st. matthew’s episcopal church: congregation survey...

ST. Matthew’s Episcopal Church:

Congregation Survey Highlights

REV: June 6, 2014

Source: Congregation Survey Highlights, 2014

2

“I have no desire to make window’s into men’s souls.” (Queen Elizabeth I - 16 January, 1559)


Table of Contents

3

Introduction page 4

Methodology page 5

The Sample page 6

Reader Notes page 7

Parishioners’ Backgrounds page 8

The Worship Service page 15

Activities at St. Matthew’s page 17

The Buzz on St. Matthew’s page 22

St. Matthew’s Core Values page 28

Getting Involved at St. Matthew’s page 32

Excitement / Concern / Hope page 34

Appendix: Questionnaire/Cover Letter page 38


Introduction

In April, 2014, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church continued in its

process of self-reflection with a congregation-wide survey of

members.

This ongoing dialogue is at the heart of St. Matthew’s discernment

as we determine:

what is most important to us a parish,

who we see ourselves to be today, and

who we believe God is inviting us to become.

The Mission/Vision Survey on which this report is based consisted

of two parts:

initial, qualitative interviews among a very small number of congregants which

helped in designing

a more comprehensive quantitative mail and internet survey among all members.

4


Methodology

■ For the initial qualitative telephone interviews, respondents were

recruited from the St. Matthew’s compilation of adult membership.

Respondents were solicited to participate in a 15-30 minute conversation.

Of the twelve congregants initially contacted, nine participated.

■ For the quantitative second phase, parishioners were contacted by email

invitation or regular post to answer an estimated 10-15 minutes of

questions.

274 congregants received invitations.

66 individuals completed the survey.

5


The Sample

6

■ The maximum standard error range for a sample of 66 respondents is +10.5%.

If 100 different samples of 66 individuals each were randomly drawn from the population of all those in the congregation, 95 times out of 100 the total results obtained would vary no more than +10.5 percentage points from the results that would be obtained if the entire population base were surveyed. This is substantially more precise than a typical sample of this size as the

responding sample is such a large proportion of the universe from which it is drawn..

Statistically significant differences across subgroups of parishioners or across questions will be noted throughout the report. Other findings should be considered directional.

±0.00%±1.00%±2.00%±3.00%±4.00%±5.00%±6.00%±7.00%±8.00%±9.00%

±10.00%±11.00%

Ma

rg

in o

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Sample Size

Margin of Error as Function of Sample Size (assuming a universe X20)


Readers’ Note

7

Actual question wordings are in italics in the footnote of each slide; the bases of

respondents from which data are derived also are in the footnote.

Throughout the final report salient comparisons and contrasts across segments will

be highlighted.

Where there are statistically significant differences* across segments, these will be

presented. This is true for reporting statistical means as well as top box or bottom box differences.

“Top/bottom box” analyses separately look at the highest or lowest ratings, for instance, on

attitude scales – top of 4,5 on a 5-point scale.

These “analyses of extremes” can be helpful in highlighting “fans”(top) or “detractors”(bottom).

Statistical means most commonly are reported, but medians also will be reported when

their inclusion helps to highlight cases of skewed distributions or outliers.

Where differences across segments are not noted for a given question, this should be

taken to imply that there are no significant differences.

*Statistical significance is calculated using the Difference of Proportions Test or the t-Test < .05 level.


Parishioners’ Backgrounds

2%

27%

71%

Parishioner Characteristics

■ Fully 71% of parishioners have

completed a graduate degree;

■ 27% have an undergrad degree;

■ The balance has attended some

college.

■ Three of four responding to the

survey are women.

■ The average tenure of a parishioner

is 19 years.

■ The median is closer to 13 years.

■ The shortest is one year;

■ And the greatest tenure is 81 years.

9

N=66

48-“What is the highest level of education you have completed?”

51-”Please indicate your gender.”

1-“First, how long have you been a member of St. Matthew's?.”


College

Degree

Some College

Post-Graduate

(St. Matthew’s has a highly educated congregation…who are there for the long run. )

Parishioner Characteristics

■ A majority of parishioners are

employed full-time (42%) or

are self-employed (14%);

■ One in ten is employed part-

time (11%);

■ 5% are stay at home parents

of children; and

■ Slightly more than one

quarter (27%) are retired.

10

N=66

46-“Which of the following best describes your employment status? ”


42%

11%

14%

5%

27%

Full-Time Retired

Self-Employed Part-Time

At Home

Parent

(Two of three St. Mathew’s congregants are still in the work force. )

Parishioners’ Children

■ One in ten (10%) parish

households report children in

preschool or grade school;

■ More than one in five (21%)

have middle schoolers;

■ 12% report high school

students;

■ About 6% have college age

students; and

■ About half (51%) are true

“empty nesters.”

11

N=66

49-“ How many children do you currently have in___?”


