Findings
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, as a supplement to 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 in the Congregational Annual Report form. Instructions that accompany the form suggest the clerk of session of each congregation complete it, reporting pertinent information for the congregation.
The 1997 Congregational Annual Report form included questions in the following areas: (a) Church Libraries, (b) Media, (c) Land Use Issues, (d) Worship Services, (e) Loans and Investments, and (f) Church Bulletins. For 1997, 10,374 of the denomination's 11,295 congregations reported a response rate of 92%. The results of the 1997 Congregational Annual Report include congregations in 166 presbyteries in all 16 synods. No responses were received from the following six presbyteries: Alaska, Dakota, Lackawanna, North Central Iowa, San Juan, and Winnebago.
A large majority of congregations (71%) have a church library. Overall, one-half of responding congregations (51%) indicated that they have a church library, but that "only a few people use it." Another 20% have a library that is "used regularly by a number of people." Three in ten congregations (29%) do not have a church library. Church libraries are more common, and used more regularly, in larger congregations, as can be seen in Figure 1. While 61% of the smallest congregations (with up to 250 members) have a church library (either "used by a few people" or "used regularly by a number of people"), 94% of mid-size congregations (with between 251 and 600 members), and 99% of the largest congregations (with more than 600 members) have church libraries. In the largest congregations, the church library is more likely to be used "regularly by a number of people" than "by a few people."
Among congregations with church libraries, most (59%) indicated that the session does not allocate funds to purchase books and other materials for the library. Overall, only 39% receive funding from the session. (The remaining 2% of congregations were not sure.) However, church size plays an important role in this area. Among large and medium-size congregations, a majority of church libraries receive financial support from the session (73% do in large congregations and 52% do in medium-size congregations). Only 21% of small congregations with church libraries receive funding from the session. The average (median) amount allocated for church library materials in 1997 among the 2,658 congregations receiving such an allocation was $250. The mean was $480. One in ten received less than $100, and 11% received $1,000 or more. Large-membership congregations made larger library allocations than small or medium-size congregations. The mean allocation in 1997 was $372 in small congregations, $420 in medium-size congregations, and $753 in large congregations.
Very few congregations report having their worship services shown on television (2% do) or broadcast on radio (4% do). Among those who do share their worship services in either of these ways, more do so weekly than either monthly or on holidays (Easter and Christmas). There is some overlap among these congregations. That is, among those that broadcast worship services on radio, 19% also have their services shown on television; among congregations that have their worship services shown on television, 28% also broadcast on radio. Larger congregations are more likely than small or medium-size congregations to broadcast their worship services. Yet even in congregations with more than 600 members only 8% broadcast on television and 16% broadcast on radio.
Those congregations that broadcast worship services on radio (n=294) were asked to identify the type of station on which their services are aired. About one-quarter broadcast their services on a religious radio station (23%), another 22% broadcast on news and information stations, 18% broadcast on adult contemporary stations, and 15% broadcast on country and western stations. No other type of station was mentioned by more than 15% of respondents.
Much larger numbers of congregations share their worship services in another way - - one-half audiotape their services and distribute tapes to shut-ins and other interested listeners. Just 9% of congregations videotape their worship services for similar distribution. Congregations that record their services in one format are more likely to also record them in the other format -- among congregations that videotape their services, 79% also audiotape them; among congregations that audiotape their services, 14% also videotape them. Figure 2 shows that larger congregations are more likely than smaller ones to offer both of these services.
A series of questions was asked to determine the extent to which congregations have faced government regulations regarding land use. Three-quarters of congregations reported that they had not needed "any form or permit from a government authority that regulated the use of land" (e.g., zoning boards, planning commissions, landmark commissions, etc.) since January 1, 1992. Nonetheless, 18% "needed permission for expansion, construction, or demolition at our existing site"; 5% "needed permission for a new program or some other change in use in a building at our existing site"; and 4% "needed permission to build or occupy one or more buildings at a new site."
These 2,312 congregations that needed some type of permission were asked about that process. While a large majority (94%) reported that permission was granted, 30 congregations (1% of those needing a permit) indicated that the permit was refused or that they abandoned the project due to an expectation that the permit would be refused. (The remaining 4% of congregations are still in the process of seeking a permit and have not yet resolved the issue.) As can be seen in Table 1, congregations seeking to build at a new site were somewhat more likely to indicate that the permit process had not yet been resolved.
