CONGREGATIONAL SURVEY. Conducted by the UUCA Board of Trustees

Transcription

1 CONGREGATIONAL SURVEY Conducted by the UUCA Board of Trustees Report Date: September 23, 2014

2 Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Congregational Survey TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION..PAGE 1 II. UUCA ENDS STATEMENTS PAGE 1 III. SURVEY DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS.PAGE 2 A. Development of the survey B. Administration of the survey C. Analysis of the survey IV. SURVEY PARTICIPANTS PAGE 3 A. Number of participants B. Demographic data for survey participants V. ANALYSIS OF ENDS STATEMENTS DATA PAGE 4 A. Which Ends Statement resonates most? B. Perceptions of UUCA s progress toward Ends evaluation method C. Perceptions of UUCA s progress toward Ends summary ratings for each Ends Statement and global evaluation D. Differences in ratings for Ends Statements based upon demographic variables E. Participation in the life of UUCA and perception of progress towards Ends F. Loyalty to UUCA and perception of progress towards Ends G. How well we work together and perception of progress toward Ends VI. SURVEY RESULTS REGARDING STEWARDSHIP/PLEDGING...PAGE 13 A. Defining sub-groups for analysis of pledge-related data B. Relationship between pledge status and other variables VII. OPEN-ENDED COMMENTS: RESPONDENTS SHARE CONCERNS AND COMPLIMENTS...PAGE 17 A. Categorizing open-ended comments B. Frequency of comment categories and praise versus criticism VIII. WHAT IS REVEALED BY THE COMMENTS FROM THOSE MOST ACTIVE AT UUCA?...PAGE 18 IX. APPENDICES A. UUCA Congregational Survey December 2013 B. UUCA Congregational Survey Preliminary Report May 2014 C. Demographics of Survey Participants D. Which Ends Statement Resonates Most Sample Responses E. Ends Statements Survey Items Number, Mean, Standard Deviation F. Participation Variables Attendance, Membership, Activities, Volunteering G. Comment Categories with Examples H. Comment Categories Frequencies and Praise or Criticism

3 I. INTRODUCTION Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Congregational Survey Report Date: September 23, 2014 Is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA) living out its mission and achieving the goals set by the congregation in 2007? Is UUCA accomplishing the Ends Statements that outline our priorities as a faith community? As the elected lay leadership of UUCA, the Board of Trustees is responsible for examining these questions on behalf of UUCA congregants. In 2013, the Board embarked upon an ambitious project to develop a Congregational Survey to gather feedback from UUCA members and other UUCA congregants about our progress on the UUCA Ends Statements. The Board wanted to establish a benchmark to gauge future progress in meeting our Ends Statements. This report summarizes the results of that survey. II. UUCA ENDS STATEMENTS What are UUCA s Ends Statements? The Ends Statements were developed by the Board in 2007 following a multi-year process with hundreds of congregants that identified UUCA's values, strengths, and purpose. This work was completed as a key step in UUCA s transition to policy governance. The description given for Ends Statements was the difference we will make in the world. Here are the Ends Statements as set forth in the Policies of the UUCA Board of Trustees. Acting out of our values, and in accordance with our mission, UUCA will give to the world: A vibrant faith community for spiritual seekers that worship together, embracing lifelong religious learning and respecting different spiritual journeys. A loving community that provides support and care for others through both the best and the most difficult of times. A safe and welcoming community where all are valued. Children and youth centered in the values of our religious community and nurtured in love, who are compassionate leaders in seeking justice and peace. People with a passion for social and economic justice who work together for human rights and a sustainable environment. A creative community that challenges us to see the world with new perspectives and gives voice to the human spirit through music and the arts. We are a place where hope is born hope that we as a congregation, nation, and world can live harmoniously, with arms that can reach across great divides to offer support, find friendship, and make peace. We give these gifts to the world. For the purposes of this survey, shorthand labels for the six Ends Statements were developed; throughout this report you will see them referenced in this manner: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community Ends 4 Children and Youth Ends 5 Social Justice Ends 6 Creative Community 1

