FINDINGS
from UCC FACT Survey
March, 2011
Results are based on the responses of 642
congregations. Because the interfaith project is still
underway, please do not publicly distribute these
findings.
Patterns of Weekend Worship
Sunday AM 3
or more
services
1%
Sunday AM 2
services
11%
Sunday
evening
5%
Friday
1%
Saturday
3%
Sunday AM 1
service
79%
5-Year Changes in Worship
Changed a lot
5%
Changed
somewhat
19%
Changed a
little
31%
Added
different
service
9%
No change
36%
Average Worship Attendance 2010
30%
20%
15%
10%
5%
00
0
ve
r5
50
to
People in Attendance
O
0
1
20
1
to
20
0
15
15
10
1
to
10
0
to
75
76
51
to
50
to
26
to
25
0%
1
Percent
25%
Change in Attendance, 2005-2010
30
Percent
25
20
15
10
5
0
1
to
25
26
to
50
51
to
75
76
to
0
10
2005
1
10
to
0
15
2010
1
15
to
0
20
1
20
to
0
50
r
ve
O
0
50
Components of Worship
Kneeling
Testimony
Children read
Healing prayer
Electric guitar/bass
Drums
Communion
Projection
Choir
Passing the Peace
Organ
Prayers of the people
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Percent of Churches
Always
Often
Sometimes
Seldom
80
90
100
Descriptions of Worship
Innovative
Reverent
Inspirational
Joyful
Thought-provoking
Filled w/ God's presence
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Percent of Churches
Very Well Quite Well Somewhat Slightly
90
100
Clergy Rating of Worship
Excellent
30%
Needs
improvement
2%
OK
15%
Solid, good
53%
Programs and Activities of at least 65%
of Congregations
Children's programs
Adult faith devel.
Youth activities
Women's ministry
Bible Studies
Fellowship activities
Music program
Sunday school
Community services
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Percent of Churches
Specialty
A lot of emphasis
Some emphasis
80
90
100
Programs and Activities of Fewer than
65% of Congregations
Sports
Parenting
Spiritual retreats
Young adult activities
Children's choir
Support groups
Men's ministry
Prayer groups
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Percent of Churches
Specialty
A lot of emphasis
Some emphasis
80
90
100
Ways Visitors are Contacted
Rarely have visitors
Rarely contact
By visit
Send info
By email
By phone
By mail
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Percent Using Each Method
80
90
100
Mission Activities
Sent long-term volunteers
Sponsored trip overseas
Sponsored a child
Sponsored US trip
Hosted speaker
Collected items
Collected $
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Percent of Congregations Doing Each Activity
100
How Congregations Distribute
their Mission Donations
23%
25 %
through UCC
through other agencies
own projects
• 10% gave nothing through
UCC; 5% gave all through
UCC
• 22% gave nothing through
other agencies, 1% gave
all through other agencies
51%
• 31% gave nothing through
self-generated projects,
2% gave all through selfgenerated projects
Community Ministries
Job help
AIDS
Immigrants
Financial counseling
Voter ed
Tutoring
Health ed
Day care
Social issues
Elderly
Cash assist
Food Pantry
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Percent of Congregations with this Ministry
90
100
Emphasis on Religious Practices
Dietary restrictions
Fasting
No premarital sex
Keeping Sabbath
Family devotions
Tithing
Family talk re faith
Personal Bible study
Personal prayer
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Percent of Churches Emphasizing the Practice
A lot
Quite a bit
Some
A little
90
100
Use of Electronic Media
Other
On-line giving
Podcasts
Blogs
VANCO
Facebook
Web site
E-mail
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Percent Using Each
70
80
90
100
Mission and Identity
Not distinctive
Moral beacon
Clear mission
Willing to change
Works for justice
Participates in UCC
Celebrates heritage
Spiritually alive
Wants diversity
Holds strong beliefs
Close-knit family
Wants to grow
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Percent of Churches
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral/unsure
Disagree
Strongly disagree
100%
Theological Outlook of
Congregation
Very liberal
11%
Somewhat