| Type of Permit Needed: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build at New Site (n=317) |
Expand at Existing Site (n=1,630) |
New Program at Existing Site (n=433) |
||
| Outcome of Permit Process: | ||||
| permit was granted | 88% | 96% | 91% | |
| permit was refused or project was abandoned because of expectation of permit refusal | 1% | 1% | 3% | |
| permit process has not yet been resolved | 11% | 3% | 6% | |
| Conflict During the Permit Process: ** | ||||
| no significant conflict | 75% | 86% | 80% | |
| significant conflict | 13% | 9% | 13% | |
| approval subject to conditions that increased project cost by more than | 13% | 8% | 10% | |
| Applicability of Existing Rules: | ||||
| clear rule that applied to secular buildings either permitted or forbade what we wanted to do | 39% | 51% | 43% | |
| clear rule that applied only to churches permitted what we wanted to do | 14% | 8% | 8% | |
| clear rule that applied only to churches forbade what we wanted to do | 1% | * | 1% | |
| clear rule applied, but land use authority granted exception based on specifics of this case | 18% | 13% | 21% | |
| no clear rule applied; things decided based on specifics of this case | 32% | 28% | 35% | |
When asked about the extent to which conflict was experienced related to the permit process, overall a majority of those congregations seeking a permit (85%) reported "no significant conflict." One in ten of these congregations reported "significant conflict with city/county staff, neighbors, commission members, or others" and 9% indicated "approval was subject to conditions that increased the cost of the project by more than 10%." (Percentages add to more than 100% because congregations could mark more than one response.) As can be seen in Table 1, congregations seeking to expand at an existing site were most likely to report that there was "no significant conflict" during the permit process.
Finally, these 2,312 congregations were asked to indicate whether any of five statements about the applicability of existing rules described their experiences with the permit process. Overall, half of these congregations (51%) reported that "a clear rule that applied to secular buildings of similar size either permitted or forbade what we wanted to do." One-third (32%) indicated that "no clear rules permitted or forbade what we wanted to do, and everything was decided based on the specifics of this particular case." Another 16% reported that "even though a clear rule seemed to permit or forbid what we wanted to do, the land use authority's principal decision involved granting exceptions to the rule based on the specifics of this particular case." Just 10% of congregations indicated that a clear rule that applied only to churches either permitted or forbade what they wanted to do.
As can be seen in Table 1, congregations planning to build at a different site or begin a new program at their existing site were somewhat less likely than those seeking to expand at their existing site to indicate that a rule applying to secular buildings permitted or forbade what they planned and somewhat more likely to report that things were decided based on the specifics of their situation. Table 2 shows the relationship between the outcome of the permit process and the applicability of existing rules. Among congregations whose permit was granted, a small majority reported that a clear rule applicable to secular buildings permitted their plans. In contrast, almost half of congregations that reported that the project was abandoned either because their permit request was denied or because of the expectation that it would be denied indicated that no clear rule applied to their case.
| Outcome of Permit Process: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit Granted (n=2,151) |
Permit Refused/ Project Abandoned (n=30) |
Not Yet Resolved (n=103) |
||
| Applicability of Existing Rules: ** | ||||
| clear rule that applied to secular buildings either permitted or forbade what we wanted to do | 52% | 18% | 27% | |
| clear rule that applied only to churches permitted what we wanted to do | 9% | -- | 10% | |
| clear rule that applied only to churches forbade what we wanted to do | * | 4% | -- | |
| clear rule applied, but land use authority granted exception based on specifics of this case | 14% | 41% | 32% | |
| no clear rule applied; things decided based on specifics of this case | 31% | 48% | 42% | |
* = less than 0.5%; rounds to zero
** = percentages add to more than 100% because respondents could mark more than one
response
-- = 0.0%; no cases in this category
Several questions asked about various aspects of congregations' worship experiences. Most congregations reported that they use the Book of Common Worship in planning and conducting scheduled worship services. More than one-third (38%) use it "weekly or almost every week," one-quarter (23%) use it "once every few weeks (i.e., about monthly)," and 24% use it "every few months." Only 15% of congregations reported never using the Book of Common Worship to plan worship services. Large and medium-size congregations are somewhat more likely than small congregations to use the Book of Common Worship weekly -- 41% of congregations with more than 600 members, 40% of those with 251-600 members, and 37% of the smallest congregations (with up to 250 members) use it weekly.
Fully 70% of congregations reported using the Book of Common Worship to plan and conduct worship services for Feast Days (Special Days and Seasons). There was no difference among congregations of different sizes in the percent that use the Book of Common Worship for planning worship on Feast Days.
Another question asked about the frequency with which congregations celebrate the Lord's Supper. A slight majority of congregations (53%) reported celebrating the Lord's Supper monthly. One in four do so quarterly; 16%, every six weeks; 2%, weekly; and 1%, less than quarterly. While the majority of medium- and large- membership congregations celebrate the Lord's Supper monthly (about 60% of each do so; see Figure 3), small membership congregations typically celebrate it either monthly (47%) or quarterly (30%). Overall, one-third of congregations (34%) celebrate the Lord's Supper on Feast Days. (Note that percentages add to more than 100 because congregations could mark more than one response -- e.g., "monthly" and "on Feast Days.")
When the frequency of celebrating the Lord's Supper was compared across church size and region, an interesting difference was found for congregations in the West. As can be seen in Figure 4, compared to congregations in other regions, larger percentages of those in the West -- regardless of size -- reported monthly communion (over 70% celebrate communion monthly). Within each of the other regions, larger congregations were more likely than small congregations to report monthly communion. Less than half of small membership congregations in the Northeast, Midwest, and South reported monthly communion.
