Evaluation Report September 30, 2013 Author/Researcher Taylor Billings, Research Specialist Editor Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, Director Center for Analytics, Research and Data (CARD) United Church of Christ 700 Prospect Avenue East Cleveland, OH 44115-1100
Contents Introduction and Overview 3 Purpose 3 Research Questions 4 Research Methodology 5 Online Survey of Individuals/Congregations 5 Online Survey of National Staff 6 Descriptive Data Collection 6 Data Analysis 6 Results 7 Statistical Outcomes 7 Online Survey of Individuals/Congregations 7 Online Survey of National Staff 16 Conclusions 20 2 P age
Introduction and Overview Mission: 1 was created and implemented as one united church on a shared resurrection witness for Planet Earth during 50 great days of greening up, powering down, and shouting out for the environment! 1 Specifically, the Mission: 1 website stated the following: Mission 4/1 Earth: 50 Great Days is about boldly living Jesus let-your-light-shine proclamation in the Sermon on the Mount: That they may see your good works! It is an opportunity to live out our faith in unity, as one church for the sake of our fragile planet Earth. Launching on Easter Monday, April 1, 2013, and continuing through the great 50 days of Eastertide, United Church of Christ congregations, colleges, seminaries, camps and outdoor ministries, and health and human service agencies will join together in a shared mission campaign to: Collectively offer more than ONE MILLION HOURS of engaged earth care, including clean up, advocacy, education, and behavioral changes that will impact the environment. Collectively plant more than 100,000 TREES locally and globally in partnership with the National Arbor Day Foundation and the UCC's denominational partners around the world. Collectively write and send more than 100,000 ADVOCACY LETTERS on environmental concerns to elected officials and local and national newspapers. Groups were also encouraged to engage in creative local mission projects, service opportunities, educational programs, worship services, and media events. Purpose Therefore, the central purpose in conducting this particular evaluation of Mission 4/1 Earth was to answer the following question: What was the impact of Mission 4/1 Earth beyond its intended measurable outcomes? In order words, what were individual and group experiences of Mission 4/1 Earth? How did it shape, form, and transform people with regard to their faith, mission commitments, and sense of unity/community/ecumenism? 1 This and subsequent quotes were taken from http://www.ucc.org/earth webpages and resource materials. 3 P age
Research Questions Several specific research questions guided the evaluation. They included, but were not limited to, the following: - How did Mission 4/1 Earth impact individuals and congregations (their awareness and commitment to food and hunger issues, sense of community, faith/spiritual formation, sense of purpose, and relationships with local and global entities)? - What factors made Mission 4/1 Earth successful across the life of the church? - How did Mission 4/1 Earth inform people s understandings of what it means to be part of a denomination? - How did Mission 4/1 Earth impact ecumenical and other organizational relationships? - How did the impacts and outcomes of Mission 4/1 Earth compare with the impacts and outcomes of Mission: 1? - How did Mission 4/1 Earth impact national staff? 4 P age
Research Methodology To gain insight into the impact of Mission 4/1 Earth as a whole, a mixed methods research approach was applied to this study. Mixed methods utilize both quantitative (numbers-based) and qualitative (text-based) data. Numbers create an overall sense of trends; and words in the form of stories, comments, opinions, and other feedback offer a deeper understanding of those trends and experiences. One specific type of research method that will be particularly crucial for this evaluation is the use of a phenomenological approach. Phenomenological approaches center on the interpretation of a particular event or experience, called the phenomenon, shared by a group of people. Mission 4/1 Earth, in this evaluation, serves as that phenomenon by which the impacts are assessed and measured. This same methodology was also utilized for Mission: 1 so that comparisons could be made when appropriate and beneficial. To respond to the research questions, the following data collection methods and strategies were employed: Online survey of individuals/groups that participated in Mission 4/1 Earth Targeted online survey of staff in the national setting Descriptive data collection from comment boxes on Mission 4/1 Earth online reporting totals Reviews of Mission 4/1 Earth website, including all documents, related news features on the RSS feed, and submitted videos/photographs Online Survey of Individuals/Congregations An online survey was created using Survey Monkey (an online survey service) and reviewed by the Mission 4/1 Earth Coordinating Committee for editing prior to finalization. The survey included multiple choice, matrix, and open-ended questions and was designed for individuals, congregations, and other groups that participated in Mission 4/1 Earth. The survey was conducted from June 10 to June 30, 2013 for a total period of three weeks. To collect a sufficient amount of data, information about the survey was advertised through the following formats and venues: 5 P age