liberal
23%
Very
conservative
4%
Moderate
38%
Somewhat
conservative
24%
Regular Participants in Religious Activities
20
15
10
5
00
0
ve
r5
O
to
50
0
1
20
1
to
20
0
15
15
10
1
to
10
0
to
75
76
51
to
50
to
26
to
25
0
1
Percent of
Congregations
25
Number of Regular Participants
Un 0
de
r5
5
to
10 10
to
25 25
to
50 50
to
75 75
to
90 90
to
95 95
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation that is White
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent White
No
1 ne
to
10 10
to
20 20
to
30 30
to
40 40
to
50 50
to
60 60
to
70 70
to
80 80
to
90 90
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation Aged 65 or Over
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent 65 or Over
No
1 ne
to
10 10
to
20 20
to
30 30
to
40 40
to
50 50
to
60 60
to
70 70
to
80 80
to
90 90
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation Aged 50 to 64
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent 50 to 64
No
1 ne
to
10 10
to
20 20
to
30 30
to
40 40
to
50 50
to
60 60
to
70 70
to
80 80
to
90 90
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation Aged 35 to 49
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent 35 to 49
No
1 ne
to
10 10
to
20 20
to
30 30
to
40 40
to
50 50
to
60 60
to
70 70
to
80 80
to
90 90
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation Aged 18 to 34
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Percent Aged 18 to 34
No
1 ne
to
10 10
to
20 20
to
30 30
to
40 40
to
50 50
to
60 60
to
70 70
to
80 80
to
90 90
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation Aged 0 to 17
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent Aged 0 to 17
Percent Female
90
80
7o
65
60
55
50
45
40
30
20
10
1
99
90
80
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
30
20
10
10
0
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
0
Percent of Congregations
Percent of the Congregation that is Female
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent of the Congregation who are College
Graduates
25
20
15
10
5
0
Un 0
de
r5
5
to
10 10
to
25 25
to
50 50
to
75 75
to
90 90
to
95 95
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
30
Percent College Graduates
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Un 0
de
r5
5
to
10 10
to
25 25
to
50 50
to
75 75
to
90 90
to
95 95
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation who are
New in Past Five Years
Percent New
Un 0
de
r5
5
to
10 10
to
25 25
to
50 50
to
75 75
to
90 90
to
95 95
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation who are
“Out” LGBT
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Percent LGBT
Un 0
de
r5
5
to
10 10
to
25 25
to
50 50
to
75 75
to
90 90
to
95 95
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation who are
Lifelong UCC
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent Lifelong UCC
Percent of the Congregation Who
Live within 15 Minutes of Church
25
20
15
10
5
0
Un 0
de
r5
5
to
10 10
to
25 25
to
50 50
to
75 75
to
90 90
to
95 95
to
99
10
0
Percent of
Congregations
30
Percent Living within 15 Minutes of Church
People Associated with the Congregation
25
15
10
5
Number of People
00
0
ve
r5
O
to
50
0
1
20
1
to
20
0
15
15
10
1
to
10
0
to
75
76
to
50
51
to
26
to
25
0
1
Percent
20
Clergy Leadership
Senior &
Asso(s)
17%
No pastor
2%
Co-pastors
3%
Solo pastor
78%
Clergy Age and Gender
Number of Clergy
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
20s
30s
40s
50s
Age
Female
60 to
64
Male
65 to 70 and
69
over
Clergy Employment Status
Full-time paid
64%
Part-time
unpaid
1%
Part-time paid
34%
Full-time
unpaid
1%
Clergy Educational Level
PhD/DMin
21%
High School
1%
Some College Bachelor's
4%
9%
Masters/MDiv
65%
Clergy Race/Ethnicity
Biracial
1%
Not stated
8%
African
Native American
American
< 0.5% Asian
4%
2%
Pacific Islander
1%
White
84%
Percent
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Year Called
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1998-1999
1996-1997
1994-1995
1992-1993
1990-1991
1980s
Before 1980
Year of Call to This Church
Time Spent in Ministry Tasks
Leader devel.
