Religious Affairs Correspondent Emily Buchanan looks at ways it is trying to reach out to more people. All Saints in Woodford, Essex, is one of the 6,500 churches across the country holding courses in Christianity for beginners. Alpha groups are designed to attract new believers, and so far more than a million have attended. Alpha classes have been a huge success Lectures are always followed by supper - the relaxed style being different from most people's experience of church, and seems to be the key to Alpha's success.
Every time is different.
It has completely changed my life. Church leaders are noticeably more upbeat than they were in the dark days of rows over women priests and plummeting congregations. Some even dare talk of a revival. In the old days the church used to wait for the public to come to it, now in the run up to the next millennium, the church is going to the public. The Church of England has also enlisted the help of marketing consultants to broaden its appeal.