Why do people join our parish? Why do people stay in our parish? Why do people serve in our parish? Why don’t more people join our parish? Why don’t more people stay in our parish? Why don’t more people serve in our parish? Perhaps we are asking the wrong question… Let’s ask them! But…how will we know if the answers of a few apply to all…? How can we measure our “disciple’s response” accurately? Church of st. Gerard majella port jefferson station, new york

We first learned about measuring “A Disciple’s Response” when…

The answers came in this envelope… and we almost threw it away!

Our negative reaction to measuring “A Disciples’s Response was…

“Everything they taught you about building a spiritually healthy, vibrant, growing congregation was wrong.” “OK…only half right.”

Summit on Congregational Engagement George Gallup Jr.Rev. Al Winseman The Gallup Building Washington, DC

What changed our minds about measuring “A Disciple’s Response” “A Disciple’s Response”was…

Member Engagement: 4 Outcomes 4 Outcomes ! Gallup measures match our mission!

“Isn’t it great!? It’s all in the Bible!” George Gallup Jr.

Measuring “A Disciple’s Response” has benefited has benefited our parish our parish by… by… Rev. Al Winseman Michael Cook

…Allowing us to measure the visible outcomes of our “disciple’s response”… …measuring the unseen causes of our “disciple’s response.” “30, fold…” “Good soil, …shallow soil, …….trampled soil…”. …in relation to…

…Allowing us to measure the visible outcomes of our “disciple’s response”… …measuring the unseen causes of our “disciple’s response.” Engaged Parishioners …in relation to… Not Engaged Parishioners Actively Disengaged Parishioners Inviting Giving Thanking Serving

Gallup’s Faith Practice Tools help us to measure… The Seed God has sewn within us: our Talents The Soil we prepare: our “disciple’s response.” + + Strengths Finder Member Engagement Survey

Gallup’s Faith Practice Tools result in: A more grateful (eucharistic) parish… A more serving parish, eager to minister… In 15 years $600,000 in DEBT has become $3,000,000 in SAVINGS 100 people in service has become 600 people in service

Living our Strengths Disciples respond at St. Gerard Majella: to God’s Gifts Connectedness Ideation Learner Self Assurance Responsibility Maximizer Includer Communication Woo Strategic Input Positivity Futuristic Individualization Activator Arranger Belief Empathy Command Intellection Relator Achiever Adaptability Deliberative Focus Context Restorative Analytical Developer Consistency Harmony Significance Competition Discipline

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Nearly 70 years, over one million people, thousands of questions about religion and spirituality More than one million people, thousands of questions about successful and effective organizations — schools, workplaces, hospitals, etc. Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Gallup Research

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Talent Talents are naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied. Talents reflect who you are, not what you know. Copyright © 2005 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Identification of Strengths/Talents Gallup’s Clifton StrengthsFinder Based on over 30 years of research of 2 million individuals Web-based tool Identifies 34 main themes of Talent Top 5 are your Signature Themes One theme is not more valuable than another Copyright © 2005 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION The Power of a Calling "What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.“ Mother Teresa of Calcutta Copyright © 2005 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

Disciples respond to God’s Gifts step-by-step in faith… Growing Member Engagement at St. Gerard Majella

Why do people join their parish? Why do people stay in their parish? Why do people serve in their parish? Gallup has 70 years of research to answer these questions…

Gallup’s research shows that only 3 out of 10 people at Mass every Sunday actually care whether they are there or not! Here’s why…

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Membership Attendance Giving These are outcomes, not causes, of Spiritual Health. Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Typically, Congregations Measure Three Things in Order to Attempt to Measure Spiritual Health:

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Life Satisfaction: Overall, I am extremely satisfied with the way things are going in my personal life. Serving: Hours per week given to help and serve others in my community. Inviting: In the last month, I have invited someone to participate in my congregation. Giving: Percentage of income and actual dollars given to the congregation. Copyright © The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Relevant Outcomes:

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Giving Inviting Serving Life Satisfaction Conventional Wisdom: Focus on the Outcomes in Order to Influence Spiritual Health. Spiritual Health Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Outcomes are the result of causes Focusing on the causes will influence the outcomes Get the order right. Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. The Reality:

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION += Spiritual Commitment Congregational Engagement Spiritual Health Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Causes of Spiritual Health

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION There is a difference between: Spiritual Commitment (deep and personal) & Congregational Engagement (broad and interpersonal) Gallup Research Result:

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Reflects a personal depth of spirituality Individual in nature Seen in both attitudes and behaviors Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Spiritual Commitment

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION My faith is involved in every aspect of my life. Because of my faith, I have meaning and purpose in my life. My faith gives me an inner peace. I am a person who is spiritually committed. Copyright © 2001 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Spiritually Committed Attitudes

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION I spend time in worship or prayer every day. Because of my faith, I have forgiven people who have hurt me deeply. My faith has called me to develop my given strengths. I will take unpopular stands to defend my faith. I speak words of kindness to those in need of encouragement. Copyright © 2001 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Spiritually Committed Behaviors

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Spiritual Commitment by the Numbers Fully Spiritually Committed: “Strongly Agree” (5) to all nine items 14% of adults in the U.S. are Fully Spiritually Committed 18% of members 5% of non-members

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Spiritual Commitment Congregational Engagement Spiritual Health Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. The Conventional Wisdom

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION More often than not, Engagement leads to Commitment. By focusing your efforts on increasing the Engagement level of your members, you have a better chance of increasing their Spiritual Commitment. Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. The Reality

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Spiritual Commitment Spiritual Health Congregational Engagement Engagement influences Commitment. Engagement is more actionable. Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Get the Order Right!

