Parish Practices Profile 2002 Joseph Kormos Pre-Conciliar - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

13th AAC Parish Profile

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Parish Practices Profile

2002

Joseph Kormos

Pre-Conciliar Commission Proj ect Team

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Get the facts first. You can distort them later.

• - Mark Twain

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Your Presenter

• Lifelong Orthodox Christian

– Variety of experiences

• large, old line parish
• Founding Member of Mission parish
• Diocesan, Council, Pre-Conciliar etc.
• Consultant: New Product

Innovation

• Author: Two survey based books

– S imilar methodology as this survey.

Experienced… not an expert

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Objectives

• 1. Profile OCA parish life: 2002

– Inform delegates – Contrast your parish with others – Baseline for future efforts

• 2. Explore characteristics of

growing vs. non-growing parishes

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Survey Outline

• Respondent Characteristics
• Worship & S

acraments

• Education
• S

tructure & Administration

• S
• cial & Other Activities
• Inter-Orthodox Relationships
• Open Ended Inputs

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Note

Unless other wise indicated, the source of all dat a in this document is the 13th AAC Parish Profile S urvey.

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Respondent Characteristics

Diocese Founding Date Growth S ize Parishioner Age Immigrants Converts Number of Pastors

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Respondents by Diocese

13 23 4 22 1 25 12 32 10 11 3 2 3

5 10 15 20 25 30 35

# Respondents

Alaska Albanian Bulgarian Canada

• E. Pa.

Midwest NE NY/NJ Romanian South Washington West W Pa

Total Respondents: 161

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Respondents by Diocese

• E. Pa.

6% Albanian 1% Romanian 1% Alaska 2% Bulgarian 2% W Pa 8% West 14% South 14% NY/NJ 16% NE 7% Midwest 20% Canada 7% Washington 2%

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Response Rate by Diocese

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% %

• f Respondents

Romanian Alaska Canada Albanian Bulgarian W Pa

• E. Pa.

NE South West NY/NJ Midwest Washington

“Lower 48” Territorial: All > 25% Response Rate “Non-Territorial”, Canadian, Alaskan Diocese… Lower Response Rate

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Is the Survey A Representative Sample?

• No…

– “ Non-Territorial, Canadian, Alaskan Dioceses

• 20 of 285 parishes responded (7%

)

• Probably Yes…

– “ US Lower 48” Territorial

• 141 of 348 (41%

)

• Founding dates correlate with actual

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Parish Founding Date

Territorial/US Lower 48

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

1990 to Present 1980-89 1970-79 1960-69 1930- 1959 Before 1930

%

• f Respondents

Actual (OCA Sourcebook) Survey Respondents

The survey population appears to accurately represent a cross section of OCA (lower 48; territorial) parishes

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Recent Growth: Last Three Years

25% 34% 22% 15% 5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Serious decline Slow Decline Plateau Fair Growth Good Growth

Percentage of Respondents

Caveats

• Opinion
• No specific definitions of

categories

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Parish Size Including Children

35 53 45 14 11 3 10 20 30 40 50 60

0-50 51-100 101-200 201-300 301-500 Over 500

# Respondents

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Parish Size

22% 33% 28% 13% 2% 43% 25% 24% 6% 1%

0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5

0-50 51-100 101-200 201-500 Over 500

%

• f Respondents

AAC Profile (including children) Actual (not including children)

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Parish Size Including Children

17 28 25 9 10 3 16 25 20 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30

0-50 51-100 101-200 201-300 301-500 Over 500

# Respondents Growing Not Growing

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Growth Vs. Parish Founding Date

10 20 30 40 50 60

Serious Decline Slow Decline Same Fair Growth Good Growth

Number of Respondents

Before 1930 1930-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990 to Present

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Growth Vs. Parish Founding Date

27 56 15 17 8 42 10 20 30 40 50 60

Founded Before 1930 1931- 1970 Founded After 1970

Number of Respondents Growing Not Growing

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Parishioner Age Change

27% 37% 36% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Gotten Older About the Same Gotten Younger %

• f

Respondents

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Parishioner Age Change Vs. Growth

