The church of England is still dead.
At the 2021 General Synod of the “Church” of England (organisation). New news that they wish to try to create 10,000 new communities in the next ten years. Sounds like big news, not really this is a dead “church” trying to pretend that it is still alive. The plan is for new communities, which will most likely be drawn from current members, mainly meeting at people’s houses or community centres. Probably being lead by laymen, so, not much difference there then. The lack of “priests” is a concern but so is the more major problem of a lack of members, the majority of the data shows “church” attendance fell by between 15 and 20 per cent from 2009 to 2019, and a median membership has an average weekly attendance of only 31, and one quarter of them, the number is a mere 11.
Many call this a dismantling of the parish “church” system, which has been ongoing for quite some time.
Quoting from the Telegraph newspaper.
“One rural parish volunteer, who did not want to be named, added: "There is some success in groovy, evangelical churches. But we don’t know if that will last, and you can't do it at the expense of traditional parishes if you don't want to lose the rural communities. This plan is basically condemning the parishes to die."
Many of these “new” and likely current communities will be merged into small clubs, it looks like this organisation will continue to become more and more of a charity/social club, with many government contracts propping it up, not to mention its old funds from “better times”.
So the organisation wants groups of about 20 plus people to do a weekly “book club/meditation session”, with a cause, like helping the homeless or fundraising. These many groups will fall under an existing parish in their local area, to be able to receive help, support and guidance. The remaining “churches” that are not sold off for money or rebuilt as flats for investment. Will also continue their trend of becoming discos and activity centres, with hopes to continue to build on their idea of "fresh expressions of church", this means “non-traditional church gatherings”, which in fact means not going to church but doing fun things.
The organisation does everything to try to fit into the modern world, with nothing off limits, but it still continues to shrink. I do feel sorry for what is left of its more religious minded members, but it now looks likely to become a quasi-private/state puppet, probably used to justify attacks on true followers of the Faith.