Dear Diocesan Lay Leaders,

Most of you probably already are using these resources from The Episcopal Church, but the link is worth posting again:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/studying-your-congregation-and-community

In order to know who you are, you need to examine where you are and where you have been.

Looking at the social and demographic characteristics of the local community sheds light on the people to which we hope to minister. Looking at trends in membership, average worship attendance, and financial giving sheds light on congregational strength and whether current patterns indicate growth, decline or stability.

On the site linked above, you can display and print two charts and a community demographic profile. The two charts track membership, participation, and giving over the most recently available eleven years for your congregation and your diocese. These data are from annual Parochial Reports. The community demographic profile will give you a demographic overview of the area within a three-mile radius of your congregation’s physical location.

Blessings,
Joe Thoma
Communications Director
Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida
1017 E. Robinson Street
Orlando, FL 32801-2023
407-341-6615