Online Worship Numbers at two St. John's

In a May 18, 2020 email, Ruby Ng, People's Warden at St. John the Apostle informed diocesan comms that online Sunday services are drawing an average of 95 worshippers since online worship began at the Port Moody parish on March 15. She didn't say whether or not this was a substantial increase over their in-person Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) numbers. The parish also offers a daily noonday Psalm reading and prayers for the community which is posted on the Facebook page as well as on their website. The rector, deacon and members of the Parish will take turns to read the psalms. 

On Tuesday, May 19, the Reverend Patrick Blaney, Rector of St. John the Evangelist, North Vancouver posted all the viewer numbers since that parish began offering online worship broadcasts on March 22. The parish has produced 11 online services and the total number of viewers is 957 which averages out to 87 viewers per. The parishes ASA is around 50 so that is a 74% increase.

In order to determine whether or not online visitors view all or a substantial portion of the worship they will need to take a closer look at the analytics, however, these numbers are impressive.

The two parishes are of similar size and the other similarity is that they are located on very busy streets and both parishes have invested in prominent banner signage indicating to those who pass by that the church and its ministry is alive and well amidst the upheaval of the pandemic. 

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• The front of St. John the Apostle, Port Moody with the banner visible. The cost of the banner was contributed by a friend of the Parish and was put up by volunteer grounds coordinator Tony Lee.
• The front of St. John the Evangelist, North Vancouver. St. John, NV has a banner in the back which is also a fairly visit thoroughfare. Parishioner Donna Lawrence arranged for the two signs and with the help of her daughter, installed the banners.