1

Sequim Adventist Community ServicesNeeds Assessment

A report by Monte SahlinInstitute of Church MinistryJuly 2014

Who is Monte Sahlin? A pastor, community organizer and social

analyst for 45 years who has doneanalyst for 45 years who has done assessments in more than 1,000 local communities. He is an associate director at the Institute of Church Ministry at Andrews University, a faculty member in the urban studies department at Eastern University and a senior fellow in the Center for Metropolitan Ministry at WashingtonMetropolitan Ministry at Washington Adventist University. He is the author of 22 books, more than 100 research monographs and many journal articles.

2

Goals of this Study Profile the demographics and religion

f th it d b S iof the community served by Sequim Adventist Community Services.

Provide a community needs assessment.

Put information on the table for planning and p og am de elopmentplanning and program development.

The Sequim Mission Field In a 20 mile radius 79,543 residents in 36,741 households Clallam County has one Adventist for every

117 residents For the entire USA it is 1 to 305 New Guinea: 1 to 25 Zambia: 1 to 22 Zambia: 1 to 22 Jamaica: 1 to 14 Belize: 1 to 10 Antigua: 1 to 8

3

Who are the people livingin this community?

Lifestyle S

CountryF ili

26 other segments

33%Middle Class

Empty-Nesters38%

Segments

Families6% Working Class

& Poor23%

Middle Class Empty-Nesters – 38% Most are over 55 and receiving retirement income;

majority have only a high school education and slightlymajority have only a high school education and slightly below average incomes in White Collar occupations. Primary media preference is local newspaper.

Priority needs: Maintaining personal health, better health care, finding health insurance, finding friends, finding a good church, adequate food and retirement issues.

Involvement in religion is a little above average with above-average interest in New Age ideas Presbyterianabove average interest in New Age ideas, Presbyterian, Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist and Pentecostal religion. Want a church that offers spiritual retreats, food pantry, Bible study groups, retirement support groups, hospice care, doctrinal seminars and an emotional style of worship.

4

Working Class & Poor – 23% Those in rural areas are mostly employed in faming,

forestry or fishing and own their homes Those in urbanforestry or fishing and own their homes. Those in urban areas are either young adults or seniors and rent. Low education and below-average incomes.

Priority needs: Divorce and abusive relationships, finding health insurance, adequate food, affordable housing, ethnic prejudice, finding friends, finding a good church, maintaining health and getting more education.

Involvement in religion is above average among the Involvement in religion is above average among the rural poor and below average among young adults in urban areas. Looking for a church that offers divorce recovery programs, hospice care, senior citizens groups, food pantry, and Bible study groups.

Country Families – 6% Mainly mid-life adults, married, craftsmen and precision

production workers with incomes a little above averageproduction workers with incomes a little above average and high school education. High numbers own trucks, multiple vehicles, law tractors and chain saws.

Priority needs: Child care, parenting skills, finding spiritual teaching, adequate food, problems at school, and time for recreation.

Involvement in religion is average with above-average interest in Adventist Methodist Lutheran andinterest in Adventist, Methodist, Lutheran and Presbyterian faiths as well as non-denominational. Looking for a church that offers family life ministries, a youth group and Bible study groups.

5

Light blue = Middle Class Empty-Nesters

Dark blue, green and yellow = Working Class & PoorDark blue = young adults, Yellow = senior citizens, Green = rural poor

Red = Country Families

Population Growth

83 64283,64279,54368,703

57,680

The Sequim area is growing in population.

*Data for 2017 is projected.

1990 2000 2012 2017*

6

Age Groups

4.4%6.8%

17.7%

26% 25.3%

12.4% SequimNational

4.4%

Under 5 Under 18 Age 65 andolder

Ethnic Minorities

4.3%

12.3%

3.7%

14.5%

SequimNational

1.6%0.5%

3 %

Asian Black Hispanic

7

Immigrants

4.9%

12.5%

5.9%

19.6%

SequimNational

Foreign born Speak anotherlanguage at home

Housing72.5%

67 1%67.1%

27.5%32.9% Sequim

National

Owner-occupied Renter-occupied

8

Education55.9%

49 6%49.6%

26.3% 27.4%SequimNational

Secondary diploma College degree

Married

56.5%52.2% 51.7%

48.2%

SequimNational

Men Women

9

Special Needs

15.5%

19.3% 19.4%

10.1% Clallam CtyNational

Disabled Veterans

Median Household Income

$

$37,250$42,257 $43,732

$52,599

SequimNational

2000 2012

10

Occupations

Blue collar workers

26%

Serviceworkers

Management & Professional

27%

o e s17%

Office & sales30%

Poverty

6.5%

7.9%

5.1%6.2%

SequimNational

Households withchildren

Households withoutchildren

11

Cost of Housing

$1,589 $1,486

$614 $657 SequimNational

Median monthlymortgage

Median monthlyrent/lease

Religious Preferences of Local Residents

OthOther13%

Evangelical24%

Catholic16%

No religion23%

Protestant24%

12

Religious Involvement of Local Residents

40%35% 35%

24%

30%35%

SequimNational

Stronglyinvolved

Somewhatinvolved

Notinvolved

Change in Religious Involvement of Residents

19% 20%22%

24%

SequimNational

Increased involvementin last 10 years

Decreased involvementin last 10 years

13

Values: Belief about God

86% 84%86% 84%

67% 64%

SequimNational

There is a God God is active

Social Values93% 91%

83% 83%83% 83%

SequimNational

Preserve traditionalfamily values

Environment is anational crisis

14

Community Services

50% 50%

63% 63%

SequimNational

Government shouldprovide

Churches shouldprovide

Ethnic Change

34% 36%39%

36%

SequimNational

America should openthe doors

It is a threat to ourheritage

15

Top Needs in the Community 50% Achieving financial security 43% Maintaining personal health 33% Day-to-day financial worries 33% Finding health insurance 29% Neighborhood crime & safety 26% Dealing with stress 26% Dealing with stress 26% Better quality health care

