FINDINGS from UCC FACT Survey March, 2011 Results are based on the responses of 642 congregations....

FINDINGS from UCC FACT Survey

March, 2011

Results are based on the responses of 642 congregations. Because the interfaith project is still underway, please do not publicly distribute these findings.

Patterns of Weekend Worship

Sunday AM 1 service79%

Sunday evening

5%

Friday1% Saturday

3%

Sunday AM 3 or more services

1%Sunday AM 2

services11%

5-Year Changes in Worship

Changed a lot5%

Added different service

9%

Changed a little31%

No change36%

Changed somewhat

19%

Average Worship Attendance 2010

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%P

erce

nt

People in Attendance

Change in Attendance, 2005-2010

0

5

10

15

20

25

30Pe

rcen

t

2005 2010

Components of Worship

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Churches

Prayers of the people

Organ

Passing the Peace

Choir

Projection

Communion

Drums

Electric guitar/bass

Healing prayer

Children read

Testimony

Kneeling

Always Often Sometimes Seldom

Descriptions of Worship

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Churches

Filled w/ God's presence

Thought-provoking

Joyful

Inspirational

Reverent

Innovative

Very Well Quite Well Somewhat Slightly

Clergy Rating of Worship

Excellent30%

OK15%

Needs improvement

2%

Solid, good53%

Programs and Activities of at least 65% of Congregations

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Churches

Community services

Sunday school

Music program

Fellowship activities

Bible Studies

Women's ministry

Youth activities

Adult faith devel.

Children's programs

Specialty A lot of emphasis Some emphasis

Programs and Activities of Fewer than 65% of Congregations

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Churches

Prayer groups

Men's ministry

Support groups

Children's choir

Young adult activities

Spiritual retreats

Parenting

Sports

Specialty A lot of emphasis Some emphasis

Ways Visitors are Contacted

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent Using Each Method

By mail

By phone

By email

Send info

By visit

Rarely contact

Rarely have visitors

Mission Activities

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Congregations Doing Each Activity

Collected $

Collected items

Hosted speaker

Sponsored US trip

Sponsored a child

Sponsored trip overseas

Sent long-term volunteers

How Congregations Distribute their Mission Donations

25 %

23%

51%

through UCCthrough other agenciesown projects

• 10% gave nothing through UCC; 5% gave all through UCC

• 22% gave nothing through other agencies, 1% gave all through other agencies

• 31% gave nothing through self-generated projects, 2% gave all through self-generated projects

Community Ministries

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Congregations with this Ministry

Food Pantry

Cash assist

Elderly

Social issues

Day care

Health ed

Tutoring

Voter ed

Financial counseling

Immigrants

AIDS

Job help

Emphasis on Religious Practices

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Churches Emphasizing the Practice

Personal prayer

Personal Bible study

Family talk re faith

Tithing

Family devotions

Keeping Sabbath

No premarital sex

Fasting

Dietary restrictions

A lot Quite a bit Some A little

Use of Electronic Media

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent Using Each

E-mail

Web site

Facebook

VANCO

Blogs

Podcasts

On-line giving

Other

Mission and Identity

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Percent of Churches

Wants to grow

Close-knit family

Holds strong beliefs

Wants diversity

Spiritually alive

Celebrates heritage

Participates in UCC

Works for justice

Willing to change

Clear mission

Moral beacon

Not distinctive

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral/unsure Disagree Strongly disagree

Theological Outlook of Congregation

Somewhat liberal23%

Very liberal11%

Somewhat conservative

24%

Very conservative

4%

Moderate38%

Regular Participants in Religious Activities

0

5

10

15

20

25P

erce

nt o

f C

ongr

egat

ions

Number of Regular Participants

Percent of the Congregation that is White

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent White

Percent of the Congregation Aged 65 or Over

0

5

10

15

20

25

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent 65 or Over

Percent of the Congregation Aged 50 to 64

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent 50 to 64


05

10152025303540

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent 35 to 49


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Aged 18 to 34


05

101520253035404550

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Aged 0 to 17

Percent of the Congregation that is Female

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Female

Percent of the Congregation who are College Graduates

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent College Graduates

Percent of the Congregation who are New in Past Five Years

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent New

Percent of the Congregation who are “Out” LGBT

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent LGBT

Percent of the Congregation who are Lifelong UCC

0

5

10

15

20

25

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Lifelong UCC

Percent of the Congregation Who Live within 15 Minutes of Church

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Living within 15 Minutes of Church

People Associated with the Congregation

0

5

10

15

20

25P

erce

nt

Number of People

Clergy Leadership

Senior & Asso(s)17%

Co-pastors3%

No pastor2%

Solo pastor78%

Clergy Age and Gender

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Num

ber

of C

lerg

y

20s 30s 40s 50s 60 to64

65 to69

70 andoverAge

Female Male

Clergy Employment Status

Full-time paid64%

Part-time paid34%

Part-time unpaid

1%

Full-time unpaid

1%

Clergy Educational Level

Masters/MDiv65%

PhD/DMin21%

Some College4%

High School1%

Bachelor's 9%

Clergy Race/Ethnicity

Not stated8%

Pacific Islander1%

White84%

Native American< 0.5%

African American

4%Biracial1%

Asian2%

Year of Call to This Church

02468

101214

Per

cent

Bef

ore

1980

1980

s

1990

-199

1

1992

-199

3

1994

-199

5

1996

-199

7

1998

-199

9

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Year Called

Time Spent in Ministry Tasks

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Percent

Worship

Pastoral care

Teaching

Administration

Setting vision

Community

Wider church

Youth/YA

Conflict

Small groups

Evangelism

Stewardship

Leader devel.

