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# Suffolk church attendance rises above national average
- URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/suffolk-church-attendance-rises-above-national-average/
- Published: 2026-01-08T08:19:58.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-16T14:53:58.000Z
- Description: Church congregations across Suffolk have grown faster than the national average, with adult attendance up 6% and child attendance rising by 10% during 2023-2024.
- Author: Matt Stott
- Tags: News, Faith & Religion, #article, Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, #Import 2026-03-16 14:43

**Why it matters:** [The Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich,](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/tag/the-diocese-of-st-edmundsbury-and-ipswich/) which announced the figures, received £5m in Strategic Development Funding from the national Church of England between 2019 and 2025, designed to reverse national trends through targeted community outreach programmes.

**The details:** Inspiring Ipswich received £2.7m and made 36,376 new contacts with people outside the church through top-up shops, school assemblies, prayer spaces and Christmas services. The total worshipping community within Ipswich increased by 20% between 2019 and 2024.

Growing in God in the Countryside received £2.3m to expand rural congregations through small groups in the Lightwave Community. The project has created 41 small groups, with 19% of benefices now running small ecclesial groups focused on outreach.

![Group of people](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/03/1766411784-diocese-of-st-edmundsbury-and-ipswich-youth-cafe.jpg)

The youth cafe at St Augustine's Church in Ipswich attracts up to 35 young people every week (Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich)

**What they're saying:** Gary Peverley, diocesan secretary, said: "The latest reported attendance figures highlight an encouraging trend in worship participation, particularly among children, within the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich compared to national averages. I am delighted by this news as it indicates that our commitment to our Growing In God vision is working."

Tim Holder, diocesan director of engagement, said: "It is this commitment that leads to large number of church volunteers being engaged with supporting their communities with projects such as top-up shops, parish pantries, well-being support groups, cafés, lunch clubs, youth groups, toddler groups, rural chaplaincy and more."

**The bottom line:** Suffolk's churches credit targeted investment in community outreach for attendance growth that significantly outstrips national Church of England figures.

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