Direct email announcements to all individuals who submitted letters, food totals, and funds as part of Mission 4/1 Earth Announcements and links placed in Keeping You e-posted (KYeP) Announcement and link prominently located on main page of www.ucc.org Announcement and link posted on UCC Facebook and Twitter pages Online Survey of National Staff In addition to assessing the impact of Mission 4/1 on individuals and groups that participated, an assessment of the impact on individuals in the national setting those who directly or indirectly facilitated and supported Mission 4/1 Earth was conducted as a complement to the larger survey. This online survey was created using Survey Monkey and was designed specifically for staff in the national setting to assess their participation, overall opinions of the planning and execution process, and other various themes. The survey was sent to the National Staff email list and was open for a period of two and a half weeks. The survey was announced via email on June 3 with a reminder sent on June 19. Descriptive Data Collection Descriptive data submitted in the comment boxes on Mission 4/1 Earth online reporting forms were reviewed as part of the overall assessment regarding the impact of the project and were integrated into the results and conclusions of the evaluation. Data Analysis Descriptive data from surveys were reviewed and categorized into themes for the report. Quantitative data gathered from online surveys were analyzed primarily within Survey Monkey. 6 P age
Results Statistical Outcomes On average, each individual wrote 12.2 letters, submitted 77.5 hours, and planted 18.5 trees. Each church/group wrote 34.6 letters, submitted 359.5 hours, and planted 609.5 trees. Respondents who indicated they participated both as individuals and with a group wrote an average of 265.3 letters, submitted 241.1 hours, and planted 28.5 trees. Online Survey of Individuals/Congregations Overall, a total of 226 respondents took the online survey, at a 96% completion rate. Demographics. The following demographic statistics were reported: In total, 19 respondents (8%) completed the survey primarily as individuals that participated in Mission 4/1 Earth; 95 respondents (42%) completed the survey as individuals who were part of a group such as a church or conference; and 112 respondents (50%) participated as both an individual and part of a group. Four out of ten (39%) survey participants identified as authorized ministers, and six out of ten (61%) did not. The greatest number of individuals who participated in the survey were evenly split and belonged to churches located in a larger town or smaller city with a population between 10,000 and 50,000 (24%) and a village or town of less than 10,000 (24%). About 20% of participants belonging to churches located in a suburb around a city with a population of 50,000 or more. Together, those churches comprised more than half (67%) of the total responses. (See Figure 1) 78% of survey participants belonged to congregations that had an average worship attendance of less than 150 people. Of that percentage, over one third (37%) of the churches possessed an average weekly worship attendance between 100 and 299 people. (See Figure 2) 7 P age
Figure 1: Church Location Type Rural area or open country Village or town of less than 10,000 Larger town or a small city with a population between 10,000 and 50,000 A suburb around a city with a population of 50,000 or more An older residential area in a city with a population of 50,000 or more A downtown or central area of a city with a population of 50,000 or more 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% Figure 2: Average Weekly Worship Attendance I don't know 1,000 or more 500-999 300-499 150-299 100-149 50-99 1-49 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Activity. When participants were asked to indicate all the ways Mission 4/1 Earth was carried out by them individually or by their congregations, groups, or organizations, the following statistics were reported: 93% reported that they submitted earth care hours; 72% utilized worship and other resources on the Mission 4/1 Earth website; 67% engaged in letter writing; and 66% engaged in tree planting. (See Figure 3) 8 P age
