Westshore Unitarian Universalist Church: Ends

Survey 2015Presented by Sarah Soper in

collaboration with Ahmie Yeung and the Board of

Trustees

May 26, 2015

The Survey Administered via www.suurvey.org

(web)• Paper copies also distributed

Data collected from April 12 to May 4 Self-report data by members and

friends effectiveness of church’s vision and

implementation of goals Survey also collected some

demographic data on respondents

Who completed the survey?

144 fully completed surveys, another 60+ partially completed surveys

Respondents were:• 66% female, 34% male• 98% white, 2% non-white• 83% non-LGBTQQAA, 17% LGBTQQAA• 24% parents of children under 21 yrs, 76% not

parents of children under 21 yrs• 21% under 45 yrs old, 37% 46-65 yrs old, 41%

66 + years old

Who completed the survey?

Spiritualities:• 38.2% Agnostic• 20.8% Atheist• 26.4% Buddhist• 36.8% Christian• 43.8% Humanist• 16.7% Pagan/New

Age Spirituality• Most respondents

picked more than 1

Who completed the survey?

Frequent attenders, long-term members, and longer duration attenders were a majority of respondents

Implications of demographic data collected for findings• No background data on the congregation, so

no idea how valid our findings are• Self-selection bias in respondents influenced

some outcomes to be higher than actual

How well are we meeting the Ends of the church?

3 segments: Within, Among, and Beyond

CARE covenant Likelihood of recommending WSUUC

to friends Ends measured on 5 point scales

• 1 is low/most negative • 5 is high/most positive• 0 as unsure/prefer not to answer• Three exceptions reported separately

WithinQuestion Text Mean sd

1. Does our Church help you live out the Unitarian Universalist principles in your daily life?

3.96 1.22

2. Are you comfortable reaching out to the Church’s ministers and lay leaders for pastoral care?

3.03 1.83

3. As a result of your relationship with the Church, have you started or sustained a routine spiritual practice in the last 12 months?

2.71 1.49

4. Do you enjoy the variety of services you find at Church?

4.25 1.05

5. Have you had opportunities and experiences at Church within the last 12 months that encourage you to make friends?

3.62 1.41

Among Across Diversity Identity Interaction Group Mean sd

Race/Ethnicity 2.99 1.49

Stage of Life 3.79 1.34

LGBTQQA (most) 3.90 1.36

Spiritual Affinity 2.99 1.84

Physical or Mental Health Status 2.89 1.69

Economic Situation (least) 2.87 1.75

Education Level 2.92 1.73

Among (con’t)Question Text Mean sd

7. Can you be your authentic self at Church? 4.21 1.11

8. Did a sermon or activity at Church encourage your participation in a social justice activity within the last 12 months?

2.72 * 1.28

9. Does the Church offer enough opportunities to learn and grow? 4.11 1.14

10. Have you attended any Church programming outside of the worship services within the past 12 months?  

3.15 * 1.18

11. Have you volunteered for any Church activities within the last 12 months?

3.38 1.46

12. Have you pledged to the Church’s 2014-2017 capital campaign?

3.70 1.75

13. When you want to get something done at Church, do you know how to make it happen?

3.06 1.53

BeyondQuestion Text Mean sd

14. Do you think that West Shore welcomes all who enter its doors?

4.32 .92

15. In the past 12 months, have you engaged with visitors and guests at the Church?

3.33 1.25

16. How many relationships with people outside of Church have you built or sustained as a result of your connection with the Church community?

2.58 1.58

17. Have you engaged in activities to end oppression and/or dismantle inequality in the last 12 months?

2.73  * 1.41

18. I believe our Church is recognized in the greater Cleveland community as a supporter of equality.

4.09 1.27

19. I believe our Church is recognized in the greater Cleveland community as a supporter of sustainable living and a "green" sanctuary.

2.92 1.77

item 8: How often has a sermon or activity at Church inspired your participation in a social justice activity within the last 12

months?

Item 10: Have you attended any Church programming outside of the worship services within the past 12 months?

Item 17: Have you engaged in activities to end oppression and/or dismantle inequality

in the last 12 months?

CARE Covenant and Likelihood to recommend WSUUC

Question Text Mean SD

CARE Covenant 4.20 .99

Recommend WSUUC 4.52 .88

What demographic characteristics predict the Ends?

Length of membership Frequency of attendance Age Parenting Spiritual affinity/identity

Implications, Discussion, and Future Directions

Need to fix issues with survey• Timeframe, phrasing of questions, analysis

of comments sections, replication and reliability

Need better background information on congregation for comparison

Need to take action with less successful Ends• Green Sanctuary, ministerial

counseling/availability • Social justice issues, diversity, connection

and cohesion• Intergenerational connections and including

families