4 III. SURVEY DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS A. Development of the survey The survey was designed by the Board of Trustees Congregational Life Committee members (Chair Amelia Shenstone, Bill Mengel and Joetta Prost) with input from some additional congregants. The plan was to design a survey that would accomplish the following: 1. Provide baseline measurement of UUCA s progress toward achievement of our Ends Statements; 2. Identify potential needed changes to the current Ends Statements; 3. Provide the congregation with the opportunity to offer feedback and comments about their perceptions of UUCA. The Congregational Life Committee began developing the survey in June The intention was to develop a set of questions that mirrored each of our current Ends Statements, in addition to adding other items to gather additional information. Surveys utilized by other Unitarian Universalist congregations served as useful resource material as our survey was being built. Survey reports regarding the Ends Statements of Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, MN were especially helpful and led us to include what Unity calls the loyalty questions, as well as questions about anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism. The results of the stewardship campaign for 2014 sparked the addition of questions related to financial support for UUCA. We hoped that these questions would help the Board achieve an additional objective: 4. Understand the reasons for the disappointing results of the stewardship campaign. A draft of the UUCA survey was piloted by a group of former presidents of the UUCA Board of Trustees, who provided helpful feedback for the final phase of survey development. Appendix A is a copy of the UUCA Congregational Survey. B. Administration of the survey The launch of the survey was announced at the December 15, 2013 Congregational Meeting. The online tool Survey Monkey was utilized and the survey was available through January 31, The survey required about 20 minutes on average to complete. Messages encouraging participation were distributed through the usual communication channels. To help ensure that all had the opportunity to participate, members of the Congregational Life Committee set up laptops in the foyer of UUCA and offered assistance with completion of the survey on a Sunday in mid- January. C. Analysis of the survey Congregational Life Committee members Amelia Shenstone, Bill Mengel and Joetta Prost, along with President-Elect June Lester and Board member Erin Stanfill, identified questions to be addressed in the survey analyses. Bailey Pope joined in the work of classifying the open-ended comments. Board member Cindy Hoffner graciously spent many hours analyzing the data using SPSS Statistical Software. The survey team then studied the results in order to summarize them for 2

5 a preliminary report which was presented to the congregation on May 4, See Appendix B for a copy of the preliminary report that was delivered to the congregation and subsequently posted on the UUCA website. Following the initial report to congregants, additional analyses were conducted because interesting questions continued to arise from the survey team discussions. Here s an important note about the results included in this report. When differences or relationships are reported between variables, these are results that have been shown to be statistically significant. The significant findings included in this report are ones that statistical analysis has shown is unlikely to be due merely to chance and thus likely reflects a real difference or relationship. The approach of only reporting statistically significant findings prevents us from reading too much into the numbers or interpreting small differences as more important than they are. It keeps us honest about the data. One other thing for readers to keep in mind: those who took a statistics class somewhere in the past may recall the statement that correlation is not causation. In drawing conclusions from the data, we are mindful that two things can be related without a determination of what - if anything - caused them to be related. IV. SURVEY PARTICIPANTS A. Number of participants The Board was very pleased that slightly more than 400 people chose to participate in the survey. Review and elimination of incomplete data yielded a total of 400 participants. How does this number compare to everyone at UUCA? This is difficult to determine due to the fluid nature of participation in the life of the congregation. In January 2014, UUCA s official membership count was 676. In recent years, the figure of 900 to 1,000 people has been generally accepted as an estimate of the total number of people involved in some way at UUCA. Even if one uses the higher figure of 1,000 congregants, the 40% participation rate for the survey is outstanding! This clearly demonstrated that congregants wanted an opportunity to share their thoughts and express their feelings about our beloved community. B. Demographic data for survey participants The next major question was who are the participants? Please see Appendix C for the complete report of the demographic data for the 400 survey respondents. Because we do not have demographic data for all UUCA congregants, and because the survey participants were not a random sample of congregants, we cannot say whether they match the demographics of the congregation. However, there is general consensus among the members of the survey team that the demographics of the respondents seem similar to what we observe/estimate to be the makeup of the congregation as a whole. Our respondents included those who fit these and other descriptors: old and young; LGBTQ and heterosexual; married, widowed, and single; many racial and ethnic identities; parents and non-parents; raised as Unitarian Universalist and those with no religious background; female and male; physically disabled and those with no current disability. We are a diverse community and the Board is pleased with the diversity of the survey participants. 3

6 V. ANALYSIS OF ENDS STATEMENTS DATA A. Which Ends Statement resonates most? People come to UUCA and stay involved at UUCA for a variety of reasons. We wanted to know which Ends Statement most resonates with survey respondents. This is very useful information for the Board and staff. It can help answer questions such as: Are our End Statements in line with what the congregation needs and wants? Are we attending to the Ends that are most important to the congregation? This was a forced choice item; each respondent could select only one of the six Ends Statements. Table 1 displays the percent of respondents who most identify with each of the Ends Statements and the resultant rankings. Rank Order TABLE 1 #39. WHICH OF THE ENDS STATEMENTS RESONATES MOST WITH YOU? Ends Statements in Ranked Order No. of respondents who selected Percent 1 Vibrant Faith Community (Ends 1) % 2 Safe and Welcoming Community (Ends 3) % 3 Creative Community (Ends 6) % 4 Social Justice (Ends 5) % 5 Loving Community (Ends 2) % 6 Children and Youth (Ends 4) % Total Responses % Missing 29 Total 400 4

