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mission shaped church

  The rise in the number of single people, and the delay in having

children,

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means that there is a significant group of people in their

twenties who do not have children, and so child friendly activities (and,

indeed, morning activities at the weekend) may not be something they

can relate to.

free time and television

  Taking part in sporting activities, whether alone or as a member of a

team or a club, is a popular way of spending leisure time.

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Walking and

swimming are the most popular, with 20 per cent and 15 per cent of 

the population participating.

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These are often Sunday activities, and in

particular children's sport often occurs on Sundays as well as Saturdays

and midweek.

  The biggest change in leisure time in the past 50 years has been in the

hours spent watching television. In the year 2000, adults spent an

average of nearly 20 hours a week, just under 3 hours a day.

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a fragmented society

One key conclusion from these snapshots of British society is that we are

living increasingly fragmented lives. People who have had a longer

education are more likely to live away from their parents, and are more

likely to be civically engaged (i.e. involved in community groups or local

politics).

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People from the manual sections of the community are more

likely to live near family and less likely to join local groups. Young adults

may not join local groups, but will have an active friendship network. 

In any particular town there are many people who will never meet, even

though they live nearby. They get in the car to travel to see the people 

they know and so do not meet the people who live close to them.

When they do have time, those who live away from their relatives, or who

have children who live with ex spouses, will visit them. People no longer

view Sunday as special, or as `church time'. Children are much more 

likely to be playing sport than being in Sunday school or church.

the power of networks

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The Western world, at the start of the third millennium, is best described 

as a `network society'. This is a fundamental change: `the emergence of 

a new social structure'.

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In a network society the importance of place is

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