Nov. 19, 2013 Newsletter: The Survey: What We Heard (Part One)

Congregational Survey: What We Heard (Part One)

The Ministerial Search Committee (MSC) is grateful to everyone who participated in the Congregational Survey. We should be proud that of 216 surveys distributed, 120 were returned. Such high participation is an indication of the depth of care and concern we have for our church and of our hopeful outlook for the future. The data and comments you provided were used to write the just completed Congregational Record (CR), which was submitted to the UUA on November 1 for review and comment. The CR is the document prospective ministers will study as they consider a church that will be the best fit for them. In early January we will receive the Ministerial Records - the profiles of ministers in search of a church – from those who are interested in First Unitarian. The Ministerial Record is an in-depth document of self-disclosure and details a candidate’s credentials. It will be the first step in determining which applicants we’re interested in interviewing and will aid us in nominating a candidate to the congregation next May. 

This post is the first in a series highlighting details of our Congregational Survey.  Covered here are the first few survey questions that were entitled “Intro.” 

You were asked to rank the ten most important reasons that you first attended this church.  You told us that they were (in rank order):

§  Sermons/Worship

§  Intellectual stimulation

§  Search for a liberal church

§  Minister

§  Church community

§  Celebrating common values

§  Spiritual growth

§  Music/aesthetic appeal

§  Fellowship

§  Choir

When we asked why you continue to be involved in this church, you told us:        

§  Intellectual stimulation

§  Sermons/Worship

§  Church Community

§  Celebrating common values

§  Liberal church tradition

§  Music/aesthetic appeal

And the “comment section” included other reasons such as:

§  Search for spiritual home

§  Judeo-Christian tradition

§  Church size, history, continuity

§  Longevity of ministers

Finally, this is what you told us when asked approximately how often you have attended church on Sunday morning (either as an attendee or as an R.E. teacher) in the past 7-10 years (these are raw numbers, not percentages): 

 

In our next article, we’ll review what you said were the most significant challenges we’ll face in the next few years.  Stay posted!

—The Ministerial Search Committee (MSC): Diane Mirick (Chair), Jesse Anderson, Jane Beckwith, Noel Cary, Shannon Kirshenbaum, Lee Reid, Alison Barrows Ronn