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Activity Without Engagement Leads to Burnout “Filling slots” on committees “Duty” and “responsibility” “It’s time for the younger members to take their turn.” Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Does this sound familiar ???

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Burned-out members eventually leave… psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION the gears mesh and you get somewhere! Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. When You’re Engaged...

I tried to engage (my father) in talks about God, the possibility of experiencing God not just now and then, but all the time. He’d shake his head as if I were crazy…” Darcey Steinke Engagement drives Spiritual Commitment and the outcomes of Inviting, Giving, Life- Satisfaction, and Serving

“I came to Grace (Reformed Church, Brooklyn, NY) to worship with people on an elemental level. To experience the kind of care and connection one feels with strangers at the site of an accident or in an emergency room, where pulse and heartbeat mean more than status or wealth or whatever else people use to subdivide themselves.” Darcey Steinke

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Gallup research has discovered that there are 12 items that most effectively measure the engagement level of the members of your congregation. Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION As a member of my congregation, I know what is expected of me. In my congregation, my spiritual needs are met. In my congregation, I regularly have the opportunity to do what I do best. In the last month, I have received recognition or praise from someone in my congregation. The spiritual leaders in my congregation seem to care about me as a person. There is someone in my congregation who encourages my spiritual development. Copyright © 2001 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. The 12 Items of Engagement

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION As a member of my congregation, my opinions seem to count. The mission or purpose of my congregation makes me feel my participation is important. The other members of my congregation are committed to spiritual growth. Aside from family members, I have a best friend in my congregation. In the last six months, someone in my congregation has talked to me about the progress of my spiritual growth. In my congregation, I have opportunities to learn and grow. Copyright © 2001 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. The 12 Items of Engagement

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Opportunities to learn and grow Progress in last six months Best friend Members committed to spiritual growth Mission/Purpose of congregation My opinions count Encourages development Leaders care Recognition last month Opportunity to do what I do best Spiritual needs met I know what is expected What do I get? What do I give? Do I belong? How can we grow? = Engagement Spiritual Commitment Outcomes Spiritual Health Copyright © 2001 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. The Congregational Engagement Hierarchy

13. Easter 2004 – Strengths-In-Action More than 30 parishioners contributed artistic gifts to the design, construction, and installation of these 12 banners. 12 Items of Congregational Engagement illustrated with parish examples Engagement Banners in Church

Parish “Precious Blood” Test Front Cover for ME 25 Survey Brochure Back Cover for ME 25 Survey

“My Opinions Seem to Count” For each element of Engagement: Gallup’s Words Plain English Description National Average Score St. Gerard Score Parishioners’ Opinions

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION National Congregational Engagement Index Over 7,000 adults nationwide over a five year period 9 items of Spiritual Commitment 12 items of Congregational Engagement 4 outcomes Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION Engaged –These members are loyal and have a strong psychological connection to the organization. They are more spiritually committed, more likely to invite friends, family members, and coworkers to congregational events, and give more both financially and in commitment of time. Congregations need to develop more of these individuals. Not Engaged –These members may attend regularly, but they are not psychologically connected to their congregation. Their connection to the congregation is more social than spiritual. They give moderately but not sacrificially, and they may do a minimal amount of volunteering in the community. They are less likely to invite others and more likely to leave. Actively Disengaged –These members usually show up only once or twice a year, if at all. They are on the membership rolls, and can tell you what congregation they belong to — but may not be able to name the pastor, priest, or rabbi. However, they may also be regular in their attendance. If that’s the case, they are physically present but psychologically absent. They are unhappy with their congregation and insist on sharing that unhappiness with just about everyone. Copyright © 2004 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Three Types of Members

T HE G ALLUP O RGANIZATION What’s wrong with this picture? 29%54%17% Engaged Not Engaged Actively Disengaged Copyright © 2003 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved.

Good Soil: Engaged Parishioners Shallow Soil: Not-engaged Parishioners Trampled Soil: Actively Disengaged Research by The Gallup Organization Average of all churches in USA 29%54%17% Average of all RC Ch.s in USA 16% 49%35% Actual of St. Gerard Majella 50%40%10%

Spiritual Commitment (deep & personal) + Congregational Engagement (broad & interpersonal ) Spiritual Health (four Outcomes)

Contact Information: Cinda Hicks Faith Practice Associate at ( toll-free) om Joe Cavanaugh Associate Partner The Gallup Faith Practice