1997 to 2003 % Change in Attendance

Synod

Decline 
More 
Than 5%

Stable Change
Less Than 5%

Increase 
More 
Than 5%

Number of Congregations

Alaska Synod

54.8%

19.4% 25.8% 31

Northwest Washington Synod

44.7% 32.5% 22.8% 114

Southwestern Washington Synod

40.0% 31.6% 28.4% 95

Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod

45.4% 27.8% 26.9% 108

Oregon Synod

46.7% 28.7% 24.6% 122

Montana Synod

49.7% 28.2% 22.1% 149

Sierra Pacific Synod

43.5% 34.3% 22.2% 207

Southwest California Synod

52.1% 24.6% 23.2% 142

Pacifica Synod

48.8% 28.5% 22.8% 123

Grand Canyon Synod

40.4% 24.8% 34.9% 109

Rocky Mountain Synod

48.0% 22.0% 29.9% 177

Western North Dakota Synod

52.8% 35.0% 12.2% 197

Eastern North Dakota Synod

45.0% 33.1% 21.9% 242

South Dakota Synod

50.8% 28.0% 21.3% 254

Northwestern Minnesota Synod

44.0% 30.7% 25.3% 277

Northeastern Minnesota Synod

43.2% 27.7% 29.1% 148

Southwestern Minnesota Synod

48.7% 31.4% 19.9% 277

Minneapolis Area Synod

40.7% 29.3% 29.9% 167

Saint Paul Area Synod

40.9% 27.0% 32.2% 115

Southeastern Minnesota Synod

40.2% 35.3% 24.5% 184

Nebraska Synod

52.1% 27.0% 20.9% 263

Central States Synod

51.2% 28.9% 19.9% 211

Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod

64.4% 22.0% 13.6% 59

Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod

49.2% 25.8% 25.0% 120

Southwestern Texas Synod

45.5% 32.6% 21.9% 178

Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod

53.5% 24.4% 22.0% 127

Metropolitan Chicago Synod

40.9% 29.5% 29.5% 220

Northern Illinois Synod

47.6% 31.7% 20.7% 164

Central/Southern Illinois Synod

41.8% 36.7% 21.5% 158

Southeastern Iowa Synod

41.1% 31.8% 27.2% 151

Western Iowa Synod

55.8% 27.9% 16.3% 172

Northeastern Iowa Synod

51.9% 27.0% 21.1% 185

Northern Great Lakes Synod

50.0% 30.9% 19.1% 94

Northwest Synod of Wisconsin

42.0% 24.1% 34.0% 212

East-Central Synod of Wisconsin

41.0% 29.9% 29.2% 144

Greater Milwaukee Synod

43.3% 25.5% 31.2% 141

South-Central Synod of Wisconsin

39.3% 30.0% 30.7% 150

LaCrosse Area Synod

43.2% 25.9% 30.9% 81

Southeast Michigan Synod

39.6% 30.2% 30.2% 139

North/West Lower Michigan Synod

41.2% 25.2% 33.6% 131

Indiana-Kentucky Synod

42.5% 31.4% 26.1% 226

Northwestern Ohio Synod

52.4% 28.3% 19.3% 187

Northeastern Ohio Synod

51.0% 32.2% 16.8% 208

Southern Ohio Synod

38.8% 37.1% 24.1% 237

New Jersey Synod

45.1% 29.5% 25.4% 193

New England Synod

37.0% 35.4% 27.5% 189

Metropolitan New York Synod

39.8% 36.2% 24.0% 221

Upstate New York Synod

53.3% 29.7% 16.9% 195

Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod

47.6% 32.3% 20.1% 294

Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod

50.3% 30.3% 19.4% 175

Slovak Zion Synod

56.7% 30.0% 13.3% 30

Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod

52.2% 27.8% 20.0% 90

Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod

53.7% 26.4% 19.9% 216

Allegheny Synod

45.4% 43.1% 11.5% 130

Lower Susquehanna Synod

58.1% 24.0% 18.0% 267

Upper Susquehanna Synod

53.6% 27.1% 19.3% 140

Delaware-Maryland Synod

44.0% 25.0% 31.0% 184

Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod

36.4% 37.7% 26.0% 77

West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod

54.8% 19.4% 25.8% 62

Virginia Synod

42.1% 33.5% 24.4% 164

North Carolina Synod

42.0% 34.5% 23.5% 238

South Carolina Synod

34.9% 39.8% 25.3% 166

Southeastern Synod

42.6% 25.4% 32.0% 169

Florida-Bahamas Synod

40.5% 31.4% 28.1% 210

Caribbean Synod

17.6% 41.2% 41.2% 34

ELCA Total

46.1% 30.1% 23.9% 10,640

Data from Annual Congregational Report Forms. Prepared by the ELCA Department for Research and Evaluation 11/08/04.