7% 6% 54% 65%

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

Slow/Serious Decline Same Fair Growth Good Growth % Getting Younger

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Recent Influx of Immigrants

Yes 34% No 66%

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Influx of Immigrants

50% 22% 37%

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

Good Growth Fair Growth Non Growing

# Respondents

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Percentage of Converts

30% 19% 11% 14% 11% 16%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

0-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% 41-50% Over 50%

% of Respondents

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Percentage of Converts

52% 25% 9% 1% 4% 1% 13% 10% 13% 18% 15% 31%

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

0-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% 41-50% Over 50%

% of Respondents

Before 1930 After 1930

All Pre-1930 Parishes Which Are in Serious Decline also Indicate < 10% converts

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Percentage of Converts Vs. Growth

35% 46% 66% 57% 71% 80%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

0-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% 41-50% Over 50%

%

• f Converts

%

• f Respondents Growing

Growth and Presence of Converts S trongly Related

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Immigrants & Converts

82% 40% 68% 73%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Immigration + >40% Converts No Immigration + >40% Converts Immigration; <40% Converts No Immigration; < 40% Converts

%

• f Respondents Growing

(n=17) (n=38) (n=30) (n=77)

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Immigrants & Converts

40%

• r

Greater Converts <40% Converts Yes No

Immigrants?

8 2 % Grow ing 7 3 % Grow ing 6 8 % Grow ing 4 0 % Grow ing

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Number of Pastors: Last Ten Years

One 47% Two 27% Over Four 4% Four 4% Three 18%

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Number of Pastors Vs. Growth

63% 39% 43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Good Growth Fair Growth No Growth

% With Same Priest Last Ten Yeas

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Number of Pastors Vs. Growth

65% 14% 38% 52% 57%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% One Two Three Four Over Four

% Growing

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Worship and Sacraments

Language S ervice Frequency Participation Communion Confession Music

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Language of Services

English 78% English + Other 20% Non-English 2%

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Language of Services

2% 20% 78%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

English English & Non English Primarily Non- English

% of Respondents

No difference between Growing

(76% English only)

& Non Growing

(80% English only)

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Number of Services Per Week

6% 52% 21% 22% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

One Two Three Over Three

%

• f Respondents

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Number of Services Per Week

40% 20% 38% 4% 44% 26% 9% 63% 19% 3% 20% 10%

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

One Two Three Over Three %

• f Respondents

Good Growth Fair Growth Non-Growing Parishes

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Participation in Services

22% 48% 1% 1% 28%

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

0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80%

%

• f

Respondents

Divine Liturgy

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Participation in Services

59% 28% 9% 3% 1% 22% 48% 1% 1% 28%

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

0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80%

%

• f

Respondents Divine Liturgy on Typical Sunday Vespers or Vigil on Typical Saturday Night

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Participation in Services

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

0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80%

%

• f

Respondents

Divine Liturgy Vespers or Vigil Non Sunday Feast day Something other than Sunday

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Participation in Services vs. Growth

Divine Lit urgy

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

0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80%

%

• f

Respondents

Good Growth Fair Growth Non Growing

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Participation in Services vs. Growth

Divine Lit urgy & Vespers

82% 30% 3% 0% 60% 14% 63% 74% 13% 8% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Good Growth Fair Growth Plateau Slight Decline Serious Decline

%

• f Respondents

Divine Liturgy > 60% Vespers > 40%

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Use Caution When Interpreting Data

• There are a number of charts in this

document that indicate a data relationship between an attribute (e.g.# of services) and another attribute (e.g. growth).

Do not infer cause and effect.

• For example…

– The previous dat a implies that holding more services causes parishes t o grow. – This may be true but the opposit e may be true as well. (Growing parishes hold more services) – There is a relationship but not necessarily causality. Further study would be necessary to draw clear conclusions.

