WHERE WE ARE AT WESTSHORE UU

Responses from the Capital Campaign House Parties and the Beehive Ball 2014-2015

DATA COLLECTED

Beehive Ball Eight topic questions/statements were provided to

attendees Attendees were encouraged to discuss answers with

other partygoers

Capital Campaign meetings Three questions were asked of attendees Answers were provided in moderated small group

settings Responses to two of three questions are included in

analysis

ANALYSIS METHOD

Answers from both settings were read and collated into categories based on similarity of topics

Answers fell into two broad categories: IMPROVEMENTS or ISSUES to be addressed, and SUCCESSES

Some overlap exists between information gathered in both settings due to some congregants attending both events

SUCCESSES Categories include:

Church and Identity; Connect; Grow/learn; Serve/social

responsibility; Sermons/classes; Faith and thought; Tolerance Similar people/safe

space

Family support

Beehive Ball comments: 100 successes vs. 85 improvements

Capital Campaign comments: 28 successes vs. 18 improvements

Beehive Ball * Capital Campaign

Church and Identity 20 1

Connect 18 5

Grow/learn 14 3

Serve/social responsibility

14 4

Sermons/classes 14 5

Faith and thought 12 -

Tolerance 9 3

Similar people/safe space

8 -

Family support 6 4Note: items will not sum to 100 due to overlap between item categorization

EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSESChurch and Identity atheist, humanist, UU by choice

Connect ”I love the people and their beliefs;” extended families

Grow/learn ”I want [my children] to understand what spiritual practice is.”

Serve/social responsibility

“I come to tune up my moral compass”

Sermons/classes “The services and sermons help me to find my way”

Faith and thought “It stimulates my mind and comforts my spirit”

Tolerance “The courage to take a stand on the side of love and social justice is found here”

Similar people/safe space

“To give [my children] chances at life-long friendships with like-minded families.”

Family support “It’s a place to raise our children;” Child Care Center

IMPROVEMENTS/ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

Sound quality Multimedia use Music Services/Worship Building/grounds/

facilities Parking

Advertising/Signage Community Outreach Congregational In-reach Religious Education Congregational

Makeup/Demographics

Beehive Ball comments largely solution-oriented; Capital Campaign comments more general

Categories include:

Beehive Ball Capital Campaign

Sound Quality 5 1

Multimedia Use 9 1

Music 3 -

Worship Services 11 1

Building/grounds/facilities

13 1

Parking 3 -

Advertising/signage 6 -

Community Outreach 12 1

Congregational In-reach

8 9

Religious Education 3 -

Congregational Makeup

4 4

EXAMPLES OF IMPROVEMENTS/ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

Sound System: more lavalier mics

Multimedia: expand/improve wifi coverage

Music: more music in services

Worship services: include more interactive elements

Building/grounds: energy efficiency, solar power

Parking: valet parking Advertising/signage: print

media coverage Community outreach:

community events (aside from music) hosted by the church

Congregational In-reach: “Fully intergenerational social gatherings without a set to accomplish list”

Religious education: “Paid jobs for kids”

Congregational make-up: “Too much separation between the generations”

SO WHAT NOW? DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE

ALL comments should be passed on to appropriate individuals or groups Follow-up on specific issues probably a good idea! Solutions/improvements can or should be addressed based

on feasibility AND impact

Information generated by report should be available to congregation via the church website

Other mechanisms of data collection and analysis should be initiated Current “Ends” survey as one example; Other surveys

planned More feedback and brainstorming at events should be

collected