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

1 2 3 4 5

9%

21%

12%

6%

51%

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(Half of congregants are still raising children; the plurality are in grade 6 through 8. )

What Has Attracted Parishioners to St. Matthew’s

12

N=66

(That which is within our control approximates the sum of what is outside our control. )


0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

3

3

4

5

8

10

14

18

18

24

26

33 Was looking for a church

Convenient location

I was raised as an Episcopalian

Youth ministry / children's formation

Friendly, welcoming congregation

A member told me about St. Matthew's

I had heard about the music program

It accommodated our family's faiths

I liked the building

Just given birth to a child

I had heard about Beach Church

I just saw kids around the church

Outside

our

Control

Within

our

Control

What Retains Parishioners at St. Matthew’s

13

N=66

(It is ultimately about who we are, what we stand for, how we engage… )


0 10 20 30 40 50 60

10

12

12

14

15

19

20

22

23

24

26

26

32

35

35

36

48

52 I like whoever you are…

I like the people

I like the rector

It meets my spiritual needs

Welcoming congregation

I like the music program

I care about social justice

I like Beach Church

A part of something bigger

I was raised Episcopalian

I like the preaching

Convenient location

St. Matt's stand on issues

Programs for adults

Children’s Formation

Bread at communion

Kids involved in programs

Helped me in difficult time

Who

What

How

The Worship Service

Church Attendance

■ Half of St. Matt’s members

responding attend services 40 or

more weeks per year.

■ One in eight attend services 10 or

fewer times per year.

■ The average attendance is a bit more

than 33 Sundays a year.

15

N=66

4-“During the regular calendar year, which service do you more frequently attend?0”

47-“How many weeks of the past 52 weeks do you estimate that you have attended St.

Matthew's Sunday services?”


89%

9%

2%

2nd Service

(Half of members attend regularly, and the second service is the favored time slot.)

Neither 1st Service

Satisfaction with Worship Service

16

■Most aspects of worship are tightly

clustered within a narrow range of 4.1

to 4.4 on a 5-point satisfaction scale. ■The hymns (3.8) we sing and the

length of service (3.5) are exceptions.

■These dissatisfieds are all attendees

of the 10:30 service.

■Those dissatisfied with the hymns

invariably are dissatisfied with the

length of the service as well.

N=66

(Most aspects of the St. Matthew’s worship service are “somewhat” or “very” satisfactory.)


1

2

3

4

5

4.4

3.8

4.4 4.3 4.1 4.2

3.5

4.3

3.9

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Activities at St. Matthew’s

Most Important Activities at St. Matthew’s

18

■The service itself is by far

most important to members’

relationship to St. Matthew’s. ■Supporting number one

are preaching and music.

■Community parties and the

Children’s Program are next

in line.

■Other ministries are

endorsed by a range of

other smaller segments.

N=66

(The church service and its pillars – preaching and music – are number one for members. )


0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

2

5

7

7

10

12

13

14

14

17

19

23

28

37

41

62 Church services

Preaching

Music Program

Community parties

Children's Formation

Night Ministry

Stephen Ministry

Confirmation

Christmas Child

Bible Study

Green Team

Faith in Action

Altar guild

Family Promise

Mary Lou's Place

Men's group

About Which Activities … Know More?

19

■Ten or fewer members express

interest in learning more about any of

St. Matthew’s activities.

■The key elements of St. Matthew’s

about which members wish to know

more include: ■Bible study

■Mary Lou’s Place

■Family Promise

■The church service.

■There are pockets of interest in

almost all aspects of the programs

offered for response.

N=66

(Congregants are divided across their interests in their religion and St. Matthew’s outreach. )


0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

7

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7

9

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Satisfaction with Activities at St. Matthew’s

20

N=66

(The Motagowa’s Backyard Party is the “Third High Holiday?”)


1

2

3

4

5

4.6

4.1

4.4 4.5 4.6

4.4 4.3

3.8

4.4

4.1 4.1 4.1 4.3 4.2

4.0

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Satisfaction with Activities at St. Matthew’s (cont.)

21

■Members are at least “somewhat satisfied” with virtually all St. Matthew’s

activities.

■The Motagawa’s backyard party is a high watermark…even marginally

above the High Holidays. ■Christmas is a 4.6

■Easter is a 4.5

■But the Motagawa’s is a 4.7

(These are not statistically significant differences)

■The slightly lower evaluation of the 10:30a.m. service likely owes to its

perceived length, hymn selection, etc. ■What the 8 a.m. service may lack in attendance, it makes up in enthusiasm.

■St. Francis’ Day must not be getting out the “pet vote” (3.8).

N=66

(One in three )


The Buzz on St. Matthew’s

What You Would Tell Prospective Parishioners:

The Church, Congregation

23

■The single most important description

of St. Matthew’s congregants would

use is all about a welcoming body (57).