Figure 3: Mission 4/1 Earth Activity 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 93% Submitted earth care hours 66% Planted trees in your community 39% 67% Purchased Wrote letters trees online for planting in designated areas 72% 42% Utilized Other (please worship and specify) other resources on the Mission 4/1 Earth website 42% of respondents listed activity in the Other category. Most of these comments expanded upon the options that they selected above; but some comments described activities such as a implementing a series of earth care sermons, creating Green Ministry Teams, and leading educational events/discussions. One respondent commented, (We) hosted a communitywide Earth Care Fair featuring resource persons on recycling, fair trade, composting, etc. In addition, 39% of survey participants indicated that they purchased trees online for planting in designated areas. Mission 4/1 Earth and Mission: 1 Activity Comparison. Both individuals and groups engaged in food collection and reporting earth care hours at similar frequencies (94% and 93% of total participants, respectively). Both missions included letter writing as an activity, which was also reported to have occurred with similar frequency (66% and 67%, respectively). Mission 4/1 Earth did not focus on a specific fundraising endeavor; however, 39% of respondents purchased trees online in comparison to 64% who donated money for Mission: 1 hunger relief. (See Figure 4) Roughly 29% of respondents for Mission: 1 reported participation by way of social action/advocacy in the local community; and although this question was not asked on the Mission 4/1 Earth survey, many comments mentioned writing about 9 P age
creation care for their local newspaper column, sharing web links, and posting ideas/thoughts on social media. More respondents (42%) selected Other when reporting Mission 4/1activities versus 9% for Mission: 1. Many of the comments from Mission 4/1 Earth went into further detail on their selected options; and individuals also shared other activities such as sponsoring an endangered species, installing solar panels at a church and some homes, and co-hosting a Peace on Earth concert. Figure 4: Mission Activity Comparison 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 94% 93% 66% 67% 64% 39% 90% 42% Mission 4/1 Activity Mission: 1 Activity Impact. Participants were asked to indicate the three most important ways that Mission 4/1 Earth impacted their congregation or group, as well as the ways they were personally impacted by the initiative. People who participated as individuals reported a deeper commitment to earth care and environmental issues (79%) than people who participated as part of a group (63%). Individual participants in Mission 4/1 Earth also cited an increased sense of connection with others across the UCC (58%) as well as a deeper spiritual life/connection with God (29%). People who participated with a congregation/group reported an increase in awareness of earth care and environmental issues (74%), a significantly higher rate than was indicated by individuals (42%). (See Figure 5) 10 P age
90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Figure 5: Impact of Mission 4/1 Earth 79% 74% 63% 57% 58% 50% 48% 42% 29% 24% 25% 22% Individual Congregation Mission Impact Comparison. By combining individual responses with the group/congregational responses, the average impact of each respective mission was determined. Mission 4/1 Earth respondents reported an increased awareness of earth care issues (58%) compared to the increased awareness of food/hunger issues (36%) reported for Mission: 1. This could indicate that Mission 4/1 Earth increased environmental awareness especially for congregations. One comment highlights why this could be possible: Hunger is a more concrete issue for some people than environmental concerns. Overall, 71% of Mission 4/1 Earth respondents reported a deeper commitment to earth care and environmental issues; and 47% of Mission: 1 respondents reported a deeper commitment to mission/service. Mission 4/1 Earth showed an almost equal increase in the sense of connection to a group/congregation (54%) and to others across the UCC (53%); however, Mission: 1 participants noted an increased sense of connection across the UCC (65%) more frequently than an increased sense of connection with their own group/congregation (45%). Mission: 1 participants reported a deeper spiritual connection with God (59%) than Mission 4/1 Earth participants (25%). 11 P age