“The thinker makes a great mistake when he asks after cause and effect. They both together make up the indivisible phenomena.” -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “The thinker makes a great mistake when he asks after cause and effect. They both together make up the indivisible phenomena.” -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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Receive Communion at Each Liturgy

26% 35% 8% 8% 23% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80%

% of Respondents

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Receive Communion At Each Liturgy Vs. Growth

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80%

%

• f

Respondents Growing Non-Growing

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Confession More Than Once a Year

25% 25% 11% 16% 24%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80% %

• f

Respondents

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Confession More Than Once a Year

18% 26% 21% 18% 17% 5% 10% 26% 30% 29% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80% %

• f

Respondents Non-Growing Growing

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Liturgical Music

1% 26% 47% 90% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Choir Congregational Cantor Other

%

• f Respondents

More than one answer allowed

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Education

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Participation in Adult Education

1% 4% 59% 30% 7%

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

0-20% 21-40% 40-60% 61-80% Over 80%

% of Respondents

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Participation in Adult Education Vs. Growth

20% 43% 11% 14% 4% 0% 11% 17% 63% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Good Growth (n=40) Fair Growth (n=54) Plateau (n=35) Slight Decline (n=24) Serious Decline (n=8) %

• f

Respondents 21-40% Participate >40% Participate

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Parish Practices:

Education and Ministries

9% 22% 22% 30% 30% 34% 51% 56% 78% 80%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% %

• f Respondents Using This Practice

Youth Church School Adult Ed Shut in Ministry Bible Study Prayer Ministry Adult Retreats Soup Kitchen Vacation Church School Adopt a Parish Prison Ministry

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Greatest Challenges: Parish Education Program

• Committed and qualified teachers
• Facilities
• Attendance, commitment, apathy
• Motivation
• Timing/ scheduling
• Competition with secular family

events

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Structure & Administration

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Parish Council Make-Up

59% 10% 31%

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

Mixture Old & New Newer People - Last Five Years Veterans > Than Ten Years

%

• f

Respondents

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Main Focus of Parish Council Time

6% 14% 21% 32% 27% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Programs, Ministries Fund Raising / Income Property Maintenance Parish Growth/ Members Strategic Planning

%

• f Respondents

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Main Focus of Parish Council Time

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Programs, Ministries Fund Raising / Income Property Maintenance Parish Growth/ Members Strategic Planning %

• f Respondents

Non-Growers Fair Growth Good Growth

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Annual Budget

Yes 78% No 22%

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Parish Practices:

Stewardship

49% 35% 12%

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

Pledge Form Stewardship Committee All Member Canvas

% Using This Practice

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Parish Practices:

Stewardship

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Good Growth Fair Growth Plateau Slow Decline Serious Decline

% Using This Practice Pledge Form Stewardship Committee All Member Canvas

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Parish Practices:

Pledge Form Vs. Founding Date

67% 50% 22% 71% 71% 79% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

1990 to Present 1980-89 1970-79 1960-69 1930- 1959 Before 1930

% Using This Practice

Pledge Form

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Parish Practices:

Pre 1930 Founding

17% 33%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Growing Not Growing

% Using This Practice Pledge Form

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Facilities:

% of Respondents Dealing with …

59% 22% 30% 40% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Purchasing Property Planning Building Iconography Major Renovation

% of Respondents

76% Dealing with at Least One of These Issues. 30% Dealing with Two or More.

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Parish Practices:

Communication

3% 5% 56% 56% 60% 62% 72% 90% 90%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% %

• f Respondents Using This Practice

Sunday Bulletin Monthly Calendar Press Releases Web Site Brochure Visitor Welcome Pack Newspaper Listing Radio Program TV Program

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Greatest Challenges: Structure & Administration

• Acquiring a vision of life as a vibrant Orthodox Parish rather

than a recycle of previous experiences or an amalgamation

• f the various backgrounds represented; Getting out of the
• ld paradigm. Overcoming old attitudes about why they
• exist. Getting them into forward thinking vision.
• Fuller participation of all members in church education and
• ther ministries.
• Leadership training.
• Getting more young people involved.
• Ridding ourselves of the "Club "mentality
• “ Coming up with a vision statement” ; ‘ Getting everyone "on

the same page.”