7 Appendix D provides a sample of the explanations that survey participants offered for their selection of each of the Ends Statements. Numerous respondents commented on how difficult it was to select just one because they felt multiple aspects of our community were very important to them. Board Reflections: Rev. Anthony Makar spoke of holy curiosity in his March 9, 2014 sermon, encouraging UUCA congregants to rejoice when we experience something that might not feel so great to us, because we know that means it probably feels great for somebody else." The responses to this resonates question highlight the diversity of perspectives at UUCA. We may all love alike, but different aspects of our mission have different priorities for us as individuals. This is a good thing! If everything was of equal importance to everyone, none of us would focus on any one thing and we would make less progress. However, it is sometimes hard to accept when the thing that we especially care about isn t getting attention at this moment. B. Perceptions of UUCA s progress toward Ends evaluation method The primary purpose of the survey was to gather respondents perceptions not just of which of our Ends matter most to them but also of how well UUCA is achieving each of the Ends Statements. To gather this information, a group of survey items was developed to reflect the language of each of the Ends Statements. Survey respondents rated the extent to which they agreed with 36 items that were created for the six Ends Statements. Table 2 contains examples of the items included for each Ends Statement. TABLE 2 ENDS STATEMENTS ITEMS SAMPLE ITEM FOR EACH ENDS STATEMENT Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community At UUCA, I have found opportunities for growth and 7 engagement that have helped me to work on my own spiritual development. Ends 2 Loving Community 7 UUCA has provided me or fellow congregants with compassionate pastoral care in times of joy, sorrow, and transition. I feel UUCA is a welcoming place inclusive of all races, Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming economic status, genders, ages, sexual orientations, 8 Community physical/mental abilities, political views, or education levels. Ends 4 Children and Youth 3 At UUCA, children and youth are cared for, safe, and loved; parents are supported in their parenting. Ends 5 Social Justice 8 UUCA is a visible leader on social justice issues. Ends 6 Creative Community 3 I have seen the world in a different way because of music, theatre, visual art, and other artistic expression at UUCA. Evaluation of our progress on the six Ends Statements was based on ratings of the 36 items using a 1 to 5 scale (with 5 being the most positive rating). The data were then analyzed in the following ways: 5

8 1. The scores for the 36 individual survey items were reviewed. Appendix E includes the items for each Ends Statement, the number of people who responded to each item, the mean (average) score, and the standard deviation for each item. 2. The summary rating for each of the Ends was calculated as the average rating of the questions related to that End. This became the primary data that was utilized for subsequent analyses. See below section C. 3. Global evaluation of our progress towards our Ends was based on an average of the ratings for the six Ends. The Global rating was included for subsequent analyses. See below section C. 4. Ratings for each of the Ends were examined in terms of relationship to demographic and other variables that were measured in the survey. Sections D. through G. below provide this information. Data Note: Question # 21 included four items that specifically asked about the Religious Exploration (RE) program for children and youth at four age levels. Although these could be considered related to Ends 4 Children and Youth, the majority of respondents did not answer these items, probably due to a perceived lack of knowledge. Each of these four items was rated by approximately 150 respondents (out of 400). In addition, the children s RE program is a very specific program, and none of the other items related to the Ends asked about specific programs at UUCA. Thus ratings of the four items in Question #21 regarding RE are removed from the analysis about Ends 4 Children and Youth and considered separately in the data analysis. Board Reflections: The fact that many congregants did not answer the items that asked about RE programming at four age levels is disappointing. Ideally, more congregants need to know enough to have an opinion about, if not actually participate in, our RE program. RE cannot function in a silo. Religious Exploration cannot be insular, it is intrinsic. It is our 4th Principle. It is vital to the future of our faith and is the responsibility of all. C. Perceptions of UUCA s progress toward Ends summary ratings for each Ends Statement and global evaluation TABLE 3 PERCEPTION OF UUCA S PROGRESS TOWARDS ENDS: SUMMARY RATINGS AND GLOBAL EVALUATION Ends Statements in rated order Ratings: 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), shown from highest-rated to lowest-rated Ends 6 Creative Community 4.39 Ends 4 Children and Youth 4.30 Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community 4.16 Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community 4.09 Ends 5 Social Justice 3.97 Ends 2 Loving Community 3.84 Global Evaluation

9 In terms of the original intent of the Board s Congregational Life Committee, Table 3 contains the primary data that was sought in this survey: the answers to the question of how well congregants believe that UUCA is achieving our Ends Statements. Noting the differences in ratings among the six Ends Statements, we examined whether those differences were statistically significant (that is, likely not due to chance). The findings that were statistically significant are explained in Table 4. TABLE 4 COMPARISON OF ENDS STATEMENTS SUMMARY RATINGS: SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES Ends 6 Creative Community and Ends 4 Children and Youth were rated significantly higher than all four of the other Ends Statements. Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community and Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community were rated significantly higher than Ends 5 Social Justice. Ends 2 Loving Community was rated significantly lower than all five other Ends Statements. Board Reflections: The Board is pleased that the overall ratings of progress toward our Ends Statements are positive, with a Global rating of 4.19/5.00. This number and the summary ratings for each of the Ends Statements will serve as benchmarks for future comparison when the congregational survey is repeated in a couple years. The differences in ratings for the Ends Statements indicates that the survey respondents took seriously the task of conveying their view of our progress on each of the six key areas for which UUCA has set major goals. Of interest is the relatively lower rating of progress toward Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community coupled with the fact that 39% of respondents indicated that this is what most resonates with them. Although more respondents named this Ends Statement than any other as the one that most resonates, they also felt there was opportunity for further improvement. What does this suggest about the focus and use of UUCA resources to achieve a vibrant faith community for spiritual seekers that worship together, embracing lifelong religious learning and respecting different spiritual journeys? There can be many interpretations of what achievement of this Ends Statement might entail, as is explained later in this report when open-ended comments offered by survey participants are discussed. Particular attention should be paid to programs and activities that support this End, with appropriate allocation or reallocation of resources as required. Ends 4 Children and Youth was the Ends Statement that was identified by the fewest people as resonating with them and yet it was given a high rating for progress made 7