Presbyterian congregations use a variety of hymnals in worship. The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990; blue cover) is used by the largest percentage of congregations overall (38%). Many others (26%) use The Hymnbook (1955; red cover). Few congregations use as their primary hymnal either The Worshipbook with hymns (1970; blue cover -- 2% do so) or The Hymnal (1933; green cover -- 2%). Almost one-third (31%) listed some other book as their principal hymnal, including The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration, Hymns for the Family of God, Praise Songs, The Worshipping Church, The New Church Hymnal, Hymns for the Living Church, The Singing Church, and a variety of foreign language hymnals. Fewer than 1% reported that they do not use a hymnal in worship.
When hymnal use was compared among congregations of different sizes and in different regions of the country, congregations in the West again differ from those in other regions. While, in general, larger congregations were more likely to report using The Presbyterian Hymnal, the difference was much smaller among congregations in the West. In all regions, less than half of small congregations, and in the West, less than half regardless of size, use The Presbyterian Hymnal. Small congregations were about equally likely to use The Hymnbook, The Presbyterian Hymnal, or a hymnal other than those listed on the form. Many congregations in the West also reported using a hymnal other than those listed on the form.
When asked if their congregation currently has "a mortgage loan with a bank or other financial institution," 18% indicated that they do. (By congregation size, the percentages are: small, 12%; medium, 30%; and large, 38%.) Figure 6 shows that within each region, larger congregations are more likely than smaller congregations to have mortgage loans and that congregations in the South and West are somewhat more likely than those in the Northeast and Midwest to have mortgage loans.
These 1,742 congregations with mortgage loans were asked to provide additional information about these loans. The average (median) outstanding balance of the mortgage is approximately $125,000 (mean, $300,000). One-third (32%) have an outstanding balance of less than $50,000; 18% owe $500,000 or more on their mortgages. Larger congregations reported larger mortgages -- the mean value was $710,000 for large congregations, $300,000 for medium-size congregations, and $140,000 for small congregations. The current annual rate of interest on these loans averages 8% (median), and a majority (56%) are between 7% and 9%. Nonetheless, 12% are currently paying interest rates above 10%.
When asked about plans for expansion in the future, two-thirds of congregations (67%) reported no plans to begin a capital construction project in the next two years. The remaining 33% do, with 14% reporting they "definitely" plan to and 19% indicating they "possibly" will do so. One-half of large membership congregations (25% "definitely"will and 25% "possibly" will), 40% of congregations with between 251 and 600 members do (18% "definitely" will and 23% "probably" will), and three in ten small congregations (11% "definitely" and 18% "probably") are planning a capital construction project.
Many congregations (68%) indicated that they had investment income or expenditures in 1997, as reported on the Session Annual Statistical Report. As can be seen in Figure 7, small-membership congregations were less likely to report investment income or expenditures than were larger congregations, and congregations in the Northeast were more likely than those located elsewhere to report investment income or expenditures. Among the 5,779 congregations with investment income, the median amount invested or saved is $26,000. Yet 15% have less than $2,000 invested and 7% have $500,000 or more invested.
Two follow-up questions asked about the percentage invested in fixed income investments (e.g., a bank CD or fixed rate annuity) and the percentage invested in equities (e.g., stocks, bonds, money market or mutual funds). Of the 5,779 congregations that reported investment income or expenses for 1997, many (about 44%) did not answer either of these questions, and others answered only one of the two (for example, indicating that 90% is invested in fixed income investments, but making no response regarding equities). The appendix presents the percentage responses based on those who answered each question individually. Table 3 presents responses based on those who answered at least one of the two (n=3,200) and assumes that blanks (non-responses) mean no funds are in that type of investment. The table indicates that many congregations have their funds entirely in one type of investment or another.
| Percentage of Investments in: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Income Investments | Equities/Stocks/Bonds | ||
| None | 30% | 41% | |
| 1-24% | 13% | 6% | |
| 25-49% | 9% | 6% | |
| 50-74% | 8% | 10% | |
| 75-100% | 40% | 36% | |
| Total | 100% | 99% | |
Finally, congregations were asked to indicate whether their leaders would be interested in learning more about investment opportunities that support the church and its mission. One-quarter expressed interest in such information; 46% were not interested; and the remaining 30% were "not sure."
The final questions asked about congregations' use of bulletins during Sunday worship services. While 3% reported that they do not use bulletins, most (62%) use 8 1/2 by 11" bulletins. Another 30% use a larger 8 1/2 by 14" size and 5% of respondents did not know the size of their congregations' bulletins. Small-membership congregations were more likely to report using 8 1/2 by 11" bulletins and large congregations were more likely to use 8 1/2 by 14" bulletins (see Figure 8).
Those congregations that report using bulletins were also asked where they purchase their bulletins. The largest group of respondents (57%) reported that they do not purchase bulletins from an outside source. One in six (16%) purchase bulletins "from the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC)," and a similar number purchase them from "a non-Presbyterian denominational publishing house (e.g., Cokesbury, Augsburg)." Slightly fewer (15%) purchase bulletins "from a commercial bulletin service." Large membership congregations are most likely to produce their own bulletins 74% of congregations with more than 600 members reported that they do not purchase bulletins compared to 61% of congregations with 251 to 600 members and 49% of congregations with less than 250 members.