Prepare to be counted!
When you attend church this Sunday, 3 November, you should expect to fill in a little blue card as the Church of Ireland undertakes a ‘census’ of the worshipping Church of Ireland population for the first time in many years.
On the card you will be asked to indicate your gender and age (this is completely anonymous) as clergy and parish officials attempt to profile those attending services in Church of Ireland Churches throughout Ireland.
The process will be repeated on 17 and 24 November but the cards will change colour (pink and yellow).
Thank you in advance for your patient cooperation in what is a very important exercise. The information gathered will enable parishes, dioceses and the Church at an island–wide level to make decisions for the future based on an up to date analysis of trends in worship attendance and ministry.
It is anticipated that the 2013 census will be repeated every three years and that a summary of the figures will be printed in the Book of Reports for the General Synod in 2014.