Lutheran Church reports membership decrease

ST. LOUIS — Membership in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) has continued its decades-long decline, with a loss of more than 25,000 people from 2003 to 2004, the denomination announced. But at the same time, the church group’s congregations increased their total contributions by $51 million.

Congregations related to the St. Louis-based denomination reported 2,463,747 baptized members, a figure that is 25,189 fewer than 2003. “Since 1972, our peak membership year, the Synod has lost some 317,000 baptized members,” said John O’Hara, research analyst for the LCMS. Despite the membership losses, giving is on the increase. Church members gave a record $1.3 billion to the denomination. Giving also increased by $53 million in 2003, following declines the previous two years.

Of the $1.3 billion received in 2004, congregations directed $121.8 million for work outside their local communities. The denomination had 6,151 congregations, which were served by 5,323 pastors, in 2004.