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Figure 6: Mission Impact Comparison (Averages) 71% 65% 58% 59% 54% 53% 47% 45% 36% 27% 24% 25% Mission 4/1 Average Mission: 1 Average Primary Goal. In total, 51% of respondents believed that Mission 4/1 Earth was first and foremost designed to engage the whole UCC in one shared mission with measurable outcomes, and 48% saw Mission 4/1 Earth as deepening UCC churches involvement in earth care and environmental ministries. (See Figure 7) Primary Goal Comparison. In comparison, 77% of Mission: 1 respondents indicated that the primary goal of the endeavor was to engage the whole UCC in one shared mission with a measurable outcome, and only 19% of Mission: 1 participant s stated that the primary goal was to deepen UCC churches involvement in hunger and poverty issues. About 1% of participants in both surveys felt the goal was to invite new people into a relationship with the UCC. Engagement. 84% of respondents reported that they/their congregations or group were already engaged in earth care or environmental issues prior to Mission 4/1 Earth. 90% of respondents indicated that they/their congregation or group will continue to engage in earth care and environmental issues beyond Mission 4/1 Earth. 12 P age
Figure 7: Primary Goal 48% 1% 51% Engage the whole UCC in one shared mission with measurable outcomes. Deepen UCC churches involvement in earth care and environmental ministries. Utilize online technology to connect UCC members and churches. Invite new people into relationship with the UCC. Conditions for Participation. The four conditions that a majority of survey participants indicated as Very Important in terms of their participation in Mission 4/1 Earth were: (a) This was something that I/all members of our group could do (60%); (b) there was room for creativity and flexibility depending on the context (57%); (c) the goals were clear and concrete (54%); and (d) it provided an opportunity to be a part of something larger than ourselves (54%). Other conditions were ranked as Important by a majority of respondents. (See Figure 8) When asked to provide comments on their response choices, participants offered thoughts that were ultimately categorized into three major topic areas: Description of issues that churches encountered in the Mission 4/1 Earth initiative such as confusion on how to quantify time in the counting of earth care hours, contradiction of letter writing protocol (email vs. written letter), and not enough time to prepare. Reiteration and endorsement of Mission 4/1 Earth as a national and global effort that tied churches to the wider UCC. Suggestions and feedback ranging from issues such as the seed cards not germinating, the goals not being measureable, and the lack of options to engage children and families. 13 P age
250 Figure 8: Conditions for Mission 4/1 Earth Participation 200 150 108 118 110 131 124 87 118 100 50 0 85 85 89 19 14 14 Sufficient advance notice and time to prepare. Clear and conrete goals. A set timeframe for participation. 78 5 Something that all members could do. 70 15 Room for creativity and flexibility depending on context. 85 38 Informative, attractive & useful resources. 82 13 Provided opportunity to be part of something larger than ourselves. Very Important Important Somewhat Important Not Important Future Participation. A significant majority (90%) indicated that they/their congregation or group would participate in future denomination-wide events similar to Mission 4/1 Earth, 10% were not sure, and 1% said they would not participate. When asked why or why not, participants responded with comments that focused on two major types of sentiments: - Positive sentiments: The majority of respondents shared the ways in which Mission/1 Earth was a positive experience for them/their congregations and groups. Most comments focused on having a sense of connection to the wider church while being a part of something greater than self. Several people expressed that the effort was well received and that they were now more committed to earth care. A few congregations expressed the need to keep up the momentum so that we can challenge them to do more next year. - Critical sentiments: There were several respondents who stated that their participation would depend on the issue/focus of another similar effort or on how much time they would have to prepare/organize. One respondent stated, We d like to know in September or October. Others responded that they would participate depending on whether the theme matched their churches mission/goals. One commenter said, If the goals are developed with a faith- 14 P age
