A Florida-based congregation of The Episcopal Church is defying the broader trend of decline within the denomination, having recently achieved a milestone of 3,000 members.
The Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota announced that it surpassed this mark on February 16, during the baptism of infants Casey Jane Clegg and Ruby Mae Spears, who represented the 3,000th and 3,001st members of the parish.
“The hand of God is clearly at work at Redeemer, and we give thanks to God for this incredible milestone,” said Fr. Charleston Wilson, rector of the Church of the Redeemer, as quoted in the press release. He emphasized that the church’s focus is now on “doubling down on making new Christians and making all Christians new.”
According to the congregation’s press release, Redeemer had 150 new members join last year, and so far this year, 47 individuals have become members.
When asked about the growth of his congregation, Wilson stated, “Jesus lies at the center of all we do at Redeemer, and that may be our ‘secret sauce,’ so to speak.” He further noted, “I think Redeemer is growing because people who are connected to this parish feel a very deep, personal, and real connection to the compassionate Christ — to the Jesus of the Bible.”
The growth of the Church of the Redeemer contrasts sharply with the overall trends within the Episcopal Church, which, like many other religious organizations, has faced significant decline in recent decades.
In 2010, the Episcopal Church’s membership fell below 2 million; as of 2023, the denomination reported approximately 1.547 million members.
Despite the ongoing decline in membership, the latest reports indicate a rise in worship attendance for the second consecutive year, with an average attendance of around 411,000 in 2023, up from approximately 373,000 in 2022 and about 312,000 in 2021.
