In the spring of 1997, Research Services surveyed the more than 500 individuals who serve the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as Commissioned Lay Pastors ("CLPs"). Here are some of findings, based on the 81 percent who returned a completed questionnaire.
Type and Length of Service
About one-half (48 percent) of all CLPs serve a specific congregation or group of congregations (for short, "parish CLPs"). Another third (35 percent) itinerate more widely throughout their presbyteries, serving as pulpit supply in various congregations ("supply CLPs"). Of the remainder, one-half (9 percent overall) serve in other church programs (e.g., campus ministry), and one-half (9 percent) await a new or initial commission.
Few CLPs have switched presbyteries: 97 percent were initially commissioned in the presbytery where they now serve.
Most CLPs are relative newcomers to this type of service: three-fourths (74 percent) received their first commission in the 1990-1997 period, including 60 percent who currently serve the same congregation or ministry to which they were initially commissioned.
Only a small number of CLPs have been enrolled in the past (4 percent) or are currently enrolled (3 percent) as either inquirers or candidates for ordained ministry.
Only one in eight CLPs (12 percent) consider their ministry to be full time, but many part-timers put in long hours, including one-quarter of parish CLPs (25 percent) and two-thirds of supply CLPs (64 percent) who report spending 30 or more hours per week, on average, in their ministry.
Salary and Compensation
Most parish CLPs (74 percent), but relatively few supply CLPs (18 percent), report receiving a salary for their service to the church. The most common "fringe benefits" among parish CLPs are travel allowances (reported by 40 percent), continuing education allowances (21 percent), and housing allowances (including a few who are furnished with a manse) (17 percent). Among supply CLPs, few report other forms of compensation besides travel allowances (34 percent) and honoraria (39 percent).
About one-half of all CLPs (49 percent) are covered by both health insurance and a pension plan, and another 28 percent have one of the two. However, only 1 percent of CLPs receive pension coverage, and only 2 percent receive health insurance, through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The majority of family income for most CLPs comes from sources other than their church work; 89 percent receive less than one-fourth of their total income from their CLP service, including one-third who receive no monetary compensation at all for their time spent as a CLP. In addition to their church work, over four in ten CLPs (41 percent) hold a non-parish job they consider to be full time. A similar proportion are retired (39 percent).
Characteristics of Congregations Served
The median size of congregations served by parish CLPs is 60 members; 40 percent serve congregations with fewer than 50 members. Around one-third of parish CLPs serve more than one congregation, and in about one-half of these cases (55 percent), the multiple congregations are yoked as a larger parish.
Just 6 percent of parish CLPs report that they regularly conduct services in a language other than English, including Korean, Spanish, Chinese, Choctaw, and Alaska Native languages. Most congregations served by CLPs had an installed pastor until recently, especially those served by supply CLPs. However, 21 percent of parish CLPs report that the congregation they serve has not had an installed pastor since the 1980s, including 3 percent who report no installed pastor since the 1970s. In about one-half of the congregations served by parish CLPs, the last installed pastor was either an interim (21 percent) or a stated supply (30 percent).
In a future essay:
Information on demographic characteristics of commissioned lay pastors, their religious backgrounds, and the training they received in preparation for commissioning.
Want more details--now?
For a four-page summary of results, plus the percentage distribution of responses to each survey question for three set of CLPs the total group, the subset of parish CLPs, and the subset of supply CLPs send a $5 check (payable to, and in care of) "Research Services, PC(USA)" at the 100 Witherspoon address in Louisville.
Email the author: Jack Marcum
Research Services