Second-level Community Needs 23% Finding time for recreation 23% Finding good schools 20% Dealing with child/teen problems 21% Achieving a fulfilling marriage 18% Finding friendship 18% Dealing with substance abuse 18% Dealing with substance abuse 17% Finding retirement opportunities

16

More Needs in the Community 16% Finding a good church 15% Finding a satisfying job/career 14% Finding spiritual teaching 14% Developing parenting skills 14% Problems in the schools 13% Domestic violence and abuse 13% Domestic violence and abuse 13% Care for aging parents 12% Finding direction in life

Low-priority Community Needs 12% Affordable housing 12% Dealing with social injustice 12% Concern about gangs 11% Dealing with ethnic prejudice 11% Finding a job 10% Providing adequate food 7% Obtaining an education 5% Dealing with divorce 4% Finding child care

17

Circle = Boundary of study area

Percentages = percent of households

Circle = Boundary of study area

Percentages = percent of households

18

Circle = Boundary of study area

Percentages = Percent of households

Findings from City of Sequim2011 Survey of Residents

People believe that the town is moving in the right directionthe right direction

Police and water/sewer are the most important services the city provides

The city should reduce traffic congestion and improve the streets

Sequim rates highly as a place to live and a place to retire (measures of quality of life)place to retire (measures of quality of life)

The level of satisfaction reported by local residents is in the same range as the average for towns of this size across the United States

Source: City of Sequim Survey Report

19

Findings from 2011 Parks and Recreation Survey (School District)

Usage of parks is very high There are also high unmet needs, for

example unmet need was reported by 28% of households re: beach areas 21% of households re: indoor swimming 20% of households re: picnic shelters

18% f HH i hb h d k 18% of HHs re: neighborhood parks Strong support for a regional parks

and recreation authority

Source: Leisure Vision Institute

Church Program Preferences

4

-1 -2

-8

Spiritualgrowth

Personaldevelopment

Recreation Socialservices

20

Church Programs People Want 44% Bible study & prayer group 30% Family activities & outings 29% Retirement support groups 28% Youth activities 25% Doctrinal classes 21% Family counseling 17% The arts music drama etc 17% The arts, music, drama, etc. 16% Care for the terminally ill 15% Marriage enrichment events

Church Programs People Want 10% Food & clothing resource center 10% S i it l t t 10% Spiritual retreats 8% Parent training classes 7% Sports or camping 5% Day care for children 4% Church-sponsored school 3% 12-step group 2% Divorce recovery

21

Worship Style Preferences

36%39%

28%

36%

10%

25%23%

11%

27%

Emotionallyuplifting

Intellectuallychallenging

Both Notinterested

Sequim National

Worship Style Continued

31%

24%27%

18%

27%27%26%20%

Traditionalformal

Contemporaryinformal

Both Notinterested

Sequim National

22

Worship Music Preferences

28%28%31%

28%28%

21%23% 25%

19%

24%

Traditional Contemporary Both Notinterested

Sequim National

Church Focus

35% 37%31%

35%

20%15%

26%

37%

22%

14%

Spiritualgrowth

Communityservice

Both Notinterested

Sequim National

23

How I prefer for churchesto contact me …

Direct mail

Phone for a visit

Cable TV

Newspaper ads

Radio spots

NoYes

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Telemarketing

Door to door

Survey of the General Public in Major Metropolitan Areas

Know something

Know one true fact

Never heard of the Adventist

Know nothing about it15%

something inaccurate

12%

true fact7%

Source: Center for Metropolitan Ministry

the Adventist Church66%

24

Analysis Research has shown that growth in

Adventist churches comes from: Community involvement Strong spiritual life Intentionality (goals, planning) Positive atmosphere in the congregationp g g Activities for the unchurched on Sabbath

The Adventist Paradigm for Outreach & Evangelism

Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching people. He mingled with men as one who desired their good, showed sympathy for them and ministered to their needs. He won their confidence. Then, He bade them, “Follow me.” – Ellen White, The Ministry of Healing, p 143

25

“Christ’s Method”Community Community Community yassessment

yvisibility

yservice

Friendship Evangelism

l hDiscipleship Program

Examples of Adventist Churches that are Implementing this Strategy

Mount Dora Church, Florida Aldergrove Church, British Columbia Pastor David Jamieson wrote about the growth

and development of this church in a DMin dissertation at Andrews Univ.

Walk of Faith Fellowship, Cleveland Pastor Kevin Kuehmichel is writing a book about g

this urban church plant Stillwater Church, Dayton, Ohio A dying church discovered new life!

26

Resources One Minute Witness – good introduction in

32 pages designed to be handed out to32 pages designed to be handed out to church members

Ministries of Compassion has a chapter describing how to respond to each type of community need: food, poverty, health, family life, refugees/immigrants, employment, adult education

Understanding Your Community provides Understanding Your Community provides tools for doing additional community assessment and work with civic leaders All are available at www.AdventSource.org

Contact information for Monte Sahlin montessahlin@gmail.com (937) 748-9075

© 2014, Institute of Church Ministry