What are Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ministers of the Word and Sacrament thinking, feeling, and experiencing in terms of physical, mental, and financial health, satisfaction of call, and more? To answer that question, Research Services conducted the first-ever comprehensive study of ministers.
Thursday’s open portion of the online meeting of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation Board of Directors was chiefly spent exploring financial reports and the results of a board survey.
While congregations and new worshiping communities are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are also innovating by learning new technologies, starting new missions and finding new ways to be the Church while social distancing. A new report from PC(USA) Research Services describes some of the challenges that worshiping communities are facing and provides a peek at the new things that are springing forth.
Technology appears to be the greatest benefit and the greatest challenge of doing church differently during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, according to a new survey by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Research Services.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s first-ever comprehensive Minister Survey, fielded in fall 2019, has resulted in some 680 ministers receiving information on Presbyterian Mission Agency and Board of Pensions programs that can help them reduce their current educational debt and tap into financial aid programs for their children’s education.
Early in September, an ambitious denomination-wide effort was launched. A comprehensive survey, labeled appropriately the Minister Survey, allows Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Research Services to ask questions about issues of deep importance to the denomination.
Overweight but active. Satisfied with their present call but somewhat exhausted, in part because of the long hours the work often entails. Concerned with their congregation’s finances and even its survival, but not too worried about denomination-wide conflict.
How do ministers fulfill their call? Who are they? What did they learn in seminary? What didn’t they learn in seminary? How are they impacted by changes in society and their communities? Moreover, how do changes in the life of the church and in society as a whole affect the emotional and physical well-being of a minister?
These are important questions. Right now, the church is unable to answer them, but that is about to change.