Stewardship
Evangelism
Small groups
Conflict
Youth/YA
Wider church
Community
Setting vision
Administration
Teaching
Pastoral care
Worship
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Percent
Great deal Quite a bit Some
Very little
80%
90%
100%
Participation in Interfaith Activities
Fellowship
Cultural events
Service
Worship
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Percent of Congregations
With Christians
With Other Faiths
70
80
90
100
Conflicts in Last 5 Years
Finances
Worship
General Synod
Pastor's leadership
Members' behavior
Facilities
Program priorities
Pastor's behavior
0
10
20
30
40
50
Percent
None
Not serious
60
70
80
90
100
Conflicts in Last 5 Years
Facilities
General Synod
Program priorities
Worship
Members' behavior
Finances
Pastor's behavior
Pastor's leadership
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Percent
Pastor left
People withheld $
People left
80
90
100
Percent
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Budget in Thousands of Dollars
Over 1M
500K to 1M
400 to 500K
350 to 400K
300 to 350K
250 to 300K
200 to 250K
175 to 200K
150 to 175K
125 to 150K
100 to 125K
75 to 100K
50 to 75K
25 to 50K
Less than 25K
Size of 2010 Budget
Percent Spent on Staff
10
0
nd 0
er
10 10
to
2
20 0
to
3
30 0
to
4
40 0
to
5
50 0
to
6
60 0
to
7
70 0
to
8
80 0
to
9
90 0
to
99
U
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Budget Spent on Staff
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
10
0
nd 0
er
10 10
to
2
20 0
to
3
30 0
to
4
40 0
to
5
50 0
to
6
60 0
to
7
70 0
to
8
80 0
to
9
90 0
to
99
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
U
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Budget Spent on
Building Operations
Percent Spent on Building Operations
Percent Spent on Program Support
10
0
nd 0
er
10 10
to
2
20 0
to
3
30 0
to
4
40 0
to
5
50 0
to
6
60 0
to
7
70 0
to
8
80 0
to
9
90 0
to
99
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
U
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Budget Spent on
Program Support and Materials
Percent Spent on Mission
10
0
nd 0
er
10 10
to
2
20 0
to
3
30 0
to
4
40 0
to
5
50 0
to
6
60 0
to
7
70 0
to
8
80 0
to
9
90 0
to
99
U
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Budget Spent on Mission
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
0
nd 0
er
10 10
to
2
20 0
to
3
30 0
to
4
40 0
to
5
50 0
to
6
60 0
to
7
70 0
to
8
80 0
to
9
90 0
to
99
U
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Budget Spent on
Other Expenditures
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Percent Spent on Other Expenditures
Percent who Pledge
10
0
nd 0
er
10 10
to
2
20 0
to
3
30 0
to
4
40 0
to
5
50 0
to
6
60 0
to
7
70 0
to
8
80 0
to
9
90 0
to
99
U
Percent of
Congregations
Percent of the Congregation who Pledge
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Percent of the Congregation who
Pay Pledges in Full (of Pledgers)
25
20
15
10
5
Percent who Pay Pledge in Full
10
0
nd 0
er
10 10
to
2
20 0
to
3
30 0
to
4
40 0
to
5
50 0
to
6
60 0
to
7
70 0
to
8
80 0
to
9
90 0
to
99
0
U
Percent of
Congregations
30
Percent
Change in Financial Health,
2005-2010
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
2005
2010
Serious Some Tight, but Good
difficulty difficulty
we
manage
Excellent
Percent
Impact of 2008-09 Economic
Crisis
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Income Declined a Declined
No
Income has
declined a little
but
significant grown
lot
rebounded change
Ways the Economic Crisis
Impacted Congregations
Staff layoffs
Hiring freeze
$ for building
Salary freeze
$ for mission
$ from investments
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Percent Reporting Some Impact
Major
Moderate
Minor
90
100
Ways the Economic Crisis
Impacted Congregations
Housing requests
Counseling requests
Cash requests
Members unemployed
0
20
40
60
80
Percent Reporting Some Impact
Major
Moderate
Minor
100
Participation in Vitality Training
45
40
35
Percent
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Not at all
A little
Some
Significant
Impact of Still-Speaking
Many new people attended
Aroused controversy
A few new people attended
Members increased pride in UCC
Members learned re UCC
No impact
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Percent
70
80
90 100
Agreement with Vitality Components
Ready to try new
Excitement about future
Shared vision and goals
Focused on wider community
Morale is high
Makes a real difference to members
0
10
20
30
40
50
Percent
Strongly agree
Agree
60
70
80
90
100
Agreement with “Our congregation is a vital
congregation.”
Unsure or
Mixed
21%
Disagree
8%
Strongly
Disagree
2%
Strongly
Agree
20%
Agree
49%
Ways the Congregation Changed
in Last 5 Years
Evangelizing
Stewardship
Organizational
Mission
Affect members
Fellowship
Spiritually
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Percent
Great deal stronger
Moderately stronger
A little stronger
100
Location of Church
Older city
neighborhood
11%
Older suburb
10%
Newer suburb
1%
Rural
19%
Downtown city
9%
Large town
18%
Village/small
town
32%
UCC Region
Plains
16%
Great Lakes
22%
Western
15%
Southern
6%
New England
21%
Middle
Atlantic
20%
0
Sanctuary Seating Capacity
Over 1000
750-1000
500-750
400-500
300-400
250-300
200-250
150-200
100-150
50-100
50 or less
Percent of Churches
Sanctuary Seating Capacity
30
25
20
15
10
5
Year Organized
Percent of Congregations
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1700 1701- 1751- 1801- 1851- 1901- 1951- Since
or 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2000
earlier
Organization Date
Percent of churches
Building Adequacy
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Much less Slightly
than
less
needed
About
right
Worship space
Slightly
Much
more more than
needed
Parking