Focus Groups Help Congregation Improve Its New Member Ministry
An Episcopal congregation used focus groups to improve its ministry to new members. The author worked with the New Member Ministry Team to design and implement the project. Findings showed that people come from different "church experience" backgrounds and may need customized approaches to...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2003
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| In: |
Review of religious research
Year: 2003, Volume: 45, Issue: 1, Pages: 68-77 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | An Episcopal congregation used focus groups to improve its ministry to new members. The author worked with the New Member Ministry Team to design and implement the project. Findings showed that people come from different "church experience" backgrounds and may need customized approaches to being welcomed and assimilated into the life of a new congregation. Those who assimilate most easily are people who have been, as adults, members of another congregation. Potential new members are alert for messages of "welcome" and "not welcome" in their first visits. "Not welcome" messages include difficulty finding places in the building, not knowing what words to say in worship when responses are not printed, and being ignored at the coffee hour. People have different expectations when they seek a church, ranging from opportunities for spiritual growth and service as individuals or families to finding a community with inspiring worship and shared values. Focus groups are especially useful when the research questions seek to capture insights, perceptions, explanations or comparison of experiences. Findings resulted in the improvement of intentional hospitality and the assimilation of new members into congregational life. |
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| ISSN: | 2211-4866 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Review of religious research
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3512501 |