As Holy Week begins, the Church of England is witnessing a remarkable surge in digital engagement, marking a new chapter in connecting communities with their local churches. A significant uptick in visits to its church finder platform, AChurchNearYou.Com, highlights a growing public interest in church activities and services.
In a substantial leap, page views on the site have soared from 128.1 million in 2023 to an impressive 198.6 million in 2024. This increase reflects not only the curiosity but also the active participation of individuals in church events as users have shared over 11,000 services and events on social media, a remarkable 268% rise from the previous year.
Additionally, more than 18,000 services and events have been saved to digital and mobile calendars, representing a 200% increase. This digital trend coincides with the Church of England’s busiest period, with approximately 20,000 services and events taking place during Holy Week alone.
Amaris Cole, Head of Digital at the Church of England, expressed her satisfaction with the growing engagement levels. She stated, “The staggering increase shows the public are more interested than ever in connecting with one of our communities, whether for a service, an event, a family activity or one of the amazing projects our churches run.”
Cole emphasized the impact of these digital tools, noting, “Our churches regularly report newcomers who have found them through the site, so the rise in page hits is giving our editors confidence in inviting the public in to one of our 16,000 spaces.”
The Church has also prioritized accessibility, integrating features to aid visitors in finding suitable services, such as tags indicating wheelchair access, gluten-free options, British Sign Language translation, and dementia-friendly services.
This digital momentum comes on the heels of recent findings by the Bible Society, which indicate a ‘quiet revival’ in the UK, particularly among younger generations. A study by YouGov for the Bible Society discovered an increase in church attendance, with 12% of adults attending at least monthly, up from 8% in 2018.
This trend is especially pronounced among 18 to 24-year-olds. The number of young men attending church in this age group rose from 4% in 2018 to over 20%, while the figure for young women increased from 4% to 12% over the same period.
The research also revealed an openness among young people to engage with church activities, as approximately a third indicated they would attend church if invited by a friend, and a quarter expressed interest in learning more about the Bible.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
