Bold moves

In spite of bitingly cold downtown Louisville winter weather (outside of the sunny 5th-floor conference room where we met) and a tough economic outlook, Cooperative Congregational Studies Partnership (CCSP) Steering Committee members made bold plans (earlier this month) for the next couple of years. The lean economy has apparently not dampened the commitment of Christian denominations and other faith communities to the partnership, as organizational members’ dues continue to come in steadily. But the lean economy has hindered the ability of potential major funders to finance a massive Faith Communities Today (FACT) 2010 survey. With the dues money and possibly smaller grants, the Steering Committee nevertheless decided to plow ahead in two areas.



In marketing and resourcing, the group decided to explore hiring a public relations consultant to help finetune a more aggressive, more innovative marketing strategy. The group also decided to go ahead and publish two more Insights pieces aimed at congregational and regional religious leaders (on social ministries and engaging existing members, the latter to be written by Mike McMullen, pictured above), along with a report summarizing the FACT 2008 results (to be written by David Roozen, pictured below). These pieces would be available by fall 2009.



In research, the group decided to plow ahead with the FACT 2010, probably more or less replicating the big FACT 2000 survey, with or without major grant funding. The research committee and the larger group may tinker with a few questions and the group is always open to the possibility of a special topics section, if funding can be found for that. But replication will be the focus. Partnership leaders will continue exploring research funding options, including funding for smaller pieces of the FACT 2010 survey (like reaching out to congregations in the historically African American denominations). A mix of databases supplied by denominations and other faith communities (both CCSP members and non-members?) and perhaps some general database (as in 2005 and 2008) will be used.

The partnership’s annual meeting will take place over 48 hours, between 12 noon, Monday, August 10, through 12 noon, Monday, August 12, at the Lutheran Center near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Participants will also hear brand-new unpublished analysis of the results of the FACT 2008 survey, with its focus on deepening the engagement of existing members of congregations. They will also hear a high-level presentation on using the Web to connect congregational leaders with key research findings.

-- Perry