Each year, the Research Services office develops the Congregational Annual Report form, a two- page questionnaire that the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) distributes, along with the Session Annual Statistical Report, to all congregations. Research Services staff work with other entities of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to develop questions for inclusion on the form.
For 1996, 9,486 of the denomination's 11,328 congregations reported, a response rate of 84%. Here are the highlights:
How committed are Presbyterian congregations? While 71% of responding congregations have adopted the Commitment to Evangelism (approved by the 1991 General Assembly), fewer--43%--have adopted the somewhat older General Assembly Commitment to Peacemaking, (although 56% of congregations reports being involved in peacemaking efforts in 1996), and only 28% of respondents reported that their congregations were aware of an even newer G.A. initiative, the Commitment to Share the Good News.
Who is expanding? Two in ten respondents (22%) reported that their congregations were planning a major capital campaign within the next two years.
What is the Member Referral Service? Only 20% of respondents reported that their congregations use the service the Office of the General Assembly provides to congregations when their members relocate to other communities. Another 24% have their own system for referring members who move away. One-quarter (28%) reported that they had no need for the service, and 28% were not familiar with this service.
How widespread is use of the new Presbyterian Hymnal? Considerable: 39% reported using the hymnal to sing hymns during worship, and 15% reported having bought "a few copies."
Do most congregations have Bibles in the pews for worshippers to use? A large majority of respondents (87%) reported that their congregations do indeed supply pew Bibles.
How common are immigrant fellowships? Not very, as only 6% of congregations have groups of fairly recent immigrants gathering regularly in their facilities for worship in their native language. The most common immigrant fellowships are Hispanic, Korean, Chinese and Taiwanese. Most often the immigrants rent space from the congregation (55%), although 42% were considered an extension of the church mission, and 3% said both of these were true.
Are congregations involved in refugee resettlement? A few are--5% reported they had helped resettle refugees in the last three years.
How involved are congregations in mission projects? Not very, as 80% reported no mission projects outside the U.S., 78% reported no projects in the U.S. and more than 100 miles from the church, and 57% reported none within 100 miles of the church. Only 36% reported one or more youth mission projects, and only 29% reported adult mission groups. Nonetheless, half of congregations reported involvement in at least one of these types of projects.
For a full copy of the report, send a check for $5 (payable to, and in care of) "Research Services, PC(USA)" at 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Email the author: Ida Smith-Williams
Research Services