Monday, September 2, 2013
New Post on LDS Congregational Growth in the United States
After several months of not updating my blog on congregational growth in the United States, I have just completed a new post detailing new unit creations, unit discontinuations, and unit upgrades and downgrades since late May. Within the past few months the number of wards in the United States increased by over 30 and the number of branches increased by approximately five. Click here for more details.
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General growth in the western US, including Texas, is noted. But there is significant unit growth in the south (Arkansas, SC, NC) and the northeast (NY, NJ). The midwest seems to be the outlier.
Spanish branches and YSA units seem to be the most experimental and evolving, which seem to serve a purpose for some times but not for others.
I know having attended the San Bernardino (CA) Spanish 6th branch almost 10 years ago for two years, maybe only 25 percent of the total members could not function in English, therefore the other 75% were there to support the minority. And then some members would move out to the Anglo wards as they felt comfortable. Thus it was transitional for many members, and could explain why some Spanish units are discontinued more often. Our 6th Branch fused with a Highland Spanish branch when the Highland Stake was discontinued in 2004. Again, California is somewhat stagnant, mostly because of demographics and jobs. Perhaps CA was saturated by the end of the real estate bubble circa 2006.
It is a similar process of transition for many YSA units, as their overall purpose is to marry off their members and join and strengthen more family units.
The Bloomington, IN, Singles Branch that I attended from 1997 to 1999 seemded to go in cycles of one many marriages, the next year many missionaries sent. However, the two years I attended I observed neither happened in significant numbers, but we seemed to baptize a lot.
It was a good cycle. 20 marriages one year, 15 full time missionaries sent next, maybe 12 convert baptisms the following year.
Great to see these units being used foe their utility in helping create more family wards and stakes.
August growth in Church Units: + 23 W&B; + 17 W,
+ 6 br, + 1 stake, - 1 dist. (+ 1 d. Africa - 2 d S.A.)
US +9; + 8 W + 1 br
outside US + 14; + 9 W + 5 br + 1 st. - 1 dist
YTD + 179 W&B; + 170 W + 9 br +26 st. - 14 dist.
+ 58 missions + 1 temple
YTD US + 76 W&B; + 82 W - 6 br + 7 st + 0 d + 16 mis
YTD outs. US +103; + 88 W + 15 br + 19 st - 14 dist + 1 temple + 42 missions
YTD Africa + 74; + 32 W + 42 br+ 4 st + 0 dist ( + 1 d - 1 d changed to stake) + 0 temples + 5 miss.
YTD outside Africa and US + 29 W&B, +56 W - 27 br
+ 15 st - 14 dist + 1 temple + 37 miss
If growth rate of first 8 months of 2013 continues, 2013 growth will be as follows:
Total will be + 270 W&B; + 255 W + 15 br + 39 st,
- 21 dist
Total US growth will be + 115 W&B; +124 W - 9 br
+ 11 stakes + 0 dist
Outside US growth will be + 155; + 132 W + 23 br + 28 stakes - 21 dist
Africa growth will be + 111 W&B; + 48 W + 63 br + 6 stakes + 0 dist (Note: Africa will have almost equivalent congregational growth with the US, but with only about 7% of US membership).
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