CHURCHGOERS are being asked how they would encourage more people into pews.
A large drop in the number of worshippers between 2000 and 2002 has led to the formation of the national Church Survey Committee.
The committee has been tasked to find out why attendance to weekly worship is declining so rapidly.
The Church of England lost about 100,000 worshippers between 2000 and 2002 - a fall of almost 8%.
In 2002, the average number of people attending church at least once a week was 1,166,000. In 2000 the figure was 1,274,000.
But, bucking the trend, the number of under-16s attending worship at least once a month rose 1% bet- ween 2001 and 2002.
Results from the survey will be published in the autumn.
Congregations are also being asked what could make church visits more appealing.
The Rev Anthony Howe, the Bishop's chaplain and communications officer for the Diocese of Wakefield - which includes Huddersfield - said: "The whole truth just can't be given in numbers."
Research shows small churches do better than large ones.
"Churches that are quite small are actually holding their own ," said the Rev Howe.
He added that society and churches, were shifting.
"Many churches are moving away from Sunday morning worship for kids. They are doing things at other times in the week."
He said that the parish church remained at the heart of many communities.