based organizer and utilize the tools of faith-based organizing, they would participate. A few comments also mentioned continued struggles to connect their congregation with the wider UCC. One participant stated that there are those in our congregation that immediately become suspicious of anything that bears the stamp of Cleveland on it as being too top-down. There was also mention of the difficulty in reporting hours online, and some people were not sure of what activities counted as one hour. Sense of Connection. As a result of Mission 4/1 Earth, 52% of respondents indicated that they felt somewhat more connected with the wider church, 31% felt about the same sense of connection, and 16% felt significantly more connection. (See Figure 9) Figure 9: Sense of Connection 31% 1% 16% Significantly more connection and affiliation with the wider UCC. Somewhat more connection and affiliation with the wider UCC. About the same sense of connection and affiliation with the wider UCC. Less connection and affiliation with the wider UCC. 52% Final Thoughts. When prompted to offer any final thoughts regarding Mission 4/1 Earth, 96 individuals chose to provide comments. The nature of these comments were generally positive. Some respondents expressed that this was a good reminder to local congregations of their relationship to the larger church, and others indicated ongoing participation by way of continuing new initiatives. Many stated that they wanted to do Mission 4/1 Earth annually. One individual articulated, (It) helped us to help our community and to be a presence. Another stated, All in all, it was an effective tool both for increasing environmental awareness and for creating stronger bonds among churches/people of the UCC. 15 P age
Some individuals offered critiques of the initiative. These included not recognizing the work of family farmers and how factory farming harms the environment. Others shared that there were issues with the timing during Eastertide and they did not have enough time to plan. Online Survey of National Staff For the online survey of UCC national staff, 50 individuals responded at a 94% completion rate. Activity. Individuals were asked to describe the role(s) they played in the execution of Mission 4/1 Earth. The responses ranged widely from leading the initiative ( I was one of the lead proponents of this initiative and I spoke and wrote to advance the effort ) to having no role in the effort. This range of comments can best be categorized into four major groupings: Planning: Some respondents were involved in the planning of the initiative in many various ways such as designing an earth care worship service, identifying (tree planting) partners, serving on the planning table, setting up schedules, writing advocacy alerts, and producing resources. Participation: Most respondents participated in Mission 4/1 Earth through the All Staff Day earth-focused events, writing letters to representatives, talking about the mission to others, and supporting the planting of trees. Promotion: Some staff indicated that there was a collaborative effort to promote Mission 4/1 Earth at a booth during EarthFest. Other promotion activities included encouraging local churches to report what they were already doing and wearing a Mission 4/1 Earth pin and t-shirt. No Role: A few staff indicated that they had no role related to their ministry portfolio or that they weren t called upon to participate. It is important to note that some participated in the effort both on a local church level and on a national level as a staff person. When asked what role(s)/activities individual ministry teams engaged in regarding Mission 4/1 Earth, respondents repeated the same range of sentiments as they did 16 P age
when responding as individuals. Some staff remarked that LCM ministry teams and PIC were quite involved when compared to other teams. There was promotion of the mission and participation during the All Staff Day community service activities. Impact. Survey participants were asked to indicate the single most important way that Mission 4/1 Earth impacted them personally. A majority of respondents (60%) indicated that the initiative created a deeper commitment to earth care and environmental issues. (See Figure 10) 70% Figure 10: Impact of Mission 4/1 Earth 60% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 21% 10% 0% Commitment to earth care and environmental issues. 11% Sense of connection with others across the UCC. 2% 2% Sense of connection with my colleagues. Spiritual life/connection with God. M4/1 Earth did not have a personal impact on me. 4% Other Mission Impact Comparison. Mission: 1 participants, on the other hand, felt an increased sense of connection with others across the UCC (41%). For Mission 4/1 Earth, only 11% indicated a deeper sense of connection across the UCC. In addition, 21% of national staff indicated that Mission 4/1 Earth did not have a personal impact on them; and last year, 28% reported that Mission: 1 increased their commitment to addressing food and hunger issues. Primary Goal. Thirty-one respondents (62%) indicated that Mission 4/1 Earth was first and foremost designed to engage the whole UCC in one shared mission with measureable outcomes; and 18 respondents (36%) reported that the goal was to deepen UCC churches involvement in earth care and environmental issues. 17 P age
