Conference Restructuring and District Alignment Survey
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Conference Restructuring and District Alignment Survey Compiled July 19, 2013 Contents: Pages 1 - 3 Lay Member Survey Questions Pages 4 - 7 Lay Member Results Pages 8 - 10 Clergy Survey Questions Pages 11 - 88 Clergy Results Pages 89 - 94 D.S. and Assistant to D.S. Survey Questions Pages 95 - 103 D.S. and Assistant to D.S. Results Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference The purpose of this survey is to provide the Blue Ribbon Panel with a tool to assess the restructuring of the West Ohio Conference that occurred in 2006. Please note that all answers will be anonymous and will not be identifiable by district or church (and therefore will not reflect on any District Superintendent or Pastor). * Required 1. Over roughly the last seven years has your church’s contact with the United Methodist Church District Superintendent or the Superintendent’s staff increased, decreased, or remained about the same? * Mark only one oval. Increased Stayed about the same Decreased Don't know 2. Over roughly the last seven years has your church had joint activities with other churches more often, less often, or about the same? * Mark only one oval. More often Less often About the same Don't know 3. If your church has had joint activities with other churches, would you say that joint activities have been helpful, had no effect, or been harmful in terms of the church’s mission to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world? * Mark only one oval. Helpful No affect Harmful Don’t know of joint activities Don't know Additional questions: 1 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference We will appreciate you answering a few questions that will help us understand whether our survey has reached a broad representation of the membership. 4. When did you become a member of a United Methodist Church? * Mark only one oval. Within the last 2 years About 2 to 7 years ago About 7 to 10 years ago More than 10 years ago 5. When did you become a member of your current church? * Mark only one oval. Within the last 2 years About 2 to 7 years ago About 7 to 10 years ago More than 10 years ago 6. What is your best guess as to the average attendance of your church? * Mark only one oval. Fewer than 100 Between 100 and 299 Between 300 and 599 More than 600 7. Would you say that your church serves primarily an urban or rural or suburban community? * Mark only one oval. Urban Rural Suburban 8. What is your gender? * Mark only one oval. Male Female 2 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference 9. How old are you? * Mark only one oval. Under 30 31 to 50 51 to 65 Over 65 10. How would you characterize your race or ethnicity? * (if you do not want to answer, please check Prefer not to answer) Mark only one oval. European-American African-American Hispanic-American or Latino/a American Asian-American Pacific Islander Native American Mixed Other Prefer not to answer 3 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference E 195 responses View Summary Over roughly the last seven years has your church’s contact with the United Methodist Church District Superintendent or the Superintendent’s staff increased, decreased, or remained about the same? Increased 61 31% Stayed about the same 63 32% Decreased 44 23% Don't know 27 14% Over roughly the last seven years has your church had joint activities with other churches more ofte n, less ofte n, or about the same? More often 61 31% Less often 34 17% About the same 92 47% Don't know 8 4% 4 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference If your church has had joint activities with other churches, would you say that joint activities have been helpful, had no effe ct, or been harmful in terms of the church’s mission to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world? Helpful 100 51% No affect 40 21% Harmful 2 1% Don’t know of joint activities 27 14% Don't know 26 13% Additional questions: When did you become a member of a United Methodist Church? Within the last 2 years 3 2% About 2 to 7 years ago 6 3% About 7 to 10 years ago 3 2% More than 10 years ago 183 94% When did you become a member of your current church? 5 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference Within the last 2 years 5 3% About 2 to 7 years ago 15 8% About 7 to 10 years ago 20 10% More than 10 years ago 155 79% What is your best guess as to the average atte ndance of your church? Fewer than 100 79 41% Between 100 and 299 70 36% Between 300 and 599 35 18% More than 600 11 6% Would you say that your church serves primarily an urban or rural or suburban community? Urban 39 20% Rural 61 31% Suburban 95 49% 6 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference What is your gender? Male 79 41% Female 116 59% How old are you? Under 30 4 2% 31 to 50 13 7% 51 to 65 79 41% Over 65 99 51% How would you characterize your race or ethnicity? European-American 175 90% African-American 10 5% Hispanic-American or Latino/a American 1 1% Asian-American 0 0% Pacific Islander 0 0% Native American 1 1% Mixed 2 1% Other 3 2% Prefer not to answer 3 2% 7 District Realignment Survey for Clergy District Realignment Survey for Clergy The purpose of this survey is to provide the Blue Ribbon Panel with a tool to assess the realignment of districts within the West Ohio Conference that occurred in 2006. Please note that all answers will be anonymous and will not be identifiable by district (and therefore will not reflect on any District Superintendent). * Required 1. Since 2006, as compared to before that time, has the Office of the District Superintendent been more helpful, less helpful, or about the same amount of help in your mission to make disciples? * Mark only one oval. More helpful Less helpful About the same amount of help I can’t make the comparison 2. Would you say that connections among churches in your district have been increasing, decreasing, or staying about the same over the last few years? * Mark only one oval. Increasing Decreasing Staying about the same Don’t know 3. Overall, is your impression that the 2006 district realignment has helped, hurt, or not affected your church’s ability to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world? * Mark only one oval. Helped Hurt Did not affect I have no impression 8 District Realignment Survey for Clergy 4. Please elaborate on your answer to the last question, if you are willing. (please click in the box and begin typing your comments) 5. How, if at all, would you change the role of the district superintendents? * 6. How, if at all, would you change the role of the assistant to the district superintendent? * 7. How, if at all, would you change the role of the West Ohio Conference? * Additional questions: We will appreciate your answering a few additional questions that will help us understand whether our survey has reached a broad array of the clergy in the Conference. 9 District Realignment Survey for Clergy 8. How long have you been a pastor in the Ohio West Conference? * Mark only one oval. Less than 2 years Between 2 and 6 years Between 6 and 10 years More than 10 years 9. How long have you been a pastor of your current church? * Mark only one oval. Less than 2 years Between 2 and 6 years Between 6 and 10 years More than 10 years 10. What is the average attendance of your church? * Mark only one oval. Fewer than 100 Between 100 and 299 Between 300 and 599 More than 600 11. Would you say that your church serves primarily an urban, rural or suburban community? * Mark only one oval. Urban Rural Suburban 10 District Realignment Survey for Clergy E 310 responses View Summary Since 2006, as compared to before that time, has the Offi ce of the District Superintendent been more helpful, less helpful, or about the same amount of help in your mission to make disciples? More helpful 65 21% Less helpful 100 32% About the same amount of help 97 31% I can’t make the comparison 48 15% Would you say that connections among churches in your district have been increasing, decreasing, or staying about the same over the last few years? Increasing 64 21% Decreasing 137 44% Staying about the same 94 30% Don’t know 15 5% 11 District Realignment Survey for Clergy Overall, is your impression that the 2006 district realignment has helped, hurt, or not affe cted your church’s ability to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world? Helped 45 15% Hurt 96 31% Did not affect 129 42% I have no impression 40 13% Please elaborate on your answer to the last question, if you are willing. The DS have work in a positive way to connect people into the clusters.} In our area (North East Cincinnati), we are now in more direct communication with Churchs that formerly were in another district all together. } While I have benefitted from training opportunities and sought them out, my congregations have felt increasingly distant from the larger church.