■Beach church is the most common

venue of St. Matthew’s worship that

members might boast (38).

■The music program is third (32).

■Two parts of the bigger impact our

congregation can make are equal: ■Making a difference in the world

■Being part of something bigger.

■Nearly as many suggest the second

service (28).

N=66

(Nearly everyone would boast that St. Matthew’s is a welcoming congregation. )


0 10 20 30 40 50 60

28

30

30

32

38

57 Friendly, welcoming

Beach Church

Music Program

Make a Difference

Part of Something Bigger

Second Service


The Church, Congregation

24

■The single most important description

of St. Matthew’s congregants would

use is all about a welcoming body.

■Two parts of the bigger impact our

congregation can make are equal: ■Making a difference in the world

■Being part of something bigger.

■Nearly as many reflect on our

welcome specifically of LGBT.

■As part of what drew a number of

present members, it also is St. Matt’s

convenient location.

N=66

(Nearly everyone would boast that St. Matthew’s is a welcoming congregation. )


0 10 20 30 40 50 60

23

57

26

30

30 Make a difference in the world

Part of something bigger

Welcome LGBT community

Friendly, welcoming

Convenient location


The Ministries, Programs

25

■With 22 mentions, the Night Ministry

is top of mind among the ministries of

the congregation.

■The Stephen Ministry and the Green

Team share a second place tier at 15

votes each.

■And Faith in Action (9) and Family

Promise (8) share third place.

N=66

(One in three members would offer the Night Ministry as a defining program of St. Matt’s. )


0 5 10 15 20 25

22

8

9

15

15 Stephen Ministry

Green Team

Faith in Action

Family Promise

The Night Ministry


For the Youth

26

■Families with young children often

are the new members, and the first

program they experience may be

Children’s Formation-cited by 24

members.

■The Youth Ministry (18) and the

Confirmation program (12) are cited

by smaller numbers.

N=66

(As an entry point for our youth, the Children’s formation is most commonly cited. )


0 5 10 15 20 25

12

18

24 Children's Formation

Youth Ministry

Confirmation


The Ways of Worship

27

■Beach church is the most common

element of St. Matthew’s worship

repertoire that members might boast to

potential members (38).

■Not far behind are: ■The music program (32)

■The later service (28) and

■The rector (20)

■All other facets of our worship garner

as few as 3 and as many as 12 votes.

N=66

(Three of every five congregants would cite Beach Church when describing St. Matt’s. )


0 10 20 30 40

38

12

6

11

3

4

32

20

11

28 Later service

Early service

The rector

Music program

Tuesday prayer

Men's group

Sunday Bible

Wednesday Bible

Taize service

Beach Church


The Community

28

■Evidently, the “friendly” element of

St. Matthew’s can be seen in the

number of communities of the

church. ■The Super Bowl party is mentioned

by more (24).

■The Annual Block Party is cited by

17.

■About one in six members also

mentions the Sunday coffee hour

and that the congregation helps

members through difficulties.

■Add the movie group (1) and the

knitting group (7).

N=66

(The St. Matthew’s Super Bowl Party evidently is more than just football.)


0 5 10 15 20 25

11

24

17

7

10

11 Helps difficulties

Movie group

Knitting

Block party

Super Bowl

Coffee hour

St. Matthew’s Core Values

St. Matthew’s Core Values

We asked:

We'd like to know how you see St. Matthew's at its heart -

beyond the traits common to all churches. We are looking to get

clear on the key characteristics or values unique to St.

Matthew's, which we call the "core values." As we are using the

term here, core values are the two to three most significant traits

inherent in the organization. Core values are part of the very

DNA of a place, and they do not change over time (decades).

They are "core" to specific identity of the church…

30 Source: Congregation Survey Highlights, 2014

31

■The values most parishioners identify in St. Matthew’s include: ■Tolerance, Outreach, Inclusivity, Spiritual Development and Hospitality.

■St. Matthew’s is light on: ■Proactivity, Collaboration and Transparency.

N=66

(Three in four members select tolerance as a defining value of St. Matthew’s. )


St. Matthew’s Core Values: Ratings

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

76%

58%

46%

61%

25%

66%

19% 27%

16%

64% 64%

13%

To

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Lif

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arn

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Op

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Ho

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Pla

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Ou

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Tra

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Th

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bo

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Inc

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ivit

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Sp

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nt

Pro

ac

tivit

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Getting Involved at St. Matthew’s

What’s in Demand?

33

■The greatest demand across a

number of opportunities is for “Buy-in

Dinners.”

■There also is modest demand for: ■Education on what it means to be

Episcopalian

■Wine and Cheese gatherings after 5pm

■A coffee parlor in the church, but open to

the public.

■ There is only tepid demand for

downloadable MP3 recordings of

sermons, the choir or the organ

music.

