Easter 2012 saw the highest attendance in the last decade, at 54,700. Attendance at midweek services has grown most, from 8,900 in 2002 to 16,800, while Sunday attendance has grown from 17,500 to 19,100.

The numbers of children and young people attending educational events is the highest for 10 years (306,800 in 2012 compared to 265,100 in 2002).

After reading from Acts 4: 32-37, Archbishop Justin said:

Now, first of all, if you'll excuse me being quite impolite, the trouble with New Wineskins is that they get older. I'm looking around. I look in the mirror. It's a bit frightening. That may seem shocking and rude, but I'm afraid it's true, and it is the pattern of all renewal in the Church. As they get older, they accumulate bits and pieces that attach to them; they get baggage.

On Friday, the Archbishop told Radio Four's Today programme that he was "embarrassed" and "irritated" by the news - uncovered by the Financial Times - but that he had "no illusions" about the complexity of investment.

Lambeth Palace said that they had been unaware of the investment. "We will be asking the assets committee of the Church Commissioners to investigate how this has occurred and to review the holding."

As major cultural shifts take place it is always necessary to be self-critical. Have I, have we, been wrong? The church itself has many embarrassing skeletons in the cupboard. One of the oldest Anglican mission societies once owned slaves in the West Indies; only three weeks ago the General Synod offered an apology for the Church of England's failures over the issue of child abuse in decades past.