10 toward achievement. This raises interesting questions about the valuing of children and youth compared to resources expended and progress made. D. Differences in ratings for Ends Statements based upon demographic variables As noted earlier, Appendix C contains the demographic data for survey respondents. The Board wanted to know whether different demographic groups within UUCA gave ratings of our progress toward the Ends Statements that were significantly different from the ratings given by other demographic groups. The Board sought to understand whether we may be on target for some sub-groups of UUCA participants but missing the mark from the perspective of other sub-groups within the congregation. Here s what was learned about demographic sub-groups and ratings of Ends Statements: 1. There were no differences in ratings for any of the Ends Statements or for the combined Global rating based upon the following demographic variables: Gender (male/female) Partner status (partnered/not partnered) Parenthood (children 18 or under/no children or over 18) Education Income Data Note: In order to examine demographic sub-groups, decisions were made to combine or collapse groups to facilitate logical analysis and also to take into account small numbers of respondents in certain categories. For example, the various choices for relationship status were rolled together to create two groups: Partnered and Not Partnered. 2. Were there demographic variables that DID make a difference in respondents ratings on the Ends Statements? Yes, there were significant differences for some Ends Statements related to age, racial/ethnic identity, sexual orientation and disability status. These significant differences are explained in Table 5. DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES Age Racial/Ethnic Identity TABLE 5 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN ENDS STATEMENT RATINGS BASED UPON DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES The older the respondent, the more positive her/his ratings for: Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community Ends 4 Children and Youth Ends 5 Social Justice Global Evaluation The 44 respondents who identified themselves as belonging to any of the groups other than white gave less positive ratings than those who identified as white for these Ends Statements: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 6 Creative Community Global Evaluation 8

11 Sexual Orientation Disability Status The 50 respondents who marked their sexual orientation as one of the identities other than heterosexual rated the following Ends Statements less positively than those who identified as heterosexual: Ends 5 Social Justice Ends 6 Creative Community Global Evaluation The respondents who identified as having a disability rated one Ends Statement more positively than those who did not identify as currently having a disability: Ends 5 Social Justice Board Reflections: The lower rating of Ends 6 Creative Community by those other than heterosexual and other than white raises the question of whether there are characteristics of the creative aspects of UUCA (art gallery, theater, music during worship) that are less welcoming and relate less to those groups than to those who are white heterosexuals. Similarly, the less positive rating of Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community by those who are other than white suggests the need for ongoing examination of the worship environment and spiritual messaging for unintended cultural impediments to achievement of this End, with changes made as needed to more fully encompass diverse cultural perspectives. It is good that those identifying as having a disability feel positive about UUCA s social justice work. The survey results suggest that UUCA s social justice endeavors should be evaluated to determine ways that the congregation might be more responsive to the social justice interests of the LGBTQ community within UUCA. Those interests might not relate solely to LGBTQ social justice; perhaps LGBTQ congregants have a broader interest in social justice in general within the congregation and are basing their ratings on that broader perspective. E. Participation in the life of UUCA and perception of progress towards Ends How does one s degree of engagement and participation relate to one s perception of our achievement of the Ends Statements? Here we re looking at whether there is a relationship between your ratings for Ends Statements and how often you are at UUCA, how involved you are in the life of the congregation, how long you ve been attending, and membership status. These were dubbed the participation variables. Appendix F provides the survey data regarding what might informally be called the length, breadth and depth of respondents participation at UUCA. This includes attendance, membership, volunteering and activities. Table 6 provides highlights from Appendix F as well as the findings regarding the relationship between ratings of Ends Statements and the participation variables. Here is a summary of those findings. 1. The number of years attending UUCA was not significantly related to ratings of progress toward the Ends Statements. 2. Respondents who are members gave more positive ratings for all Ends except Ends 3 Children and Youth and Ends 4 Social Justice; they also rated the global evaluation higher. 3. The number of years of membership was not significantly related to ratings of progress toward the Ends Statements. 9

