In mid-December 2019 the first case of the coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China. During the first week of January the Center for Disease Control was made aware of the illness in China. By January 15 the first American COVID case was found in Washington state. Five days later the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and on March 11 a worldwide pandemic was declared.

Meanwhile American life as we knew it continued unabated. The Super Bowl was played in Miami, Mardi Gras was held in New Orleans and churches were recovering from their lavish Christmas celebrations while actively planning for their Lenten events.

Then on March 12, in a proactive move, Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said he would support the shutdown of Episcopal churches to help control the spread of COVID-19. Throughout the church, diocesan bishops took him up on the deal. As the dioceses issued orders to curtail in-person worship one by one local churches closed their doors to parishioners in keeping with public health guidelines and diocesan encouragement.

Not only were churches shuttered but schools were closed, businesses were shut down and 21st century American life came to a screeching halt. Streets emptied. For the most part churches were deemed a non-essential part of American life during the shutdown. Grocery stores were considered essential, the abortion mill was considered necessary health care, liquor stores were also considered essential, but churches were not considered an important part of the emerging pandemic life. They were closed tight.

In quick order the 2020 Easter and Christmas celebrations were cancelled. Even open-air worship was forbidden, and clergy who tried outdoor services were faced with arrest, so they turned to the Internet to try and stay connected with their lockdown parishioners. Online services sprang up.

Now the 2021 Episcopal Church statistics have finally been released and they tell a sad tale of woe. Across the board dioceses not only suffered single digit statistical losses but double-digit losses. The number that really reflects the near total devastation wrought by the shutdown is the Average Sunday Attendance -- that is, how many people are in the pews for worship service. During the rest of 2020 and much of 2021 the answer was zero.

The two-year pandemic hit the churches with a devastating one-two punch. The numbers reveal the accumulative COVID losses. The percentages are brutal. It is left to be seen if the churches can rebound from such colossal losses or will the pews remain relatively empty as the rest of society returns to some degree of normalcy.

The church's statistics revealed the damage done. Below is a diocese-by-diocese breakdown of the two-year pandemic ASA percentages. The domestic ASA dropped below 500,000 for the first time in 2020 to 458,179. It dropped even more in 2021 to 293,851. All dioceses suffered double-digit percentage losses.

The numbers also reflect how harsh COVID restrictions were at the state, county, and community levels or by the local diocese.

Some states, counties, communities, and dioceses were draconian in their implementation of COVID restrictions. Other governors and bishops were less restrictive.

All dioceses suffered losses depending on how COVID was impacting their locality. But all-in-all Episcopal churches suffered huge losses, no matter their location, thus forcing 62 congregations to disband permanently.

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
(Domestic Dioceses)
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --11.6% (458,179)
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --36.1% (293,851)
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.3%

ALABAMA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --9.0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --33.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --39.5%

ALASKA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --16.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --39.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --49.3%

ALBANY
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --24.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --24.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.3%

ARIZONA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --19.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --30.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.3%

ARKANSAS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --2.0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --42.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.3%

ATLANTA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --11.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --41.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --50.8%

BETHLEHEM
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --8.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --37.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.1%

CALIFORNIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --9.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --35.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.3%

CENTRAL FLORIDA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --5.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --39.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.5%

CENTRAL GULF COAST
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --30.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --17.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.5%

CENTRAL NEW YORK
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --11.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --31.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --39.2%

CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --24.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --29.3%

CHICAGO
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --16.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --40.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --50.1%

COLORADO
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --5.8%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --39.1%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.7%

CONNECTICUT
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --9.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --41.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --47.3%

DALLAS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --1.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --44.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --45.3%

DELAWARE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --5.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --40.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --44.1%

EAST CAROLINA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --12.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --28.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --37.5%

EAST TENNESSEE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --39.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.5%

EASTERN MICHIGAN
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --15.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --25.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --36.7%

EASTERN OREGON
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --16.3%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --34.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --45.1%

EASTON
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --17.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --46.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --37.5%

EAU CLAIRE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --39.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --2.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --41.0%

EL CAMINO REAL
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --13.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --34.1%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.8%

FLORIDA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --4.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --34.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --37.6%

FOND DU LAC
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --15.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --27.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.5%

(TEC) FORT WORTH
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --50.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: +67.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --14.8%

GEORGIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --9.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --42.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --47.9%

HAWAII
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --0.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --42.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.8%