Great deal Quite a bit Some Very little

Participation in Interfaith Activities

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Congregations

Worship

Service

Cultural events

Fellowship

With Christians With Other Faiths

Conflicts in Last 5 Years

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent

Pastor's behavior

Program priorities

Facilit ies

Members' behavior

Pastor's leadership

General Synod

Worship

Finances

None Not serious

Conflicts in Last 5 Years

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent

Pastor's leadership

Pastor's behavior

Finances

Members' behavior

Worship

Program priorities

General Synod

Facilit ies

Pastor left People withheld $ People left

Size of 2010 Budget

02468

101214

Per

cent

Les

s th

an 2

5K

25 t

o 50

K

50 t

o 75

K

75 t

o 10

0K

100

to 1

25K

125

to 1

50K

150

to 1

75K

175

to 2

00K

200

to 2

50K

250

to 3

00K

300

to 3

50K

350

to 4

00K

400

to 5

00K

500K

to

1M

Ove

r 1M

Budget in Thousands of Dollars

Percent of the Budget Spent on Staff

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Spent on Staff

Percent of the Budget Spent on Building Operations

05

10152025303540

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Spent on Building Operations

Percent of the Budget Spent on Program Support and Materials

0102030405060708090

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Spent on Program Support

Percent of the Budget Spent on Mission

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Spent on Mission

Percent of the Budget Spent on Other Expenditures

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent Spent on Other Expenditures

Percent of the Congregation who Pledge

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent who Pledge

Percent of the Congregation who Pay Pledges in Full (of Pledgers)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Per

cent

of

Con

greg

atio

ns

Percent who Pay Pledge in Full

Change in Financial Health, 2005-2010

05

101520253035404550

Per

cent

Seriousdifficulty

Somedifficulty

Tight, butwe

manage

Good Excellent

20052010

Impact of 2008-09 Economic Crisis

05

1015202530354045

Per

cent

Incomedeclined a

lot

Declined alittle

Declinedbut

rebounded

Nosignificant

change

Income hasgrown

Ways the Economic Crisis Impacted Congregations

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent Reporting Some Impact

$ from investments

$ for mission

Salary freeze

$ for building

Hiring freeze

Staff layoffs

Major Moderate Minor

Ways the Economic Crisis Impacted Congregations

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent Reporting Some Impact

Members unemployed

Cash requests

Counseling requests

Housing requests

Major Moderate Minor

Participation in Vitality Training

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Per

cent

Not at all A little Some Significant

Impact of Still-Speaking

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent

No impact

Members learned re UCC

Members increased pride in UCC

A few new people attended

Aroused controversy

Many new people attended

Agreement with Vitality Components

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent

Makes a real difference to members

Morale is high

Focused on wider community

Shared vision and goals

Excitement about future

Ready to try new

Strongly agree Agree

Agreement with “Our congregation is a vital congregation.”

Strongly Agree20%

Agree49%

Unsure or Mixed21%

Disagree8%

Strongly Disagree

2%

Ways the Congregation Changed in Last 5 Years

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent

Spiritually

Fellowship

Affect members

Mission

Organizational

Stewardship

Evangelizing

Great deal stronger Moderately stronger A little stronger

Location of Church

Rural19%Older city

neighborhood11%

Older suburb10%

Newer suburb1%

Large town18%

Village/small town32%

Downtown city9%

UCC Region

Western15%

Plains16%

Great Lakes22%

New England21%

Middle Atlantic

20%

Southern6%

Sanctuary Seating Capacity

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Per

cen

t o

f C

hu

rch

es

50 o

r le

ss

50-1

00

100-

150

150-

200

200-

250

250-

300

300-

400

400-

500

500-

750

750-

100

0

Ove

r 10

00

Sanctuary Seating Capacity

Year Organized

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40P

erce

nt

of C

ongr

egat

ion

s

1700or

earlier

1701-1750

1751-1800

1801-1850

1851-1900

1901-1950

1951-2000

Since2000

Organization Date

Building Adequacy

05

101520253035404550

Per

cent

of

chur

ches

Much lessthan

needed

Slightlyless

Aboutright

Slightlymore

Muchmore than

needed

Worship space Parking

FINDINGS from UCC FACT Survey March, 2011 Results are based on the responses of 642 congregations....

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