Local church magazines – printed on paper – are still reaching tens of thousands of readers, despite the massive impact of the web, social media and online communications.
Journalist Anne Coomes, who has produced ‘Parish Pump,’ a subscription service for church magazine editors for more than 26 years, says the publications are maintaining their popularity in many local areas.
She explained, “Overall, there has been a sharp drop in local churches producing magazines, especially during Covid, but recent years have seen the numbers stabilising, with print publications now maintaining their readerships.
“Many of these readers might not search online for information about the Christian faith or their local church community, so the magazines are reaching numerous people outside the church.”
The importance of print publications in reaching older people has been highlighted by new analysis for the charity Age UK which found that 2.4 million (19 per cent, nearly one in five) older people have limited use of the internet – using it less than once a month or not at all.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has praised the ministry of local church magazines. He said, “Well-produced magazines can play a vital role in helping churches reach out into their local communities, and to bring the Christian gospel into many people’s homes. Even in a digital world, paper-based communications can help build bridges for local churches.”
Coomes added: “These magazines may be the only Christian literature that many people ever see, so they are an important way in which local churches can communicate the gospel to their communities.”
Parish Pump currently provides material to around 950 churches, with an estimated readership of about 180,000.
Rev Peter Crumpler is a Church of England minister in St Albans, Herts, and a former communications director with the CofE.