12 4. More frequent attendance at Sunday Services was related to higher ratings on four of the six Ends Statements, as well as the global evaluation of progress towards Ends. 5. Those who volunteer more at UUCA gave more positive ratings for three of the Ends Statements plus the global evaluation. 6. Survey respondents were asked to identify all of the UUCA activities in which they are involved. There were 33 different activities listed plus 16 more added by respondents! The results of the survey indicated that the more activities with which respondents are involved, the more positive their rating of UUCA s progress toward Ends 2 (Loving Community). PARTICIPATION VARIABLES Length of time Attending UUCA TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TABLE 6 SURVEY RESPONDENTS (SEE APPENDIX F FOR DETAILS) Survey respondents have typically been attending for about 6-10 years. SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN ENDS STATEMENT RATINGS BASED UPON PARTICIPATION VARIABLES There were no statistically significant differences in ratings for any of the six Ends Statements based upon length of time that the survey participants had attended UUCA. Membership Status Length of time as a Member of UUCA Frequency of Attendance for Sunday Services Frequency of Volunteering Involvement with Activities 70.5% of survey respondents are members. Slightly over half of survey respondents who are members have been so for more than 10 years. Sunday attendance of the respondents in the past year has typically been two to three Sundays per month. On average, the survey respondents give of their time as a volunteer at UUCA about once a month. 60% of respondents indicated that they are participating in two or more activities (groups or communities within UUCA). Another 18% reported involvement in one activity/group, and 22% reported no such participation. Members rated the following Ends higher than non-members: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 5 Social Justice Ends 6 Creative Community Global Evaluation There were no statistically significant differences in ratings for any of the six Ends Statements based upon number of years that the survey participants had been members of UUCA. More frequent attendance at Sunday Services is related to higher ratings on these Ends: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 4 Children and Youth Ends 6 Creative Community Global Evaluation More frequent volunteering is related to more positive ratings for the following: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 6 Creative Community Global Evaluation Being involved in more activities is related to more positive ratings for our progress toward Ends 2 Loving Community 10

13 Board Reflections: Taken together, the findings suggest that participation (as reflected in membership status, frequency of being at UUCA on Sundays, and degree of involvement in the life of the congregation by volunteering and by being a participant in activities that take place at UUCA) is related to more positive ratings on several Ends Statements. Of course, we cannot conclude that there is a causal relationship between these participation variables and the ratings for various Ends Statements. For example, we don t know if congregants who feel more satisfied with our progress toward the Ends are more likely to attend Sunday Services, OR if attending Sunday Services more frequently leads congregants to feel more satisfied with our progress toward the Ends. And it is also possible that these two variables (participation and perception of progress toward Ends) might be related because both are influenced by a third variable. Nevertheless, the findings are intriguing. The finding of no differences in ratings based upon years of attendance is a positive finding about how newcomers and old timers perceive our progress toward Ends at UUCA. The fact that members rated four of the six Ends (all but Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community and Ends 4 Children and Youth) significantly higher than non-members, and also gave significantly higher ratings on the global evaluation, suggests that membership is a good thing. The Board is pleased that those who are more involved in the life of UUCA feel more positive about how our congregation is meeting the goals set forth in the Ends Statements. An increased focus upon engagement and participation for all congregants seems warranted. F. Loyalty to UUCA and perception of progress toward Ends The Board wanted to examine a concept that other organizations (including Unity Church Unitarian in St. Paul, MN) refer to as loyalty questions. The loyalty questions included in our survey measured the degree to which respondents share about their UU faith connection by talking with others about our congregation and by inviting family and friends to attend UUCA. The data about respondents frequency of talking to others about UUCA and inviting friends or relatives to come to UUCA are summarized in Table 7. The key numbers for comparison in future years are the mean (average) ratings for these two questions. The mean rating for talking to others was 3.18/5.0 or the equivalent of sometimes in the rating scale descriptions. The mean rating for inviting others was lower 2.33/5.00, between never and several times a year. In addition to the mean ratings, we examined whether there is a relationship between the loyalty items and perception of achievement of Ends. Results of this analysis indicate that the more positive the survey respondents felt about UUCA s progress toward Ends, the more often they talk to others about UUCA and the more frequently they invite friends or relatives to come to UUCA. This was true for all six Ends. 11

14 LOYALTY QUESTIONS #36. How often do you find yourself talking about UUCA with others outside about your faith community? #37. How often do you invite friends or relatives to come to UUCA? RATING SCALE DESCRIPTIONS 1 = Hardly Ever 3 = Sometimes 5 = All the time; they are probably tired of hearing about it. 1 = Never 3 = Several times a year 5 = Several times a month TABLE 7 MEAN SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN ENDS RATING RATINGS FOR THESE VARIABLES (1 TO 5) More frequent talking about UUCA and more frequent inviting others to UUCA are both related to higher ratings on all Ends: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community Ends 4 Children and Youth Ends 5 Social Justice Ends 6 Creative Community Global Evaluation Board Reflections: The good news is that the more congregants believe that UUCA is making progress on our Ends, the more they are also likely to be spreading the word about our congregation. However it appears that overall the frequency of inviting others to learn about and experience our Unitarian Universalist faith is low. Measuring these loyalty questions allows UUCA to track changes in the future. The Board hopes that over time, the average scores for these two loyalty questions will increase, indicating that congregants are engaging more with others to spread the good news of Unitarian Universalism and UUCA. The concept of evangelism remains a difficult one for many UUs. But as the Unitarian Universalist Association s Rev. Tandi Rogers says: If we truly believe in the power of this faith to change lives, if we truly try to practice the principles listed on our hymnals and websites, if we truly feel that our historical and theological lineage of love infused with reason, deeds over creeds and a desire for a just, kinder and more compassionate world, why is there anyone not wanting to grow and sing Unitarian Universalism from the highest mountains and the tallest peaks. Providing opportunities for congregants to become comfortable with the concept of evangelizing and learn how to become UU Ambassadors to the world should be a priority for UUCA. G. How well we work together and perception of progress toward Ends Another benchmark that the Board wanted to establish was congregants perception of how well we are all working together. For survey item #38, respondents rated how well staff, congregants and board work together to achieve UUCA s Ends. The item was rated 1 to 5, with 5 being the most positive. See Table 8 for a summary of the results for this variable. The mean rating was 3.69/5.0. If this item is included in future surveys, this mean rating can be utilized to compare changes in congregants views over time. 12

