Study: How the Pandemic Harmed and Helped Black Churches

Black majority congregations, known for their high levels of community outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic, have remained the most stable in combined attendance — in person and online — compared with multiracial and white majority congregations. But they are also facing the greatest monetary struggles, with 34% reporting their financial health is worse in 2023 than in 2018, compared with 29% of majority white congregations and 28% of multiracial congregations. A new report highlights the challenges faced by Black and multiracial congregations, as well as their resilience, in the wake of a pandemic that prompted significant changes in worship and community service. “As far as opening up as vaccine sites, to actually put in place mitigation measures — so whether that’s shutting down, encouraging masks — majority Black congregations and multiracial congregations led those efforts,” said B. Clarvon Watts, author of “Understanding the Pandemic Impact on Black and Multiracial Congregations.” Watts is a sociologist and postdoctoral research fellow at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, which released the report on Thursday. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of “The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going,...