(Demand forecasts can be calculated

for these services.)

N=66

(One in three )


1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

3.4

3.0 2.8 2.9

2.5 2.4 2.3

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Excitement / Concern / Hope

Excitement at St. Matthew’s: Top of Mind

35

■The most mentions around “excitement” have been, in descending order:

■Social venues ■“Community building social activities - dinners, forums, etc.”

■The church services themselves ■“The worship: music and preaching.” “The church services are the most important...”

■Programs around the youth ■“Using my interest in art as part of the children's formation program.”

■The music program ■“Music program…social justice programs…” “the choir”

■Spiritual growth or education ■“Growing in my spiritual life.” “Sunday forums with Rev. Scott.”

■Outreach ■“Faith in Action Evanston -- Opportunity to connect in love with people…”

■The Ministries ■““helping cook for the Night Ministry, meeting people…”

N=66

(Excitement is about the people, the services, spirituality and reaching out. )


Concern at St. Matthew’s: Top of Mind

36

■The leading “concerns” voiced by parishioners, in descending order:

■St. Matthew’s financial health: ■“Finances and building maintenance.” “…level of financial resources”

■“Lack of folks who have plenty of money … lack of financial help.” “money!”

■Global or broader community issues: ■“We need to find new ways to engage the community and world beyond our walls.”

■“Many, many social justice issues.” “The rapid downward trend of moral integrity.”

■Church attendance: ■“Dwindling numbers and the lack of time people have for the worship of God.”

■“The tide seems to have turned strongly against the mainstream Protestant churches,

including ours.”

■The challenges of aging: ■“The disappearance of old friends. Many have died.”

■Supporting the congregations’ young: ■“My concern is that the youth and children's programming is unformed.”

N=66

(Far and away, the greatest concern voiced is for the financial health of St. Matthew’s.)


Hope at St. Matthew’s: Top of Mind

37

■The leading “hopes” voiced by parishioners, in descending order:

■The youth and their families are our future: ■“Seeing more young families in the church.” “Children…” “Many children indicate a

growing, young, diverse congregation.” “Energy around youth engagement and leadership.”

■The people and their talents are an important resource: ■“Seeing the energy and commitment of a core group of people who want to spread that

energy and commitment to others.”

■The Spirit and the spirit of the church: ■“The seeds of spiritual development and pastoral care have been planted.” “Charlie will

continue to be the Rector. He's the finest person in that role in my life at the church.”

“God is watching over us.”

■St. Matthew’s welcoming manner: ■“People will become more tolerant of each other and treat others with respect and

kindness.” “…the continuance of St. Matthews as a welcoming church for everybody.”

N=66

(For most, the hope of the church hinges on our young members. )


Appendix:

Questionnaire/Cover Letter

Questionnaire:

Cover Letter:

St. Matthew's Mission / Vision

Internet Research

The Rector, Wardens and Vestry are asking members of the congregation to engage in this portion of our ongoing conversation to get a clearer sense of what is important to parishioners at St. Matthew’s. Our questions should take approximately10-12 minutes and your answers will be kept in strict confidence.

1. First, how long have you been a member of St. Matthew's? [SINGLE RESPONSE] _________

2. What first attracted you to St. Matthew's? [MULTIPLE RESPONSE]

o Youth ministry / children's Formation o I just saw kids around the church o Convenient location o I drove by here regularly o Was looking for a church o I liked the building o Just given birth to a child o I was raised as an Episcopalian o Friendly, welcoming congregation o Signage outside the church o A member told me about St. Matthew's o They welcome the LGBT community o I had attended a program that meets here o It accommodated our family's faiths o I had heard about Beach Church o I had heard about Taize service o I had heard about the music program

o I was looking for a church that [PLEASE SPECIFY:___________] o Other [PLEASE SPECIFY:___________] o Other [PLEASE SPECIFY:___________]

Hello, ---:

Your opinion counts!

As you have heard from me in the pulpit and in the conversations you have had with Steve Steiber a couple weeks ago, we are continuing our process of self-reflection. This ongoing dialogue is at the heart of our discernment as we determine what is most important to us a parish, who we see ourselves to be today, and who we believe God is inviting us to become. We are asking you as a member of the congregation to take your place at the table by answering the questions in our survey. Our questions should take approximately10-12 minutes and your answers will be kept in strict confidence.

Once the survey results are in, the vestry will hold forums on Sunday, June 8, to engage in conversation about the results and listen further to what we at St. Matthew's are saying about our community. There will also be further opportunities in early June to join a vestry member at her or his home for wine, cheese and rich conversation.

Please take this opportunity now to help us all move forward. We value your input. Thank you in advance for your time and for making St. Matthew's the vibrant congregation it is.

Peace,

Charlie de Kay+ Rector, St. Matthew’s

st. matthew’s episcopal church: congregation survey...

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