15 The more positively respondents evaluated how we are doing on all six of our Ends, the more positive their assessment of how well staff, congregants and Board work together to achieve our Ends. There were no differences in how demographic sub-groups evaluated our working together. WORK TOGETHER QUESTION #38. In my experience, staff, congregants, and board work well together to achieve our Ends. MEAN RATING (1 TO 5) 3.69 TABLE 8 DIFFERENCES IN ENDS RATINGS FOR THIS VARIABLE Positive ratings on working together are related to higher ratings on all Ends: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community Ends 4 Children and Youth Ends 5 Social Justice Ends 6 Creative Community Global Evaluation Board Reflections: The perception of progress toward UUCA s Ends is tied closely to perception about how congregants, staff and the Board work together. True success with the wonderful aspirations we have set as our Ends Statements requires close collaboration and cooperation among congregants (members and friends), elected lay leaders (Board), and paid staff (Senior Minister Rev. Anthony Makar and his team). Two ways to impact congregants perceptions on this are (1) increasing the transparency of how these components interact and support each other as we work to achieve our Ends Statements, and (2) targeted communication efforts regarding enhanced collaboration and cooperation. VI. SURVEY RESULTS PERTAINING TO STEWARDSHIP/PLEDGING There were a number of key questions related to the 2014 stewardship (or pledge ) campaign that the Board wished to examine utilizing data from the survey, including the following: Is there a relationship between decisions made by congregants about their 2014 pledges and their ratings of our progress toward the Ends? Did different sub-groups of respondents make different decisions about their 2014 pledges? How does pledge status relate to the loyalty questions? A. Defining sub-groups for analysis of pledge-related data In analyzing survey item #45 about pledge increases and decreases compared to 2013, we utilized the responses of the 300 respondents who indicated that they had pledged in These survey respondents were grouped as shown in Table 9 for the analysis of data. The labels of Group 1 and Group 2 are utilized throughout this section of the report. Group 1 refers to those who pledged for 2013 and increased or stayed the same in their pledge for Group 2 refers to those who pledged for 2013 but decreased or made no pledge for

16 PLEDGE STATUS: 2013 AND 2014 TABLE 9 GROUPS FOR PLEDGE DATA ANALYSIS NUMBER OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS Pledged for 2013 Increased pledge for 2014 OR stayed the same for 2014 Decreased pledge for 2014 OR did not pledge for 2014 Group Group 2 52 Did not pledge for 2013 Not included in pledge data analysis 100 B. Relationship between pledge status and other variables The Board wanted to examine the relationship between pledge status (Group 1 or Group 2) and a number of other key variables. This was an effort to understand what factors were related to the decision to increase or decrease one s pledge for The results are quite interesting both in terms of the variables that were not related to one s decision about next year s pledge and the variables for which there were significant differences between Group 1 and Group 2. These results are summarized below and in Table There were no differences between Group 1 and Group 2 for the following variables: a. all demographic variables; b. length of time attending; c. length of membership; and d. frequency of volunteering at UUCA. 2. When the ratings of progress towards achievement of our Ends were compared for Pledge Groups 1 and 2, two significant findings were found: The ratings given by Pledge Group 1 were more positive for 5 of the 6 Ends statements all except Ends 6 Creative Community. Group 1 was also more positive in their overall Global rating of our achievement of the Ends compared to the rating of Group Those respondents who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledges (Group 1) are more involved in the life of UUCA in two specific ways: They attend Sunday services more frequently. They are involved in more UUCA activities. 4. Survey respondents who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledges (Group 1) indicated higher scores on both loyalty questions. They more frequently talk with others about UUCA than did those who decreased or did not pledge in 2014 (Group 2). The

