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Smaller, But More Generous
Abstract: Lutheran Church Missouri Synod shrinks, but gives more.
According to the Lutheran Reporter, in 2007 the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) continued a 30-year trend of shrinking membership with the number of baptized members throughout the Synod decreasing by an estimated 34,913 to 2,383,084 and the number of confirmed members declining by 21,719 to 1,835,064. The average attendance at weekly worship services was also down in 2007: 165.7 vs. 172.5 in 2006.
Total contributions, however, rose by an estimated $44,316,144 over contributions for 2006. The average amount given during 2007, per communicant member, is estimated at $762.79, an increase of $32.79 from the previous year.
As of October 14, the web site for the LCMS Ablaze! movement reported that the number of unreached or uncommitted people with whom the Gospel has been shared and reported is 9,358,568. The objective of Ablaze! is to share the Gospel with 100 million "unreached or uncommitted" people by 2017.
