CHURCHGOING is likely to rise this Christmas, as 45 per cent of UK adults plan to attend a church service or event this year, a new study published this week suggests.
The poll, Christmas and the Church, which was published on Sunday by Tearfund, in collaboration with Savanta, observed a rise from 40 to 45 per cent — “nearly one in two UK adults”, they say.
Savanta interviewed 2017 UK adults in November. In the report, it states: “Data were weighted to be nationally representative of all UK adults by key demographic characteristics including age, gender, region and social grade.”
Tearfund qualify the figures, explaining: “The rise in data since last year refers to asking respondents if they attended church at Christmas last year, and if they plan to attend this year, rather than tracking data YoY [year on year].”
The report suggests that UK adults are drawn to church for a mix of reasons, including tradition, spiritual meaning, and seeking support. Of those who go, 39 per cent say that it is “part of their Christmas tradition”. One third (34 per cent) go for the “atmosphere”, while more than one quarter (28 per cent) see Christmas as a “meaningful time for spiritual reflection”.
Among non-Christians, 34 per cent said that they “plan to attend a church service or event this year”: up from 30 per cent last year. A similar proportion of non-active Christians (35 per cent) said that they intended to do the same: up from 31 per cent last year.
Going to church this Christmas is most popular among Gen Z: 60 per cent of those surveyed said that they would attend, followed by millennials (59 per cent), Gen X (36 per cent), baby-boomers (30 per cent), and the silent generation (24 per cent).
Thirty-eight per cent of non-Christians said that they come away from a church at Christmas feeling “joyful”, “peaceful” (34 per cent), or “hopeful” (25 per cent).
Besides offering spiritual support, churches provide practical help to those in need during the Christmas period. The survey reports that two in five UK adults (42 per cent) say that they, or someone they know, have been supported by a church at Christmas.
One in ten respondents have used a foodbank in a church (12 per cent), received free meals (10 per cent), or accessed warm spaces (11 per cent). Of those surveyed, 23 per cent said that either they or someone they know have received free Christmas Day meals from churches.
The director of global fund-raising and communications at Tearfund, Stuart Lee, said in a statement on Sunday: “These figures underline something deeply significant: churches remain at the heart of community life at Christmas. . . From foodbanks to warm spaces, churches are stepping in where they are needed most.”
