St. Paul's & Dunrobin Congregational Survey

Results of Congregational Survey - March 2025

Consultation with the congregations is a mandatory step within the work of the Search Committee. Our Committee chose to utilize a survey which was available November 24, 2024 to January 31, 2025.  The survey could be completed online as well as in hard copy.  There were forty-two (42) respondents.

Affiliation/Participation:  Of these, 37 participated at St. Paul’s and 4 participated at Dunrobin.  As well, 31(74%) were long-standing members (over twenty years) and participated regularly: (22 weekly; 10 once or twice a month).  A large number of respondents (36) indicated that the church is very important or important in their day-to-day lives.

Satisfaction with worship experience: Thirty-six (36) people indicated they were very satisfied or satisfied with their worship experience.  Given the length of involvement of most respondents, we may conclude that this includes time when we had a full-time Minister as well as recent months with pulpit supply. Similarly, most respondents indicated they were satisfied with sermons (36) and with the music included in worship services (31).

Involvement in the congregations: Thirty-nine (39) people indicated that religion and the teachings of Jesus Christ are central to their involvement in our churches. Thirty-six (36) people reported that social interaction with others, as well as the sense of kinship and support that they receive from their church family (41) was very important in their church fellowship experience.

Only nine (9) people indicated that they support events but do not attend, or, are not involved at all.  All remaining respondents (33) reported that they help organize, volunteer, attend or participate in most events. 

Pastoral Care: Thirty-nine (39) people (93%) indicated that the Minister’s role in providing pastoral care to members of the congregations is very important or important to them. Three people were neutral on this topic.

Outreach: Almost all the respondents (40, or 95%) indicated that outreach in support of local and regional needs is very important or important to them, with one person indicating that it is unimportant.  This outcome changed with regard to national or global outreach with 25 respondents (60%) indicating that this type of outreach is very important or important to them.  In this category, three people stated outreach was unimportant.

Hopes for a new Minister:  All respondents (42, 100%) reported that meaningful and thought-provoking sermons were very important or important to them. A strong emphasis on biblical teachings was rated as being very important or important for 28 respondents, whereas 13 people were neutral. The ability of the Minister to demonstrate creativity or ingenuity was very important or important to 38 respondents. Thirty-nine people (93%) felt it was very important to be able to speak freely to their Minister.

Almost all respondents (41, 98%) reported that the Minister’s role as preacher and leader of Sunday worship was very important, and 39 people (93%) reported that the Minister’s role in providing pastoral care was very important or important.

Involvement in Fundraising & Outreach: The following is a summary for 3 questions regarding the Minister’s involvement in (a) events for St. Paul’s/Dunrobin, (b) local/regional outreach and (c) national/global outreach: (a) 25 people viewed this as very important, with 15 people neutral; (b) 23 people viewed this as very important, again with 15 people neutral; (c) 12 people viewed this as very important or important, with 20 people neutral.  It would seem that events in support of our churches as well as local/regional outreach are the priority for most respondents. 

As well, 36%, 38% and 48% of respondents respectively were neutral about the Minister’s involvement in these areas. This may reflect the reality in that fundraising and outreach events have continued in the months we have been without clergy leadership.

A Course for the Future: Thirty-one people (31, 74%) reported they felt the church needs to evolve and/or modernize to continue to be relevant in coming years.  Seven (7) people were neutral and 4 people disagreed.  At present, it is not known how our church experience might evolve or modernize. As opportunities present themselves or are developed, a good communication plan with church members will be necessary to keep everyone informed and allow members to have input.

Worship experience: Twenty-eight (28) people had no concerns with the current schedule for Sunday worship services.  Eleven (11) people would prefer a later time on Sundays, and three people preferred a totally different day and time. Maintaining an online option for worship services was very important to 29 people (69%).

Music: When considering any future adjustments to music within worship services, respondents could select all answers that applied to them. Therefore, the percentages for options within this question don’t total 100%. Forty (40) people were interested in new hymns/contemporary music, 19 were interested in more guest musicians or concerts and 7 people were interested in more choir anthems.  However, 17 people indicated they did not want change to the way music forms part of our worship services.  In the individual comments, one person noted that they prefer familiar hymns.

Programming for Children & Youth: The following is a summary for 3 questions pertaining to children and youth: (a) Sunday school program, (b) programming for youth, (c) programming for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth:

·       (a)While a Sunday school program was not a priority for 11 respondents  (26%), 30 (71%) respondents would like to have a Sunday school, but didn’t know children who might attend;

·         (b) Similarly, programming for youth was very important or important to 31 (74%) people, with 11 (26%) people neutral. 

·         (c) 16 people (38%) were in favour of offering programming for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, with 19 people (45%) neutral and 7 people (17%) unsupportive.

Activities:  All 42 respondents were supportive of continuing to plan fundraising events in support of our churches and our charities, which raise our profile in the community.  The majority of respondents (34, 81%) were very supportive or supportive of continuing with activities and programming for seniors, similar to the New Horizons project. The majority of respondents indicated no or low interest in weekly prayer or meditation meetings.

Ministry Personnel:  In the event that this becomes a future reality for our Pastoral Charge, 37 people (88%) were very supportive or supportive of sharing a full-time Minister with another church. Three people were neutral and 1 person was unsupportive. In the event that our next Minister works part-time hours, the majority of respondents (37 or 88%) were very supportive or supportive of having alternate worship leadership for one Sunday per month or as needed.  Four (4) people were neutral and 1 person was unsupportive.

The respondents were pretty evenly split regarding the possibility of worship services taking place on a different day or time, other than Sunday morning:  16 people (38%) were very supportive or supportive, 9 people (21%) were neutral and 13 people (31%) were unsupportive of this option.