Readers wade in about relevance of The United Church Observer magazine

The United Church's online forum wondercafe.ca carries a discussion  about the relevance of the United Church Observer magazine. The venerable Observer (founded in 1829 and the oldest continuously published magazine in North America) is struggling with declining circulation as the size of church's membership declines.  Its circulation is now about 60,000, down from about 82,500 in 2002. (Most of the magazine's circulation is qualified, paid for by individual congregations and then mailed individually to their members.)

The discussion was kicked off by a member of Zion United Church in Thessalon, Ontario who claims to be one half of the first gay marriage in the United Church in northern Ontario.

• I would love to hear folks impression of how relevant The Observer is in their lives, their congregational life, and the church at large.  Does it connect you with the national church or isolate you?   Who do you think reads the Observer?

 Some selected comments:

• I still find it to be thought provoking and that it cobbles together an interesting mix of world, big church little church issues.  Our congregation had stopped doing the group discount thing but our new minister revived it and there have been a number of new subscriptions....My guess is the average reader is over 50.

• I think it is essential, and am an advocate for everyone getting one as part of being a member of the church.

• The cover story this month is about an American town rebuilding after a tornado and being green. Most of the stories inside are about the troubles of the UCC. Relevant?

• Was it ever relevant, or does it just reflect a 'Toronto' view of the church?

• I read what I can on the web, when I remember. I do not get the Observer through my church, because I keep forgetting  to ask.   Also I am ambivalent about having more paper come through the mail. I never read anything but school text books from paper, almost  everything else I read is "online" on my computer or my iPod Touch.  It easier for me, and I do not have to worry about wasting paper. Paper is good for some, but not for me.

• ...the question is not what I like or don't like about it - it's whether The Observer is relevant, and I'm not sure how to define "relevant." It's still my main source of information for the United Church across the country, but to be perfectly honest I wouldn't pay for a subscription myself.

• Haven't seen it in a long time, but should pick it up again some day. It was one of my favorites of the various magazines my family was getting when I was in my teens and twenties. The coverage of both church issues and general issues from a UCC perspective was excellent at that time (80s, mostly).

• Does it do its job - yes - do I find it adds to my life - no - but that is not its job - the theological stuff is thin - but I don't go to it for that. Takes about an half hour to read it.  I am glad I get it -yes  Would I miss it -no