(RNS) — A United Methodist Church report says church membership dipped to a new low last year, dropping to under 8 million in the United States for the first time in nearly 80 years.
The church's General Council on Finance and Administration estimated U.S. membership at 7.98 million members in 2005. The church's global membership is estimated at about 9.86 million.
Membership among the Methodists — like most mainline Protestant churches — has been dropping slowly but steadily since the formation of the denomination in 1968.
In addition to fewer members, church attendance dropped 1.63 percent from 2004 to 2005, to about 3.34 million each week, according to United Methodist News Service.
The trend of declining membership, however, is exclusive to the United States; regions of the church in Africa, Asia and Europe have increased membership more than 68 percent between 1995 and 2004.
At a convocation next year, bishops and other ministers plan “to focus on how we can make disciples of Jesus Christ and improve our efforts at strengthening local congregations,” said Bishop Scott Jones of Wichita, Kan.
That plan includes new congregations in the United States and outreach to Hispanics and immigrant groups.