[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] Presiding Bishop  Michael Curry has announced the planned retirement of C. Kirk Hadaway as Officer for Congregational Research at the Episcopal Church, a position he has held since 2002.

“Kirk’s work and service to the church has helped the church to hold itself accountable,” Curry said.  “His insights, his wisdom and his statistical analysis have helped clarify with the actual mission context that we are currently living in, and in which we seek to bear witness to Jesus Christ. He has done this,  helping us to practice our faith in the contact of the hard facts of the world.  Faith gets real when the word becomes flesh and dwells among us. Kirk has helped us to keep it real.”

Hadaway, a resident of Florida, has authored eight books, including Behold I do a New Thing: Transforming Communities of Faith (Pilgrim Press, 2001), Rerouting the Protestant Mainstream: Sources of Growth and Opportunities for Change (Abingdon Press, 1995) and Church and Denominational Growth (Abingdon Press, 1993).  In addition, he has published over 60 articles on congregations, church trends and the sociology of religion in books, professional journals, and magazines.  He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Prior to his Episcopal Church position, Hadaway was minister for research and evaluation at the national offices of the United Church of Christ.

Hadaway will retire November 30.