• Integrating a S

tewardship Program

• The Assessment: How to pay it without it being perceived,

by some, as being a tax on the people and by others as a drain on the parish budget

• “ To stay focused on God”

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Greatest Challenges: Structure & Administration

• “ Instead of being a "fire department" which responds to

parish needs, how to become the leadership team which both envisions the parish and helps incarnate that vision; move from an "ad hoc" approach to a more strategic approach to administration of the parish”

• “ Overcoming bad habits and fears associated with growth

that requires greater sacrifice of money and time.”

• “ Lack of time.”
• “ Merging new members into the mindset of an older

community.”

• “ Old "Metropolia" paradigm: priest as "employee".
• “ Our parish council is restricted to maintenance of the

church fabric by design. [Ministry leaders are accountable directly to priest and appointed by him.] Our typical meetings are less than one hour. S trategic planning issues are handled by a broader group. Leadership training is provided and expected of all ministry heads.”

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Greatest Challenges: Structure & Administration

• Parishes in S

erious Decline… some

excerpt s…

– “ Income, keeping the people in the church; most that graduate high school and college move to

• ther parts of the country to find work and

settle down.” – “ No meetings. No interest.” – “ Too large. It consists of twenty-five people and the "president" is in charge of everything but the Liturgy and teaching.” – “ Finances” – “ Dealing with the problem of declining of membership”

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Social & Other Activities

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Number of Family Centered Events Per Month*

21% 37% 22% 7% 13% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

None One Two Three Four or More

% of Respondents

* Not Including Liturgy

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Inter-Orthodox Relations

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Frequency of Inter-Orthodox Parish Relationships

7% 2% 11% 55% 32% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

%

• f Respondents

Regular/Active Occasional Rare Non-Existent None in Area

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Quality of Inter-Orthodox Parish Relationships

6% 0% 6% 41% 47% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% %

• f Respondents

Warm/Helpful Polite Distant Unfriendly None in Area

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Change in Inter-Orthodox Parish Relationships: Last Three Years

6% 5% 50% 39% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% %

• f Respondents

Improving Same Even More Distant None in Area

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Greatest Strengths

• Growing

– Worship – Welcoming – Work – We bond well by including all generations – S tewardship – “ Well catechized”

“ I would say that love is our greatest asset”

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Greatest Strengths

• Not Growing

– “ S urviving” – “ Fundraising” – “ Perogies and Easter rolls” – “ Dinners: Cabbage Roll Dinner, BBQ Chicken Dinner 2. Ladies Altar Society “ – “ Keep the Church open and running”

“ S tarring in S lavonic ”

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Areas Needing Improvement

• General/ All

– Non-S unday participation – Funds – S tewardship – Visibility – Facilities – Outreach – Program centric – Family activities; Youth group – Being friendly to guests – Visibility – Choir

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Areas Needing Improvement

• Not Growing

– Education – No concept of reaching out – Apathy – Being labeled “ Russian” – “ Clicky” – Accepting new members from different backgrounds – Parochialism & Congregationalism – Vision… looking in same direction – Family feuds

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Recent Changes

• New Building (11)
• Other facilities related (10)
• Parish council related (8)
• New priest (6)
• Choir or choir director (6)
• More social/ family

activities (3)

• Additional services (3)
• Youth related (3)
• S

tewardship actions (2)

• S

isterhood (2)

• Missionary support (2)
• Photo directory
• Newcomer orientation

package

• Office assistant
• Monthly whole parish

activities

• Lay Ministry team Growth

team

• Long term plan
• Outreach budget
• Advertising
• More English
• Regular communion
• Newsletter

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Stumbling Blocks to Growth

• “ Lack of a master plan for new facilities”
• “ S

uitable financing mechanisms for building”

• “ Busyness of our society”
• “ Today's materialism.”
• “ Lingering elements of personal or tribal hostility. S

till a tendency to dismiss others, even unmet, as "not one of us."

• “ A cowardly fear of outsiders which could be overcome only

by a return to fear and love of God.”

• “ No concept of anything happening outside of their little

world.”

• “ Commitment to evangelism.”
• “ Our lack of effective "bridge people" who act

evangelistically for our congregation”

• “ Tensions from a past split within the parish”
• “ They're satisfied with things as they are.”
• “ (Community) Awareness of our presence”

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What Changes Needed…

• “ Clarify, articulate & doggedly pursue a God-given

mission.”

