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2013 Uniting Church Census of Congregations and Ministers

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2013 Uniting Church Census of Congregations and Ministers NCLS Research Commissioned Report 2013 Uniting Church Census of Congregations and Ministers Technical Report – Queensland Synod Ruth Powell, Miram Pepper, Nicole Hancock, Sam Sterland and Claudia Mollidor July 2014 NCLS Research Locked Bag 2002 Strathfield NSW 2135 (p) +61 2 9701 4479 (e) [email protected] (w) www.ncls.org.au 2013 Uniting Church Census Technical Report Executive Summary Introduction and methodology In 2013, the President of the Uniting Church Assembly commissioned NCLS Research to conduct a census of UCA congregations and ministers. The purpose was to collect up to date information about ministers, staffing, church size and other features. The census project consisted of two components – a hard copy/online census of congregations and an online census of ministers. Databases of contact details for churches and ministers were provided by the Synods. Data collection ran from August 2013, and concluded in January 2014. The Queensland response rate for the Congregations Census was 71% and for the Ministers Census was 67%. UAICC and minority migrant-ethnic churches appear to be largely missing from the Congregations Census. Participation in the Ministers Census by ministers without email addresses (who tend to be retired and elderly) was low. Congregations Census findings How many UCA congregations are there and how are they distributed across the Queensland Synod? There are 333 church locations/congregations across the Synod, a decrease of 36% since the Assembly last counted in 1990. There are 173 single-location church churches and 72 cluster churches. UCA churches have a long history – 56% were founded before 1950. Compared with rural areas, regional and urban areas have a greater proportion of churches founded since 1950. The UCA is a strongly rural church. Approximately a third (30%) are in small rural areas. However, attendance is stronger in regional and urban areas than in rural areas. How many people go to church? Weekly worship service attendance stands 21,100 in Queensland (including 3,100 children). The largest proportion of the total Queensland attendance can be found in the South Moreton Presbytery. The median figure for congregational attendance is 59. There are relatively few children in churches: 17% of churches do not have children in the congregation, another 59% of churches have between one and nine children. Three quarters of small rural churches have no children at all. What is the range of ways in which UCA congregations are organised and led? There is a median of one staff member per church (mean of 1.38). The majority of staff people do not work full time, are between 40-59 years of age and are ordained. Only 13% of staff are under 40 years old. There is a mean of 0.59 staff people per small rural church and 0.94 staff people per large rural church. 68% of staff in small rural churches, and 64% in large rural churches are ordained (compared with 52% of staff in churches Queensland-wide). The Uniting Church is heavily reliant on retired ministers for supply ministry, with a third (32%) of retired ministers having provided supply ministry in the previous 12 months. A single weekly worship service occurs in 61% of churches. Low numbers of children notwithstanding, Sunday schools were provided in 52% of churches Queensland-wide in the previous 12 months. Urban areas were particularly strong in running youth NCLS Research © Copyright 2014 NCLS Research E: [email protected], Tel: 02 9701 4479, W: www.ncls.org.au Post: Locked Bag 2002, Strathfield, NSW 2135 2013 Uniting Church Census Technical Report groups (46% of urban churches) and young adult activities (28% of urban churches), compared with 30% and 13% of churches Queensland-wide fir youth groups and young adult activities respectively. Community building is particularly strong through churches running small groups (which occurred in 76% of churches in the previous 12 months) and/or faith discussion groups (which occurred in 68% of churches). How do UCA congregations relate to their surrounding community? Half of all churches provided visiting (49%) and emergency relief (53%) services in the previous 12 months. Some 30% of churches did not provide social services or social action activities. Evangelistic activities occurred in over half (54%) of all churches in the previous 12 months. Direct relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are most common in large rural areas (20% of churches) and in regional areas (21% of churches), compared with 14% of churches across Queensland. The median number of funerals per church in the previous 12 months was 2 (i.e. 2 or more funerals took place a year in at least 50% of churches), and the median number of infant baptisms was also 2. It was more unlikely than likely that a wedding took place in in the previous year in at least 50% of churches, and the same is the case for infant dedications, adult/child baptisms and confirmations. How do UCA congregations relate to the wider Church? A little under half (44%) of UCA churches nationally had a regular financial commitment to people in developing countries in the previous 12 months. 62% support UnitingWorld. Ministers Census findings How many UCA ministers are there? There are 292 ministers, according to the Synod’s database and ministers who were not in the database but contacted NCLS Research direct to participate in the Ministers Census. Some eight in 10 active ministers (82%) have been ordained as Ministers of the Word in the Uniting Church. Some 2% of active ministers have been ordained by another denomination. What proportion is male and what proportion female? Ministers are predominantly male, although the gender balance is more even for active ministers (32% female) than for retired ministers (19% female). What is the age profile of ministers? Close to a third (30%) of active ministers are at least 60 years of age, suggesting that many ministers will soon approach retirement. One in 20 active ministers is under 40 years of age. How many speak English as a second language? Some 11% of active ministers were born in a non-English speaking country and 5% don’t have English as their first language. How many are in rural placements? It is not possible to answer this question directly from the Ministers Census. However, the staffing results from the Congregations Census provide relevant information as shown above. How many have fractional placements? NCLS Research © Copyright 2014 NCLS Research E: [email protected], Tel: 02 9701 4479, W: www.ncls.org.au Post: Locked Bag 2002, Strathfield, NSW 2135 2013 Uniting Church Census Technical Report Of all ministers who participated in the Census, 61% (89% of non-retired ministers) are in a placement. Of these, close to seven in 10 (66%) are in a single placement, two in 10 (18%) are in a single placement with multiple parts, and 16% are in two or more placements. How many are Chaplains? 19% of ministers in placement are in a chaplaincy role. What proportion of ministers in placement serve in Presbytery, Synod or Assembly roles? 3% of ministers serve in Presbytery ministry roles. 3% of ministers are in Synod roles. 1% of ministers are in Assembly roles. Considerations for future censuses Should future census rounds be desired, consideration should be given to the following: Phonecall followup of non-responding congregations, and postal followups of ministers without email addresses. A strategy to maximise participation by minority migrant ethnic and UAICC congregations, as well as by UAICC ministers. Increasing the scope of ministry activities in the Ministers Census. A common database of congregations and ministers, or databases that are consistently formatted across Synods. NCLS Research © Copyright 2014 NCLS Research E: [email protected], Tel: 02 9701 4479, W: www.ncls.org.au Post: Locked Bag 2002, Strathfield, NSW 2135 2013 Uniting Church Census Technical Report Table of Contents 1 Introduction – purpose and scope of report ............................................................................................. 1 2 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................. 1 2.1 Data collection ................................................................................................................................... 1 2.2 Response rates and treatment of missing data ................................................................................. 1 2.2.1 Congregations Census ............................................................................................................... 1 2.2.2 Ministers Census ........................................................................................................................ 2 2.3 Conventions used in this report ........................................................................................................ 2 2.4 Limitations ......................................................................................................................................... 3 3 Congregations Census results .................................................................................................................... 5 3.1 Number of churches and church structure ....................................................................................... 5 3.2 Church character ..............................................................................................................................
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