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How is individual Attendance Tracked

  • 1.  How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-26-2025 09:10 AM
    We have 2 services each Sunday and about 100-250 in each service. We typical have between 10 and 50 visitors.
    We were tracking attendance by asking people to sign a pew pad but found that many people were not using the pads.

    What methods can be used to track individual attendance? Particularly for members.

    Thanks

    Peter Gardner - Elder
    Lakeside Lutheran Church Venice Florida


  • 2.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-27-2025 07:12 AM

    First of all, the number of visitors you're blessed with is wonderful!

    Our church has a single service on Sunday morning with an average attendance of 110 to 120.  We also have a Monday evening service which is much smaller at 10-20.

    We too ask for folks to sign pew cards specifically during offering.  Pastor uses a phrase like, we ask that you bless the Lord with your offerings and kindly remind you to register your presence using the attendance book in your pew. I'd say most everyone does.  In fact everyone does. 

    Additionally, about 20 minutes into service one of the day's ushers will go in the balcony and while the congregation is seated, perform a head count of all people including children. 

    Finally,  at communion, another usher counts communicants as they're released from their seats. 

    Rudimentary but it serves our needs.

    Blessings,

    Marc



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    Marc Dunker
    Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, LCMS, St. Cloud, Minnesota
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-27-2025 09:28 AM

    I'm excited to hear what others use also, I just brought up to our council that I would like to make it electronic somehow. So I'm super interested and hope Churches chime in. 

    Thank you in advance 



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    Lynette George
    Evergreen Lutheran Church & Preschool
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-28-2025 06:09 PM

    We currently have one service on Sundays.  Our average attendance is 55.  Our ushers count the number of people in attendance and the number that commune.  We have a member list that they check those in attendance.  We usually have an elder, Pastor and a couple of members in the Narthex after Church and one or more of them ask visitors to sign our guest book.

    We have tried pew pads and never had acceptable luck with them.  No one seemed to want to fill them out, and there really is not a good time during the service for everyone to sign in on one of those.



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    Steve Merry
    Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-30-2025 09:32 AM
    We have two services with average attendance around 190 including about 10-15 visitors. We use pads and have ushers count. We also count communion cups to keep track of total taking communion. It's hit or miss if people sign the pad. If the pastor mentions it, more people sign. The numbers between usher count and signers on the pad usually don't match but we've managed to get pretty close much of the time. 

    We use Shepherd Staff. I tried their web app for attendance about 5 years ago but it was slow and hard to use. Maybe it's improved since then and I'm considering trying it again.  I've tried writing down everyone I see in the service I'm at since I know most of the people.  Sometimes our Power Point person in the balcony takes a picture and I can identify people from that. 

    The best we ever did for tracking attendance was during COVID when I wrote down everyone as they came into church ��. The best part of that was people were happy when I knew who they were and had them written down before they got to the table. People like it when you know them and greet them by name!

    Ginny Ranisate, Office Manager
    St. Johns Lutheran Church
    803 W First St
    Park Rapids, MN 56470
    218-732-9783



    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-29-2025 01:56 PM
    I once visited a church that had QR codes in each pew. Scanning it with your phone would take you to a Google Form that asked for name, address, etc.

    Steve Haar
    Operations Manager
    St. Paul Lutheran Church and School, Catonsville
    410/747-1897



    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-29-2025 09:21 AM
    Each Sunday, a different elder is on duty. He stands in the narthex and greets those who come to worship. As he does, he also marks those in attendance in our church database using an app on his phone. About 10 minutes after the service has started, the elder on duty goes up to the balcony and looks for anyone he may have missed earlier. We are using Breeze Church Management for our database.

    Steve Haar
    Operations Manager
    St. Paul Lutheran Church and School, Catonsville
    410/747-1897



    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-29-2025 05:58 PM

    Hi Peter, others,

    Our church doesn't track it currently at all, but our software "Church360Members" by Concordia Technology Solutions has the ability. 

    What do you do with the information once you have it? What did you say to the members about why it is important to sign a pew pad? I'm asking because I work closely with the Elders in our church and it would be nice to be able to share the benefits with them.



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    Marjaana Kuivalainen
    All Saints Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-29-2025 06:57 PM
    We had been recording individual attendance via pew fellowship pads and our admin would enter individual attendance in 360, but not everyone filled out the pads.  We are currently in search of a better plan.

    The Elders look in 360 to see who has not been in worship for extended periods.  Elders then follow up with the people to determine if they would like a home visit and if they are still in the area.  We also have our financial people review giving and check local real estate records which are publicly available to see if their home has changed hands.

    We have started putting emergency contacts for each family in 360.  This is helpful in tracking down folks that may have moved to assisted living, etc.

    We have many seasonal members so we try to keep our roster up to date. Sometimes, members will be missing one year but return the next.  Sometimes older members will stay up north with family and not return.

    Our elders have been diligent in trying to keep the member list up to date.  It has taken a few years and is a work in progress.




    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-30-2025 09:38 AM
    We used to have a process where we reviewed regular attendees each month. If we noticed someone hadn't been there, a card was sent saying we missed them . If they were still absent the next month they got a phone call from an Evangelism board member and the third month their elder or the pastor would contact them. We stopped doing this around COVID and didn't resume it after.

    Ginny Ranisate, Office Manager
    St. Johns Lutheran Church
    803 W First St
    Park Rapids, MN 56470
    218-732-9783



    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: How is individual Attendance Tracked

    Posted 09-30-2025 06:38 PM

    Hi Peter and Ginny,

    Thanks for explaining the process you have (had) in your church!

    Our Elders have their flocks who they pay closer attention to, and discuss any concerns in the monthly Elder meetings. We are also trying to establish a rhythm of Flock Fellowship so that flock members would care for each other.

    I do have a concern that some people fall through the cracks with our current approach, especially since Flock Fellowship is not yet an established part of our church culture. We have over 80 people in our services and only 2-3 Elders to mind the whole congregation. We are also struggling to recruit/raise up new Elders.

    It's helpful to hear what you are doing in other churches, and what is actually working. I like the idea of Elders jotting down who are in attendance, and Admin recording it on the database. I could see that implemented in our church.



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    Marjaana Kuivalainen
    All Saints Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA
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    Original Message


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