DIOCESE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE NUMBERS NOSEDIVE UNDER GAY AND STRAIGHT BISHOPS

By David W. Virtue, DD

www.virtueonlione.org

Sept. 9, 2025

It was hoped, and believed, that when the avowed homosexual Vicky Gene Robinson was elected Bishop of New Hampshire, that gays and lesbians would flock to Episcopal churches, especially gay Roman Catholics whose church regards homosexuality then and now, as “intrinsically disordered.”

It never happened.

Under Robinson (IX New Hampshire) who reigned as Bishop ordinary from 2004-2012 the numbers cratered.

MEMBERSHIP in 2004 was 15,531; by the time Robinson retired in 2012 it had dropped to 12,896 a drop of nearly 17% or 2,635.

The number of PARISHES in 2004 was 49; by 2012 it had dropped to 46, a drop of 6%.

COMMUNICANTS in 2004 numbered 12,581, by 2012 it had dropped to 10,154.

AVERAGE SUNDAY ATTENDANCE (ASA) in 2004 was 4,746. By 2012, ASA was down to 4,027, a drop of 719 or 15.1%, during Robinson’s reign.

By 2023, AVERAGE WEEKLY ATTENDANCE, under the new bishop Robert Hirschfield (X New Hampshire) had plummeted to 2,605 a drop of 35%!

CHURCH SCHOOL attendance in 2004 was 1,608; by 2012 it had plunged to 1,051 (557) or 34.6%.

TOTAL BAPTISMS in 2004 was 377; by 2012 it had dropped to 196, a drop of 181 or 48%! For the combined years of both bishops (2004-2023) baptisms plunged by 287 or 76.1%!

TOTAL CONFIRMATIONS in 2004 was 211. By 2023 it had dropped to 75. During the years of Robinson, baptisms dropped by 128 or 60%. By the end of 2023 the combined bishops saw baptisms drop by 64%.

PLATE AND PLEDGE did see a spike in giving that defied the losses. In 2004 giving was $6,091,497; by 2012 giving rose to $6,854,528 for an increase of $743,032 or 12.5%. Under Hirschfield (2013-2023) giving rose by $305,117 or 4.5%.

WEDDINGS in 2004 totaled 153, by 2023 they had plunged to 36 a drop of 76.5%.

The Diocese of New Hampshire may not be representative of every diocese in the country, but it is a fair indicator that overall statistics do not look good with merging dioceses and part time bishops.

The acceptance of gay marriage (B012) has not seen a steady stream of homosexuals coming into the church even though there are now six gay and lesbian bishops functioning in the church. Many branches of the Anglican Communion do not recognize them as legitimate bishops and will not break bread with them.

The Anglican communion is at a cross roads, with two movements – GAFCON and the GSFA – weighing their future, as they await the outcome of who will be the next Archbishop of Canterbury. The jury is still out as to whether the recent election of a lesbian archbishop to the Church in Wales is in fact a deal breaker that could bring about a formal schism within the communion.

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