IDAHO
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --26.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --16.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.3%

INDIANAPOLIS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: ±0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --38.5%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.5%

IOWA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --21.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --48.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --37.7%

KANSAS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --1.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --41.1%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.3%

KENTUCKY
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --9.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --34.1%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --40.5%

LEXINGTON
SINGLE YEAR 2020: +1.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --50.8%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --50.3%

LONG ISLAND
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --28.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --30.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --50.5%

LOS ANGELES
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --31.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --15.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --42.1%

LOUISIANA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --18.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --26.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --40.2%

MAINE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --12.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --26.8%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --35.9%

MARYLAND
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --2.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --49.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --50.5%

MASSACHUSETTS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --14.8%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --38.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --47.2%

MICHIGAN
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --36.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --40.8%

MILWAUKEE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --14.8%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --25.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --36.4%

MINNESOTA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --15.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --33.8%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --44.2%

MISSISSIPPI
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --13.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --29.5%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --39.2%

MISSOURI
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --4.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --36.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.9%

MONTANA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --8.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --32.5%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.1%

NAVAJOLAND
SINGLE YEAR 2020: +5.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --44.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --41.9%

NEBRASKA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --5.8%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --27.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --31.6%

NEVADA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --15.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --40.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --49.3%

NEW HAMPSHIRE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: +2.3%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --38.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --37.2%

NEW JERSEY
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --16.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --26.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.4%

NEW YORK
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --34.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --38.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --55.5%

NEWARK
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --11.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --48.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --54.3%

NORTH CAROLINA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --2.8%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --52.8%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --54.1%

NORTH DAKOTA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --16.8%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --12.8%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --27.4%

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --26.0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --45.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --46.7%

NORTHERN INDIANA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --8.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --30.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --41.7%

NORTHERN MICHIGAN
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --39.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: +24.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --24.9%

NORTHWEST TEXAS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --0.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --33.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --33.5%

NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --3.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --33.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --35.7%

OHIO
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --9.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --37.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.2%

OKLAHOMA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --15.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --24.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --36.2%

OLYMPIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --15.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --45.8%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --54.2%

OREGON
SINGLE YEAR 2020: +3.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --56.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --54.7%

PENNSYLVANIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --27.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --34.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --52.1%

(TEC) PITTSBURGH
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --4.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --35.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.2%

RHODE ISLAND
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --8.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --30.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --36.5%

RIO GRANDE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --5.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --36.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --39.8%

ROCHESTER
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.3%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --37.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --41.7%

SAN DIEGO
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --2.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --44.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --45.8%

(TEC) SAN JOAQUIN
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --17.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --22.8%

(TEC) SOUTH CAROLINA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --5.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --26.3%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --30.4%

SOUTH DAKOTA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --28.0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: +5.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --24.1%

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --13.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --36.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --45.5%

SOUTHERN OHIO
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --0.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --36.1%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.22%

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --7.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --39.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --43.4%

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: +3.6%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --41.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.8%

SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --5.8%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --43.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --46.7%

SPOKANE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.3%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --34.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.8%

SPRINGFIELD
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --32.5%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --36.7%

TENNESSEE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --35.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --0.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --36%

TEXAS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --4.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --43.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --45.6%

UPPER SOUTH CAROLINA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --24.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --35.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --51.2%

UTAH
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --13.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --29.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --39.3%

VERMONT
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --16.0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --29.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --40.4%

VIRGINIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --16.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --33.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --28%

WASHINGTON, DC
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --12.1%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --41.9%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --49%

WEST MISSOURI
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --2.3%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --32.6%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --34.2%

WEST TENNESSEE
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --34.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --35.4%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --51.2%

WEST TEXAS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --2.2%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --39.1%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --40.3%

WEST VIRGINIA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --23.0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --22.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --40.0%

WESTERN KANSAS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --6.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --24.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --29.3%

WESTERN LOUISIANA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --28.9%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: +9.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --22.3%

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --19.7%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --24.0%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --38.9%

WESTERN MICHIGAN
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --7.5%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --30.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --35.4%

WESTERN NEW YORK
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --21.4%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --25.2%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --41.2%

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --9.0%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --27.7%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --34.2%

WYOMING
SINGLE YEAR 2020: --10.3%
SINGLE YEAR 2021: --14.1%
COMBINED PANDEMIC TOTAL: --23.9%

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline