Where are the faithful?: Major church membership decline

Where are the faithful?: Major church membership decline

HOUSES OFWORSHIP HABEEN STRUGGLINGTO GROWMEMBERSHIP OVERTHE PAST SEVERALYEARS.

TONIGHT...NEW NUMBERSSHOW JUST HOWBLEAK THAT REALITYIS.ACCORDING TO ANEW GALLUP POLL..47-PERCENT OFAMERICANS SAYTHEY ARE A MEMBEROF A CHURCH,SYNAGOGUE ORMOSQUE.

THAT'SBELIEVED TO BE ANALL-TIME LOW.7 EYEWITNESSNEWS SENIORREPORTER EILEENBUCKLEY EXPLORESWHY SO MANY ARESTEPPING AWAYFROM HOUSES OFWORSHIP..DERRICK FETZ.

"ATFACE VALUE IT'SALARMING ANDDISHEARTENINGTHAT RECORD LOWMEMBERS OF JUST47-PERCENT ISDOWN FROM 50-PERCENT IN 20-18AND DOWNCONSIDERABLEFROM 70-PERCENTIN 1999.RESEARCHERS SAYSFEWER AMERICANSARE CHOOSING TOALIGN THEMSELVESWITH A PARTICULARCHURCH ORRELIGION.SOME SAY THEDON'T BELIEVE INCHURCHTEACHINGS...OTHERS SAY THEY DON'TBELIEVE GOD.EILEEN.

"WHATWOULD YOU TELLSOMEBODY WHOWALKED IN RIGHTNOW AND SAID -- 'IDON'T BELIEVE INGOD'?"DERRICK FETZ.

"IWOULD INVITE THEMTO DISCUSS WHYAND I WOULD SIMPLYLISTEN AT FIRST ANDTHEN IF IT SEEMEDAPPLICABLE ANDAPPROPRIATE -- IWOULDRESOND...WHY I DOBELIEVE IN GOD."DERRICK FETZ ISTHE DEAN OF ST.PAUL'S EPISCOPALCATHEDRAL INDOWNTOWNBUFFALO.DERRICK FETZ."WHERE THEDISCONNECT IS --THAT ORGANIZEDRELIGION ...THECHURCH --CHRISTIANITY ORJUDAISM OR ISLAM --I THINK SOMETIMESTHERE IS ADISCONNECT INTERMS OFLISTENING TOPEOPLE AND INTERMS OF WHATTHEY NEED."===BUTT===EILEEN BUCKLEY."BUT DESPITE THEDECLINE IN CHURCHMEMBERSHIP.CHURCH LEADERS SAY ITIS A CHANCE FORTHEM TO ENTICEMORE PEOPLE BACKTO THE PEWS."DERRICK FETZ.

"WEHAVE TO DO OURHOMEWORK...WEHAVE TO HUMBLEOURSELVES -- WEHAVE TO LISTEN TOWHAT PEOPLEACTUALLY NEEDBECAUSE I THINKTHERE IS A HUNGERFOR MEANING ANDPURPOSE."===BUTT===FATHER CHRISTOSCHRISTAKIS.

"WENEED TO FIND WAYSTO ENGAGE WITHPEOPLE INDIFFERENTWAYS..BUT -- OFCOURSE -- I THINKNOTHING CANREPLACECOMMUNITY..ANDCOMING TOCHURCH."AT ANNUNCIATIONGREEK ORTHODOXCHURCH INBUFFALO...FATHCHRISTOSCHRISTAKIS SAYSTHE DECLINE INCHURCHMEMBERSHIP ISCHALLENGING...BUTYOU CAN NOTFORCE PEOPLE TOFOLLOW GOD ORRELIGION.FATHER CHRISTOSCHRISTAKIS.

"AND ITHINK THECHALLENGE WEHAVE AS PEOPLE OFFAITH IS TO REALLYREACH OUT ANDUNTIL I FIND SOMEMISUNDERSTANDINGS."THE GALLUPRESEARCH SHOWSCHURCHMEMBERSHIP ISALSO LINKED TOAGE:THOSE BORNBEFORE 1946 MAKEUP 66-PERCENT OFCHURCHMEMBERSHIP.BABY BOOMERS --58-PERCENT.GENERATION X - 50-PERCENTMILLENNIAL'S--JUST36-PERCENT.IN THE GREEKORTHODOX, IT'SABOUT FAMILYTRADITION...FATHER CHRISTOSCHRISTAKIS.

"WEARE REALLYCONNECTED OVERMANY GENERATIONSAND WE HAVE AVERY STRONGSENSE OF IDENTITYAND FAITH ANDCONTINUATION OFTHE FAITH."AT ST.

PAUL'S NOALL THE CHURCHGOERS AREMEMBERS, BUTATTEREGULARLY...DERRICK FETZ.

"WEHAVE A LOT OFPEOPLE WHO WECAN'T ACTUALLYOFFICIALLY SAYTHEY AREMEMBERS....BUTAFFILIATED ANDTHEY ARE ACTIVEAND THEY AREDOING GOD'S WORKIN POWERFULWAYS."THE CHURCHLEADERS SAY THEYGOAL THIS EASTERSEASON ANDBEYOND IS TO KEEPPEOPLECONNECTED, ANDHELP LEAD THEM INLIFE AND FAITH.IN BUFFALO, EILEENBUCKLEY, 7 EWN.