Beneficiaries of commuity programs ; members vs . non-members
79 %
Non-member beneficiaries of community programs
21 %
Congregation members
Visits to UMCs include regular worship services , life events such as weddings and funerals , outreach programs , and other activities that generate spending and boost the economy . Pickups and drop-offs for daycare or preschool generate even more visits . People spend on travel to the church , and often patronize local stores nearby .
This study affirms and builds on previous research conducted by Partners for Sacred Places , showing that congregations provide a wide range of subsidies that support community-serving programs and activities . Offerings include free or below-market space for community groups , events , social services , and education programs , as well as significant hours of volunteer time , inkind , and cash support . The study showed that 79 % of the beneficiaries of community programs and events supported by rural congregations are not members of those congregations . This shows that the impact of activities rural congregations undertake extends far beyond the walls of the church and provides valuable support to their communities .
Profile of Congregations
The research was based on a random sample of 87 churches , out of 1,283 rural United Methodist congregations that are eligible for Duke Endowment Rural Church grants . The Duke Endowment used US Census Bureau Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes to determine which churches are eligible . A complete list of participating congregations appears in Appendix B .
Racial makeup of churches in the study
5 %
White Lumbee
1 % 1 %
Black Latinx
93 %
Race & Ethnicity Demographically , the sample reflects both the United Methodist Church nationally and in rural North Carolina . Of the 87 churches in the sample , 93 % of the churches are predominantly White . The sample also includes 4 predominantly Black congregations , 1 Latinx congregation , and 1 Native American ( Lumbee ) congregation . The study sample is in line with the United Methodist Church nationally in which over 90 % of congregants identify as White . 14
Active Membership Congregations vary in size , with an average active membership ( attends church at least monthly ) of 110 . The largest church in the sample has an active membership of 350 , while the smallest has a membership of 5 .
Geographic Typology Although the word ‘ rural ’ can certainly evoke certain images or ideas , there is no single definition of rural . Federal and state governments , institutions , and funding organizations use dozens of classifications to shape the definition . Many of these classifications use factors such as population density and commuting patterns to categorize places as urban , rural , or somewhere in-between .
14 Pew Research Center . ( 2014 ). Religious Landscape Study . Retrieved from https :// www . pewforum . org / religious-landscape-study / religious-denomination / united-methodist-church /
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