District Family Ministry Survey

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DistrictFamily Ministry Survey
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Knowledge Of District Activities
3
Number Of Congregations Active
4
Level Of Congregational Activity
5
District Staff With Family Ministry
Responsibilities
6
Future Plans To Have Paid District Staff
7
District Family Ministry Committee
8
Districts With Family Ministry Committees
9
Future Plans To Have Committee
10
District Office Involvement In Family Ministry
11
Common Activities
Workshops/Conferences/Round Tables 13
Retreats 8
Guest Speakers 4
Resource Booklets/Catalogs/Articles 4
Family Festival 4
Newsletters 4
12
Common Activities
Video Provision 3
Other Single Mentions 16
No Answer 11
Total 67
Total exceeds 35 due to multiple responses
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Family Needs Across District
14
Highest Common Responses
15
Highest Common Responses
16
Highest Common Responses
17
Highest Common Responses
18
Highest Common Responses
19
Highest Common Responses
20
Districts Top Priorities For Department of
Family Ministry
Share/Provide Existing Resources/Information/
Programs 22
Provide/Encourage Training In Person/Video 18
Network What Others Are Doing/Good Models 7
Provide Support/Encouragement 6
Provide Planning/Strategy 4
Author New/Develop Materials/Website/Services 4
Listening 3
21
Districts Top Areas to Avoid
National Gatherings 9
More Programs 6
Extensive Mailings 2
Dont Bypass District 2
22
Personal Visitation To District Office
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Summary Observations

• Only 7.5 of LCMS congregations are identified as
  family friendly by District staff (i.e. 450 out
  of 6,000 congregations.)
• Family ministry, as reported by the District
  offices, tends to be sporadic, random, and
  reactive rather than continuous, focused, and
  proactive.
• The vast majority of paid District staff have
  many responsibilities beyond family ministry
  issues.

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Summary Observations

• Those District offices without a clearly defined
  family ministry person have no immediate plans
  to identify and utilize such an individual.
• The movement from specialist to District
  facilitator remains a driving force away from
  special ministry emphases like family
  ministry.
• It is rare to find a District that has a
  committee assigned exclusively to Family
  Ministry.

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Summary Observations

• 16 out of 35 Districts have no committee for
  Family Ministry. Furthermore, 12 of those 16 do
  not intend to form such a committee. 3
  additional Districts are studying if they need
  such a group. One District is uncertain.
• 26 out of 35 Districts report very little
  activity in Family Ministry. Only 9 Districts
  report regular, organized attempts by the
  District office to generate interest in this area.

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Summary Observations

• 13 District staff report that their most common
  District-sponsored activities are conferences or
  workshops, offered periodically to congregations.
• The highest reported needs from the Districts are
  strengthening traditional families, assisting
  blended families, and serving single parent
  households.
• The needs of spiritually mixed families were
  ranked lowest by District office staff.

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Summary Observations

• Cohabitation issues and multi-cultural families
  likewise received low priority ranking.
• The majority of District staff want sharing of
  existing programs and resources encouragement
  and training and networking what others are
  doing successfully.
• The majority of District staff do NOT want
  national family conferences or gatherings more
  cookie-cutter programs and excess paper and
  mailings.

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Summary Observations

• District staff resent the national office
  bypassing them by dealing directly with their
  constituent congregations.
• 22 out of 35 Districts want a personal visit by
  the Director of Family Ministry in the near
  future.
• 5 Districts have politely declined such a visit.
• There was 100 compliance on the District Family
  Ministry Survey.

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And Now On With The Meeting