Statistics for Mission 2009:
How to fill in these forms

  1. Fresh expressions of church

    The Church of England is moving intentionally towards becoming a mixed economy church: many different fresh expressions of church alongside the parish system. It is important that this developing aspect of our common life is included on this annual form.

    A fresh expression is a form of church for our changing culture established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church. It will come into being through principles of listening, service, incarnational mission and making disciples. It will have the potential to become a mature expression of church shaped by the gospel and the enduring marks of the church and for its cultural context.

    There are more details and stories on the fresh expressions website (www.freshexpressions.org.uk). For those attending established fresh expressions of church please complete a separate return for Sunday and weekday services and weekday activities.

  2. Which churches should be included on the form?
    In general, one form should be filled in for each parish. All churches and fresh expressions of church should be included. However, in some cases it may be more appropriate for the form to be completed by individual churches or fresh expressions of church. .

  3. Baptisms and Thanksgiving for the gift of a child

    Please state the numbers of people in each age group baptised between 1 Jan 2009 and 31 Dec 2009 or for whom a thanksgiving service for the gift (birth or adoption) of a child was held and registered.

  4. Marriages and Blessings of marriage

    Please state the total numbers of couples married in church and of couples for whom a blessing service after civil marriage was held in the church.

  5. Funerals
    In the first box please state the number of deceased for whom a funeral service was held in the church. In the second box please state the number of deceased for whom a full funeral service was conducted on behalf of the church/parish at a crematorium or cemetery i.e. excluding committal only. In each case include all funerals conducted on behalf of the church/parish by any minister including readers, stipendiary clergy, non-stipendiary clergy and retired clergy.

  6. Easter and Christmas
    In the communicant boxes please enter the number of communicants on Easter Day (including those at vigil services held on Easter Eve) and at any service (day or evening) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Clergy and other ministers who took communion should be included. Each person should only be counted once even if they took communion at two separate services. In the attending worship boxes please enter the total number of people that attended worship over the same periods. Please include all people: communicants and those that did not take communion; adults, children and young people; clergy and laity. However, as far as is possible, each person should only be counted once even if they attended more than one service.

  7. Church attendance (including fresh expressions) in October 2009
    In order for consistent data to be collected from all churches/parishes please use the following definitions (8 to 10). They are intended to ensure that, as far as possible, each individual is counted only once each week irrespective of the number of times they attend church during the week.

  8. Adults
    All people of 16 years of age or over including those leading services.

    Children and young people
    All those under 16 years of age.

  9. Number at worship on Sunday
    Please enter separately the number of adults and children attending Sunday services, fresh expressions of church which meet on Sundays (see note 1 above), Sunday schools or equivalent activities including the administration of the Eucharist outside the church e.g. at home/in prison/in hospital. All people should be counted only once each Sunday no matter how many times they attend. All people should be counted whether or not they are regular members of the congregation. For example, all people attending a baptism service should be included.

  10. Additional number attending weekday services and worship activities
    Please enter separately the number of additional adults and children attending weekday services including weekday fresh expressions of church (see note 1 above), administration of the Eucharist outside the church and other worship activities.

    Worship activities include any activity in which worship is the prime purpose and predominant feature. Activities with only some worship element, such as some para-church group meetings, house groups, some prayer groups, Lent groups, mother and toddler groups, some school assemblies and Alpha courses, etc. would not fall into this category if they were a supplement to Sunday worship. However they should be included if they are, in effect, church for that group of people (and therefore a fresh expression of church as defined above).

    All people should be counted whether or not they are regular members of the congregation but wedding and funeral services should be excluded. People should only be counted once in each week beginning with the specified Sunday. Thus those attending on Sunday should not be counted in this category and those attending more than one midweek service should only be counted once in any week.

  11. Attendance on a 'normal' Sunday
    For the purposes of this return a 'normal' Sunday is one which is not a major festival or contained in a peak holiday period. If attendance fluctuates a weekly 'average' should be given. Sundays when no services are provided should be excluded. Persons attending more than one service on the same day should, wherever possible, be counted only once.

  12. Electoral Roll
    Please state the number of persons on the Electoral Roll as presented to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting held within the period 1 January to 30 April 2009.