CHICAGO  The baptized membership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) slipped below 5 million in 2003, the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, reported in a news release.
Almen announced a reduction of 53,081 baptized members  a decrease of about 1 percent  for a total of 4,984,925 baptized members in 10,657 congregations.
"The statistical back door is far too large in our congregations," Almen said. "Backdoor losses muffle front door gains. Too many members slip out the back door and disappear from membership in ELCA congregations each year."
In the past 13 years the ELCA baptized membership has decreased 250,000 from 5,240,739 members reported in 1990. About half the decline occurred in 2002 and 2003. The 2003 decrease, when combined with the decrease of 61,871 baptized members in 2002, resulted in a two-year decline of 114,952.
Parochial reports showed the loss was due to a decrease in the number of new members, the disbanding of 36 congregations and "roll cleaning" in many remaining congregations. In 2003, "roll cleaning" resulted in a loss of 181,022 members on top of 186,162 members in 2002. Those reductions occur when long inactive members who indicate no interest in continued participation are removed from the congregation's membership rolls.
Eight congregations with a combined baptized membership of 11,020 withdrew from the ELCA in 2003.
The average number of people in worship on Sundays decreased slightly in 2003. About 1.5 million or 30 percent of all baptized members participate in worship each week. Average worship attendance, an indicator of active participation by members in congregations, has fluctuated in the ELCA between 30 and 31 percent.
The last time a gain of ELCA membership occurred was in 1991, with a net gain of 4,438 baptized members that year.
The decrease in ELCA membership reflects a pattern reported by many U.S. church bodies during this period, according to the release.
