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Ministry Site Profile

RESULTS - Congregational Survey Part B (as of 2/19/10) N = 47

TOP MINISTRY TASKS (select what you believe are the five most critical tasks required of our new pastor):

BACKGROUND (please use the back if additional space is needed):

1.       How has our community been challenged by change and transition in the past 3-5 years?

·         Unemployment; friction among QPS school board members; technology

·         Too new to answer but am sure the transition to a new pastor will be a challenge

·         Decline in $$ and beliefs

·         Unemployment

·         Financial instability

·         Downward economy has hit most of us

·         Economy; loss of employment; misdirection of youth

·         Unemployment; people needing more assistance from others

·         Economy

·         Economic downturn

·         Effects of surrounding local “mega churches” with rock concert type services

·         Teens and others who are too busy to fit church into their lives

·         Unemployment

·         Political infighting (city govt.; school board)

·         The economy in our community has had a big influence

·         Loss of jobs

·         Growth of other churches

·         We have become casual (not wearing robes)

·         Hiring a new pastor and building a new church building

·         Unemployment

·         Increase in unemployment, but still growth

·         Loss of jobs

·         Businesses closing

·         Problems in QPS

·         Cutbacks in support of non-profits

·         Unemployment

·         The Crossing & Madison Park have lured some of our members to their churches

·         I find Quincy to be a very dull & old town.  There seems to be no life in it and people aren’t very friendly

·         Cost of everything is rising and more of people’s pay is going to the government

·         Downturn in the economy & job losses have affected virtually everyone in our community; this has trickled down to affect our pledges and gifts at CLC

·         Lack of operational funds is a major issue for our congregation

·         Electronics

·         Rise in drug use

·         Poverty continues to permeate the community, especially households with children

·         Inadequate, affordable housing

·         The growth of non-denomination, entertainment type organizations

·         Drugs and their effects

·         The economy

·         Fighting on the QPS school board

·         Economy

·         School board

·         Unemployment

·         Increased demand on service organizations due to economy

·         Job losses; recession

·         Mega churches

·         Flooding along the Mississippi

·         Economic downturn

2.       What changes or trends have occurred in our congregation within the past 3-5 years?

·         Lost a long time pastor and no need to adjust to someone new

·         Fewer younger families join; more mid-lifers

·         Financial stability; keeping up with stewardship

·         Fewer $$

·         Communion

·         Some growth

·         Growth!

·         Adding Financial Peace and other tools to help our community grow

·         Proof we can grow and achieve

·         We’re still losing families with young children

·         Larger presence in the community

·         Steadier growth

·         Our church seemed to have lost young families and children’s attendance is dropping

·         Unfortunately, the contemporary sermons of other churches seem to be the trend

·         Improved worship

·         Worship has become very casual

·         Congregation has grown

·         Increase in members, but older members

·         More families attending

·         Had group for under 40 but it stopped when former pastor pushed for all golfers to join them for a golf outing

·         Fewer people volunteering to take an active role in service; same people having to do duties

·         Seems to be a current of desire to participate but it hasn’t started flowing

·         We have lost some members to the Crossing

·         Members have quit attending but nothing appears to be done to try to bring them back to worship

·         Reduction of families with children

·         Retirement of pastor

·         Using money from the community such as garage sales, Hy-Vee stores and charging our own members for using the church facilities.  This is not Lutheran stewardship as I always understood it

·         Our church has come thru the tumultuous past 3-5 years with minimal changes which is in direct relation to the dedication, concern, hard work, and love of all our members

·         During the past six months there has been a transition to a more traditional direction, which I don’t like

·         A more innovative, less rigid path

·         More social & environmental issues have been addressed

·         Fund raisers

·         Sewing group coming together and our being able to make over 100 bags for LWR

·         Our congregation has reached out more into the community in the past five years

·         We have become more visible, but are still a very white, middle class congregation

·         A wide impact on the community; we need to continue serving the community and develop recognition as a congregation because of that service

·         Financial stability

·         As more longer term people leave building fund lags

·         Loss of young families

·         Haven’t gotten an adequate amount of new people

·         Seems pretty stable to me

·         More young families

·         More working organizations within the church (i.e. property parties; women meet & eat, etc.)

·         Some growth

·         Retirement of pastor

·         No longer having a float in the Dogwood Festival parade

·         Addition of children’s Easter egg hunt

·         Fewer teens attending

3.       Is there anything you are really excited about now in regard to our congregation?

·         Learning ministry plans for 2010

·         Love & caring that members show for one another

·         Am looking forward to the selection of a new pastor and what his special talents will bring to this church and our ability to learn and grow as a congregation

·         Growth

·         Friendly attitude towards everyone

·         It has a great outlook

·         Friendly, flexible, united

·         So many people willing to help and be involved

·         Opportunities to make CLC even better with a new pastor

·         Not at this time

·         Change and growth

·         Challenge to find THE pastor who can lead us upward and forward

·         How we are getting the teens to come to church a little more for confirmation

·         The promise and excitement of starting new again with new leadership

·         The fact that we are trying to hold on to our old, traditional values

·         We really have a sense of community

·         Some increase in children

·         No

·         Getting a new pastor

·         Am very excited to have a new pastor come with fresh insight

·         Love Pastor Balaban’s style!

·         I like the children’s time & the worship service now

·         I like how the pastor interacts with the congregation; would like to see this continue

·         A permanent pastor and what he would like to see and do to excite our church

·         The process of finding a new pastor and continuing on with our ministry and outreach

·         Reaching out to new members is important and very exciting

·         It is a growing congregation according to statistics but I have not really been able to notice that

·         The possibility of finding a clone of Pastor Schwartzkopf as our new pastor

·         Music

·         It represents a fresh start for us; the old was very good but I’m looking forward

·         New pastor, new leadership, and a sense of all of us working together to achieve new goals

·         We need a solid strategic plan to set  a direction

·         Continued survival and growth

·         Cultivation of our youth

·         New pastor to energize the congregation

·         Friendly attitude

·         New programs in our learning ministry

·         Change.  Change is good; it keeps things interesting

·         Getting a new pastor; change can be invigorating

·         Members willing to do what it takes to keep things moving on and work to get a new pastor

·         Always a receptive, warm & caring congregation

·         New and improved look of the church due to the Wednesday morning property work

·         Work the Wednesday morning property team does at homes of members