Have you ever asked, “How many Quakers are there in the world? In the United States? And how do we really know?” Most years, FWCC Section of the Americas asks each yearly meeting in the Americas for their membership statistics. This data is used to produce a statistical map of Friends Around the World every five years. This year, FWCC Americas is collecting more precise data on Quakers in the US in collaboration with the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies.
The U.S. Religion Census was originally conducted by the U.S. government in five special reports from 1890 through 1936. In 1952, the National Council of Churches organized its own religion census, which was repeated in 1971 and 1980 with strong support from Glenmary Research Center.
Since 1990, this decadal census has been conducted by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Coverage now includes many non-Christian groups as well as special counts for religious traditions that do not have central data collection points, such as non-denominational churches or Muslim and Jewish communities. For more information about the census please visit them online at http://www.usreligioncensus.org/
All Yearly Meetings, Friends Churches, Monthly Meetings, Preparatory Meetings, Worship Groups, Independent Meetings, and Online Only gatherings are encouraged to participate in order for the Quaker/Friends testimony and presence to be accurately reflected to the world around us. To see the listings we have, please visit our Find Friends webpage. To update your Meeting’s information, please contact directory@fwccamericas.org
Data collected will not be used for purposes outside the work of the 2020 US Religious Census or the Friends World Committee for Consultation. We hope to expand this effort in coming years to include all the countries in the Americas.
If you are interested in helping us, connecting with other Quakers, and collecting this important data please check the job description and apply today by emailing a resume and cover letter to jobs@fwccamericas.org!