17 respondents in Group 1 indicated that they more often invite friends or relatives to UUCA than did the 52 respondents in Group Similarly, Group 1 respondents indicated that they felt more positive about how UUCA staff, congregants and board work together to achieve our Ends than did those in Group 2. VARIABLES Ends Ratings TABLE 10 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BASED UPON PLEDGE STATUS (GROUP 1 VERSUS GROUP 2) Those who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledge (Group 1) gave more positive ratings for the following Ends: Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community Ends 2 Loving Community Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community Ends 4 Children and Youth Ends 5 Social Justice Global Evaluation However, Groups 1 and 2 did not differ in their ratings of Ends 6 Creative Community. Frequency of Attendance for Sunday Services Those who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledge (Group 1) reported that they attend Sunday services more frequently than do those in Group 2. Involvement with Activities Those who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledge (Group 1) indicated that they are involved in more UUCA activities than are those in Group 2. Talking to others about UUCA Those who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledge (Group 1) reported that they talk more frequently to others about UUCA than did those in Group 2. Inviting others to UUCA Those who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledge (Group 1) responded that they invite others to UUCA more frequently than those in Group 2. Perception of working together Those who increased or stayed the same in their 2014 pledge (Group 1) felt more positive about how UUCA staff, congregants and board work together to achieve our Ends than respondents in Group 2. Note: There were no differences between Pledge Group 1 and Pledge Group 2 on these variables: any of the demographic variables length of time attending UUCA length of time as a member frequency of volunteering 15

18 In order to expand our understanding of the pledge decisions made by respondents, we examined how comments made on the survey related to their pledge decisions. In all, more than 900 openended comments regarding a variety of topics were made by respondents in several places throughout the survey! The analysis of these comments is explained in more detail later in this report, but Table 11 provides some important information about whether the two Pledge Groups expressed different types of open-ended comments. The comments shown in Table 11 were offered significantly more frequently by either Pledge Group 1 or Pledge Group 2; review the percentages to see which group expressed each comment more frequently. TABLE 11 OPEN-ENDED COMMENT CATEGORIES FOR WHICH THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES FOR GROUP 1 VERSUS GROUP 2 (See later section of this report for details about categorization of comments.) PERCENT WHOSE COMMENTS FIT IN THIS COMMENT CATEGORY GROUP 1 Increased/stayed the same for 2014 GROUP 2 Decreased or no pledge for I feel financial responsibility to help UUCA thrive. 27.4% 1.9% 61. Limited, low or unpredictable income affects my pledge. 10.9% 21.2% 62. Change in available income or financial situation 6.9% 42.3% 61. OR 62. At least one comment re: income (comment categorized as either #61 or #62 above) 16.9% 55.8% 64. Critical view of UUCA affects giving. 2.4% 17.3% 69. Appreciate being asked for feedback. 3.6% 13.5% Sample size (all those who had pledged for 2013) Here is a summary of the results displayed in Table Clearly the respondents in Group 1 expressed a greater sense of responsibility to help UUCA thrive. More than one-fourth of Group 1 referenced this in their comments but only one person in Group 2 expressed this sentiment of the 52 in Group 2 (55.8%) offered comments pertaining to income limitations. There were two types of income-related comments, as reflected in Comment Categories #61 and #62. A change in available income or financial situation was mentioned by 22 members of Group 2 (42.3%), who decreased or made no pledge. In contrast, only 6.9% of Group 1 respondents offered this comment. Likewise, significantly more people in Group 2 indicated that limited, low or unpredictable income affected their 2014 pledge 21.2% versus only 10.9% of Group 1. There were four members of Group 2 whose comments reflected that they were experiencing both types of income-related situations. 3. A significantly larger number of people in Group 2 (17.3% versus 2.4%) offered comments suggesting that their critical view of UUCA affected their giving for

19 4. Finally, there were significantly more respondents from Group 2 who commented that they appreciated being asked for their feedback about UUCA (13.5% versus 3.6%). This supports the importance of the Board and the Staff seeking input from the congregation and allowing congregants the opportunity to express concerns. Board Reflections: The survey results regarding pledge status for 2014 are VERY interesting. Board, staff and congregants had wondered aloud whether the disappointing 2014 stewardship campaign results were due to financial pressures experienced by congregants OR if the below-expectation giving was a reflection of dissatisfaction with UUCA. The results of the survey suggest the correct answer is yes and yes because both of these factors evidently played a part. Some congregants experienced financial limitations to which they attributed their decreased pledges for 2014, whereas others chose to express concerns about UUCA by decreasing their pledge. Understanding and accepting this dual explanation is critical in order for the Board and Staff to determine what should be done to increase generosity toward UUCA. With the survey showing no differences in pledging behavior related to demographics, it appears that there are no specific demographic sub-group(s) within the congregation that have decreased or stopped their pledges for This is reassuring. Although UUCA cannot address income variables that influence congregant s pledging decisions, the survey results suggest that it would be in the best interest of the fiscal health of the congregation to regularly seek feedback from congregants (through surveys, community conversations, town halls, etc.) and to increase opportunities for identifying, understanding, and addressing areas of congregant dissatisfaction. Designing and implementing sustainable efforts in these two areas should be a priority for UUCA. While recognizing again that we can t confirm causal influences, the fact that there is a relationship between pledge behavior and perception of progress on five of the six Ends suggests that achievement of Ends may impact congregants investment (literally and figuratively) in UUCA s future. Nearly 28% of those who increased or stayed the same in their giving for 2014 made comments reflecting their sense of financial responsibility to help UUCA thrive. These same people undoubtedly have ways that they would like to see UUCA change or improve since we know that UUCA is not perfect! Their decision regarding their financial support for the coming year appears to be based in large part upon their sense of responsibility, which points to a deep level of engagement with the congregation as an institution, as a place that changes lives. One has the sense that these congregants feel compelled from within to support UUCA through good times and times of some dissatisfaction. Congregants who have made an emotional commitment to Unitarian Universalism and UUCA for the long haul are more likely to be generous in their financial support. In doing so, they do not give up their ability to express ways they want our beloved community to improve. In fact, they gain a strong voice to help move things forward. 17

