PC(USA) reports a small drop in membership

The Presbyterian Church (USA) lost nearly 27,000 active members in 2025, according to a new report from the mainline denomination. Its active members from last year totaled 1.02 million, down from 1.05 million the previous year. Average weekly attendance was about 43% of the denomination’s membership.

While the report didn’t detail factors behind the drop, over a third of PC(USA) members are over the age of 70, so deaths likely contributed to the change. Roughly 120 churches closed last year, a dozen left the denomination, and a handful of new congregations were established, according to the report. Nearly 180 PC(USA) congregations in 2025 were concurrently listed as members of other denominations. A strategy known as “joint congregational witness” allows congregations to merge, sharing pastors and resources.

The report also noted that just about a quarter of all PC(USA) congregations had 25 or fewer members. The denomination ordained over 100 new ministers in 2025, but more than 500 either died or retired.

Has the PC(USA) decided whether to require its clergy to be in monogamous relationships? Delegates at the denomination’s general assembly considered a proposal that would have required sexually active clergy to be in an exclusive relationship with only one person. They voted to send the proposal to a committee for further study, according to The Presbyterian Outlook. Delegates did not vote for or against the proposal, which had been criticized by progressives. The move would allow for a broader study of the issue, with more funding and expertise, the delegates’ statement said.

Dig deeper: Read Liz Lykins’ report on the controversy surrounding the monogamy proposal.