congregants

Congregants are individuals who belong to or regularly attend a congregation, the organized body that gathers for worship, study, and communal activities. The term is most often used in religious contexts to refer to people who participate in the life of a worshiping community, regardless of whether they hold formal membership. In some denominations, congregants have voting rights or other duties, while in others formal membership is separate from regular attendance.

The word emphasizes participation and belonging to a local group rather than a person’s legal status. In practice, congregants may include long-time members, first-time attendees, or visitors who come for services, concerts, or rites. Some congregations maintain rolls of congregants for records, stewardship, and governance, while others rely on informal understandings of who attends.

Usage varies by tradition. In many Christian churches, parishioner is used for members of a parish, while congregant is common in broader or ecumenical contexts; in synagogues or mosques, congregant is widely used to describe attendees and participants. The term can also be applied beyond strictly religious groups, to any assembled crowd that shares a space for a common purpose, though it remains most typical in religious discourse.

Etymology: from Latin congregare, to bring together; congregant as someone who is gathered. The plural form is congregants.

Overall, congregants are essential to the social and ritual life of a congregation, contributing to worship, support, and governance through attendance, participation, and stewardship.