Characteristics of Participation. Individuals were asked to view several statements and indicate the level of truth these statements held for them personally. 48% of individuals responded with Very True to the statement that Mission 4/1 Earth was an initiative that they fully embraced (59% of Mission: 1 respondents indicated this as well). 22% of survey participants indicated it was Very True that they were able to easily incorporate Mission 4/1 Earth into their existing workload (this percentage was lower when compared to the same figure for Mission: 1 at 52%). (See Figure 11) 60 Figure 11: Mission 4/1 Earth Characteristics 50 40 30 20 10 0 24 14 7 4 1 Mission 4/1 Earth was an initiative that I fully embraced and supported. 4 2 11 10 7 13 8 19 15 8 15 9 9 23 6 8 10 5 6 7 I was easily able to incorporate Mission 4/1 Earth into my existing workload. There were adequate opportunities for staff preparation, training, input, and idea-sharing in advance of Mission 4/1 Earth s launch. Mission 4/1 Earth created an increased sense of unity among staff in the national setting. My workload greatly increased in preparation for, or during, Mission 4/1 Earth. Very True Mostly True Somewhat True Fairly True Not True At All Overall, when staff members were asked whether they wished Mission 4/1 Earth had been executed differently, responses were Not Sure (53%), Yes (34%), and No (13%). Comments on the above responses included appreciation and excitement regarding the experience such as, I LOVED the energy, creativity, amazing delivery, and work of our entire system across settings. There were some comments around inviting more staff to be part of the planning process. A few comments discussed timing of such an initiative: My concern is with the timing and resourcing. Mission 4/1 Earth ran between the Special Mission Offerings of OGHS and STC. PIC communications during this time were almost exclusively devoted to Mission 18 P age
4/1 Earth. I can't help but wonder how the Special Mission Offerings might increase if equivalent staff and media resources were invested. Some comments mentioned authentic collaboration such as sharing the workload across teams/ministries by allowing policy advocacy staff to have a greater say in what the numerical goals should be. When asked whether individuals believed the UCC should engage in another allchurch initiative similar to Mission: 1 and Mission 4/1 Earth, 36 respondents (77%) said Yes, 10 (21%) were Not Sure, and 1 (2%) said No. The two most important characteristics of an all-church initiative such as Mission 4/1 were that all settings of the church have a clear understanding of what is expected and how they can participate (28 responses, 60%) and the outcomes are multi-faceted (such as local service, justice advocacy, fundraising, and global action) (17 responses, 36%). (See Figure 12) Figure 12: All Church Initiative Characteristics 70% 60% 60% 50% 40% 30% 34% 28% 36% 20% 10% 9% 17% 6% 11% 0% 19 P age
Conclusions The greatest impact of Mission 4/1 Earth was a deeper commitment to earth care and environmental issues as indicated by individuals and national staff participants. For congregations, there was an increased awareness of earth care and environmental issues. More than half of all survey participants believed the primary goal was first and foremost designed to engage the whole UCC in one shared mission with measureable outcomes. Respondents indicated that a secondary goal was to deepen UCC churches involvement in earth care and environmental ministries. These results were generally true for Mission: 1 as well. For individuals, a sense of connection with others across the UCC was the most important characteristic; and for congregations/groups, a sense of connection for people within those groups was deepened. Also for congregations/groups, a deeper commitment to earth care/environmental issues was noteworthy. Most respondents reflected on having a sense of connection to the wider church while being a part of something greater than self. Several people expressed that the effort was well received and that they committed to on-going earth care as a result. The set time frame of 50 days for participation, the flexibility and ability to customize efforts, availability of online resources, the organized nature of the initiative, the chance to participate with the wider church, and the clear and concrete measureable goals all contributed to the overall success of Mission 4/1 Earth. Creative efforts (such as Green Ministry Teams) corresponded with the overwhelming response that congregations/groups will continue to engage in environmental issues beyond Mission 4/1 Earth. National staff experiences varied. The majority indicated that the initiative created a deeper commitment to earth care and environmental issues. In addition, one in five national staff indicated that Mission 4/1 Earth did not have a personal impact on them; yet it was an initiative that almost half of respondents fully embraced. In addition, almost half of respondents reported that workloads did not increase during the 50 days of Mission 4/1 Earth. 20 P age