harry Bromley. Rick and Debra Patterson left in February. In both cases we pray for reunification both eternal and earthly.
One of the blessings of eldership has been the ability to get things done. We held our first VBS in seven years and saw an influx of new teachers and volunteers. Plus, we have a “mini-meeting” our shepherds just scheduled for October 23-24 with Ryan Goodwin from the East Shelby church in Memphis.
We are blessed on all sides. May the Lord continue to send us sinners and workers. May God grant us grace and peace. Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow!
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