Plymouth Survey Fall 2023

The Deacons since June have been leading conversations to get clearer about our collective values. This survey is another avenue to seek your wisdom and ideas for how we can best live into our mission and purposes. Our hope/plan is that these efforts to clarify and articulate its values will inform the process of formulating our 2024 budget.

The creation of the actual budget is the work of the Lead Minister, Plymouth’s Director of Operations, and the Board of Finance and Administration (BoFA). That budget gets presented to the Deacons who look at its alignment with our values, and then we present a budget for a vote at a Congregational meeting (this year in January 2024).

We thank you for your participation in this work of community and of community building. Be assured that we will be sharing with you the results of this survey, for further conversation. However, your individual results will be anonymous.

The Deacons: Sue Astin, Annette Atkins (Clerk), John Cairns, Peter Eichten (Moderator), Sarah Lehman, Jay Matre, Mike McCallister (Treasurer), Lynn Moline

Q1. Please select your age

10 years or younger

11 - 14 years

15 - 17 years

18 - 25 years

26 - 39 years

40 - 64 years

65 - 80 years

81 years or older

Q2. What best describes your relationship with Plymouth?

Member

Non-member

Other

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Q3. How long have you been a part of Plymouth?

Less than 1 year

1 - 5 years

6 - 10 years

11 - 20 years

21 - 50 years

More than 50 years

Q4. Do you have young people who are involved at Plymouth?

Yes, currently

Not currently, but have in the past

Q5. How often do you typically attend worship (in person or online)?

Nearly every Sunday

Once or twice a month

Once every few months

Once a year

Less often

Never (skip to Q7)

Q6. Approximately what percent of time do you worship in person?

0% - 25%

26% - 50%

51% - 75%

76% - 100%

Q7. Which Sunday service do you usually attend or watch?

9:00 am

11:00 am

I go back and forth between the two or attend both the same day

Q8a. To what extent do you agree with the following statement? I participate routinely in church activities, programs, groups, boards, committees, task forces, etc., at Plymouth (other than worship services).

Completely Agree

Mostly Agree

Agree

Mostly Disagree

Completely Disagree

Q8b. To what extent do you agree with the following statement? I feel strongly connected to Plymouth Congregational Church

Completely Agree

Mostly Agree

Agree

Mostly Disagree

Completely Disagree

Q9a. Using the scale below, please indicate how you feel about the following statement: I anticipate that my connection to Plymouth in the future will…

Strengthen

Stay the same

Weaken

Q9b. In a sentence or two, please explain why you answered as you did in Q9a about your future with Plymouth.

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Plymouth’s Values

The next 2 questions include a list of values that we honor at Plymouth. We want to know both YOUR own values (Q10a) and then your perception of PLYMOUTH’S values (Q10b).

10a. Please rank what’s important to YOU currently. (“1” most important, “2” next, etc.).

Providing paths to the sacred (worship, music, visual arts, theater, etc.)

Providing paths to ensure Plymouth’s financial future

Providing paths to spiritual growth (youth programming, spiritual enrichment, education, etc.)

Providing paths to community (fellowship, small groups, building relationships, etc.)

Providing means to engage with the wider community (justice, outreach, service, etc.)

Provide paths to strengthening and upholding Plymouth’s identity as a progressive Christian church

10b. Please rank what you perceive to be important to PLYMOUTH currently. (“1” most important, “2” next, etc.).

Providing paths to the sacred (worship, music, visual arts, theater, etc.)

Providing paths to ensure Plymouth’s financial future

Providing paths to spiritual growth (youth programming, spiritual enrichment, education, etc.)

Providing paths to community (fellowship, small groups, building relationships, etc.)

Providing means to engage with the wider community (justice, outreach, service, etc.)

Provide paths to strengthening and upholding Plymouth’s identity as a progressive Christian church

Plymouth’s Priorities

Similarly, the next 2 questions include categories of activities that Plymouth engages in to fulfill our mission and purposes. We want to know which activities are important to YOU (Q11a) and which activities you perceive to be important to PLYMOUTH (Q11b).

Q11a. Which three are the most important to YOU at Plymouth in the coming year?

Advocacy, activism, justice (examples: racial justice, community safety, climate and environment, immigration, etc.)

Building maintenance and repair (routine as well as catching up with deferred maintenance issues)

Financial health

Member care and community within Plymouth (examples: pastoral care, Midweek Mingle, small groups, support groups, etc.)

Music Program (choirs, musicians)

Service to others (examples: Third Sunday meal, Families Moving Forward, mental health ministry, 100 Hands, etc.)

Spiritual growth enrichment and education for adults

Spiritual growth enrichment and education for children and youth

Visual and theater arts

Worship services

Q11b. Which three do you perceive to be most important to PLYMOUTH in the coming year?

Advocacy, activism, justice (examples: racial justice, community safety, climate and environment, immigration, etc.)

Building maintenance and repair (routine as well as catching up with deferred maintenance issues)

Financial health

Member care and community within Plymouth (examples: pastoral care, Midweek Mingle, small groups, support groups, etc.)

Music Program (choirs, musicians)

Service to others (examples: Third Sunday meal, Families Moving Forward, mental health ministry, 100 Hands, etc.)

Spiritual growth enrichment and education for adults

Spiritual growth enrichment and education for children and youth

Visual and theater arts

Worship services

Comments/questions – something else you’d like us to know?

0/250

Thank you for your thoughtful participation in this survey!

Results will be shared with the congregation.

Please click on "Submit Survey" to send us your input.

Submit Survey