• “ Apostolic awareness, the zeal to go out and "preach

the good news" of Orthodoxy to society. We seem to be quite comfortable with the status quo”

• “ Re-activate lay ministries.”
• “ This is how we've always done it".
• “ Keeping a balance with the needs of the cradle

Orthodox and the converts.”

• “ Have the priest (me) learn more, pray more and be

more pastoral”

• “ Become a parish that is not j ust a S

unday liturgy church.”

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What Changes Needed…

My favorite… “ Get parishioners to move closer to the church.”

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Further Analysis

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Core Practices of Growing Parishes

• > 70%
• f Growing parishes…

– Adult Ed. – Youth Church S chool – Bulletin – Calendar – Brochure – Press releases – Web S ite

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Growth vs. Number of Practices

5.6 9.3 10.5 12.9 13.8

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Serious Decline Slow Decline Same Fair Growth Good Growth

Average Number of Practices in Use

Growing Parishes Do/Try More Things

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Growth vs. Number of Practices

2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Serious decline Slow Decline Same Fair Growth Good Growth

Average Number of Practices

Communication Stewardship Education & Ministries

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Practices in Greater Use

Growing vs. Non Growing

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Adult Ed. Web Site Parish Brochure Pledge Form Stewardship Committee Retreats Adopt a Parish Vacation Church School Fund Raising PC Focus

%

• f Respondents Using Practice

Growing Non Growing

Gap> 20%

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Other Characteristics of Growing Parishes

• More frequent communion
• More services per week
• More consistent participation in

services

• Parish Council Focus

– Ministries; S trategic Planning; Growth

• S

tability of past oral assignment

• Apply more practices

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Facts

• Growers outnumber decliners 3:1
• Four out of five: English only

– <2% No English

• Parishes are small

– If your parish is> 100… you’ re above average!

• 25%

converts typical

• One third experiencing material influx of

immigrants

• Over half changed pastors in ten years
• 76%

dealing with 1 or more facilities issues

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At Greatest Risk…

• Founded before 1930
• No influx of Orthodox immigrants
• S

mall proportion of converts

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Good or Fair Growth

However…

No Immigration Founded before 1930 < 20% Converts

9

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Our Town

Our Parish

Growth Model

Orthodox Immigrants Other Orthodox Parishes

Transfers

Non- Orthodox

Converts Fallen Away Deaths Births

Other Orthodox Parishes

Transfers Grow Up Move Away

Dormant Orthodox

Returning

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Conclusions

• The data (seems) to show (to me at least)

that:

– Any parish can grow.

• There is a parish like yours that has grown.

– Many ingredients to choose from.

• Almost every (positive) practice shows a relationship

with growth.

– No silver bullet

• No clear formula…

if you do these things you will grow.

• A consistent philosophy/ model of what your

parish wants to be is probably the most important concept.

• This is Hard

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Key Points

• Growing parishes outnumber declining

parishes

• Practices traditionally thought of as

good demonstrate a relationship to growth.

• Growing parishes apply more practices
• There is a parish like yours that says it

is growing.

• More today 2:30 PM Wedgewood

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Discussion Questions

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Question 1

• Describe a model of parish that is “ Living a

Life in Christ” .

– Use what you’ ve learned

• in this session ( or ignore it if you wish)
• In other sessions of the Council
• Your own experiences.
• Can you describe a different, yet equally

valid model of a successful parish community? What legitimate conditions would influence the differences? (Ie. geographic, demographic, economic, educational, cultural, financial)

• In what ways is your parish different from

this/ these model(s)?

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Question 2

• What is the most significant

aspect of these data?

• What can we do with this

information within our own parish? How can we use it?

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Question 3

• You have been asked to visit ten Orthodox

parishes to assess which seemed to be most effectively and consistently “ Living a Life in Christ” .

– What criteria would you use to make your evaluation? – What four or five broad qualitative questions would you ask? – What specific, numerically based “ measure” questions would you ask – if any? – What observations would you make? (What would you look for in what situations.)