20 VII. OPEN-ENDED COMMENTS: SURVEY RESPONDENTS SHARE CONCERNS AND COMPLIMENTS A. Categorizing open-ended comments This survey was intentionally designed with many invitations for respondents to share their thoughts and feelings via open-ended comment boxes included in the survey. Many respondents did so. In fact, there were over 900 comments made by the survey respondents. Of the 400 survey participants, 299 (approximately 75%) of them made at least one comment. All 900+ open-ended comments were read and sorted by a group of Board members (Bill Mengel, Joetta Prost, Erin Stanfill, and Bailey Pope) with Congregational Life Committee chair Amelia Shenstone doing the bulk of this detailed work. The result was the development of 69 Comment Categories which are spelled out in Appendix G with an example of the comments included in each category. While the creation of these categories was inherently a subjective task, the group reviewed all categories together and agreed as to the nature of the comments that were being grouped together in the categories. The order of the 69 numbers assigned to categories is random, based simply upon the order the group happened to read and sort the various 900 comments. B. Frequency of comment categories and praise versus criticism After establishment of the 69 categories, the Board members identified which of the comment categories related directly to one of the Ends Statements. Then, a determination was made as to whether the comment category reflected praise (positive connotation), criticism (negative connotation), or neither. Appendix H provides this information, showing the comment categories ranked by the frequency with which each category of comment was provided by survey respondents. Board Reflections: Unitarian Universalists have many opinions. This is reflected in the fact that three out of four of the survey respondents took time to offer at least one open-ended comment while completing the survey. It is also reflected in the vast array of views expressed in those open-ended comments. Not too surprisingly, there were numerous issues for which both praise and criticism comments were offered. Of course, this could feel like a no win situation for Board and Staff or it could be perceived as a good thing as a reflection of our UU diversity. To the extent that respondents offered constructive criticism aimed at improving our beloved community, this was appreciated by the Board and was in fact one of the reasons the survey was conducted. Worth noting, however, were the comments made under the cloak of anonymity that seemed to not reflect the spirit of UUCA s Covenant of Healthy Relationships. But nevertheless, the Board assumes best intentions for all who shared thoughts and feelings via the survey, hoping that respondents may have experienced a sense of renewed commitment to UUCA by virtue of taking time to reflect on UUCA s Ends and share their perspectives. VIII. WHAT IS REVEALED BY THE COMMENTS FROM THOSE MOST ACTIVE AT UUCA? Appendix F includes the data regarding groups and communities within UUCA. Once the openended comments had been categorized, the Board wanted to examine how the comments related to the involvement in the life of UUCA. This was examined in terms of how active the survey 18

21 respondents were in various UUCA groups and communities, and then analyzing whether there were any differences in the comment categories related to the degree of involvement in activities at UUCA. Respondents who gave comments in ten Comment Categories were involved in significantly more UUCA activities. Table 12 lists the Comment Categories for those most involved in groups and communities at UUCA. TABLE 12 COMMENT CATEGORIES OF THOSE MOST ACTIVE IN UUCA GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES 3. Language of spirituality/transformation is uncomfortable PRAISE OR CRITICISM Criticism ENDS STATEMENT TO WHICH THIS COMMENT PERTAINS Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community 4. Too much Christianity, not enough other traditions Criticism Ends 1 Vibrant Faith Community 6. Concrete suggestions Neither 15. Need more social justice focus Criticism Ends 5 Social Justice 29. Physical facility issues Criticism 36. Be more welcoming to newcomers Criticism Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community Ends 3 Safe and Welcoming Community 52. Would like UU values / UUCA to be more visible in community Criticism Ends 5 Social Justice 59. Appreciate other arts besides music Praise Ends 6 Creative Community 60. I feel financial responsibility to help UUCA thrive Praise 69. Appreciate being asked for feedback Praise Board Reflections: The picture drawn here in Table 12 is that those most involved in activities tend to have a number of areas about which they have concerns yet they are actively involved in UUCA activities. This is a good sign, because they can be engaged to help improve the UUCA community. Other analyses indicated that those who are more involved in activities gave higher ratings to Ends 2 Loving Community. How do those earlier results and these findings from the open-ended comments fit together, given that the feedback conveyed in many of these comment s is critical? 19