News
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
What I see every Sunday before worship: a church becoming something new
The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of EPIC. By Rev. Jordan Parker There is a moment every Sunday, just before worship begins, when I stop whatever I'm doing and look around the sanctuary. I didn't always do this.
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
How Scott Thumma Accelerated Journalism: An Appreciation
By G. Jeffrey MacDonald When scholars increase what’s known about a topic, they often rely heavily on tools of the academic trades. From their tool belts come articles in peer-reviewed journals, classroom courses and advising for future peers. As a sociologist of religion, Dr. Scott Thumma use
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Most churchgoers keep faith contained to Sunday, new research finds
Millions of Americans attend church every week. For many, much of their religious and spiritual engagement ends when the worship service does, according to new research from the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC) project at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. For a sma
Friday, April 24, 2026
New research finds first rise in U.S. congregation attendance in 25 years, but recovery remains uneven
HARTFORD, April 24, 2026 — For the first time in 25 years, median in-person worship attendance at U.S. congregations has increased, according to new research from the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC) project at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Pandemic disruption and resilience: reflections on religious education in a small urban congregation
In our church community, pre-pandemic, we had a small number of young children attending services. Our congregation was made up primarily of young adults, young professionals and married couples. We were part of the 12% of churches described as not having children's programming due to limited number
Sunday, March 29, 2026
The Antidote to Despair: What Faith communities Offer a Divided World
My conviction – my experience – is that faith communities have a particular capacity, skill, and calling to offer the antidote that we need today.
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Congregational Response to the Pandemic: Extraordinary Social Outreach in a Time of Crisis
When the Hartford Institute for Religion Research released its second report on how U.S. congregations navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings pointed to resilience and innovation — food trucks repurposed as mobile feeding centers, new dementia cafes, sandwich ministries scaling to feed 1,20
Monday, March 9, 2026
Hybrid church is here to stay. Is your congregation ready?
As congregations navigate post-pandemic life, hybrid church is reshaping who belongs — and raising hard questions about community, sacrament and pastoral care.
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Lessons From Pandemic Church Planting Apply to Current Immigration Crisis
Faith leaders are responding to immigration enforcement with sanctuary, pastoral care and legal advocacy. Churches must remain present and resist unjust power.