And the pastors are trying their best to combat it:
"When we lose the hour, attendance drops off" by about 15 percent, said Bill Agee, a pastor at Hope Community Church in Springfield, Mo.
And his church is not unique. Churches across the country report empty seats and late arrivals.
In an effort to fill the pews, many churches are taking action.
In California, the First Christian Church of Santa Maria is shifting its service times along with the clock. Sunday services will begina half hour later starting this weekend, and the change will be permanent.
[...]
Agee also sends an e-mail to his Missouri congregation, backed up by a note in the church bulletin and a message on the Web site.
But despite their efforts, Agee said, "there's always the ones that seem to completely forget. … We'll see people showing up with no clue that there was a time change."
Families with small children are the most likely to skip church or show up late, though they might not be missing much.
