Africana Hymnal Study Demographics Thank you for taking time to answer the questions on this survey. The survey contains 85 questions and takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. There is a link at the top of each page that will allow you to pause and return to the survey at a later time. Your responses to this survey will remain anonymous. If you have problems, please contact Safiyah Fosua at preaching@gbod.org. Thank you again for your time and your comments. Your input will be invaluable as we study the music and worship needs of the Black Church and report our findings to the 2012 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. In Christ, The Africana Hymnal Study Committee 1. What is your position? Pastor / Associate Pastor Church Musician / Music Minister Worship Director / Leader Children/Youth Choir Director : Choir Director/Assistant Choir Director Bishop District Superintendant 2. Is your position: Paid Volunteer Full-time Part-time 3. Which Jurisdiction are you from? Northeastern Jurisdiction Southeastern Jurisdiction North Central Jurisdiction South Central Jurisdiction Western Jurisdiction Page 1 of 21
4. What is your age category? 25 or under 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66-75 75+ 5. What is the approximate membership of your church? Under 100 100-199 200-299 300-499 500-749 750-999 1000+ 6. What is the approximate Sunday worship attendance of your church? Under 100 100-199 200-299 300-499 500-749 750-999 1000+ 7. Do you consider your church: urban suburban small town rural inner city 8. Tell us about the socioeconomic make-up of your church. (Estimate the average yearly income of members.) Under $20,000 to $35,000 $35,000 to $50,000 $50,000 to $75,000 $75,000 and above Page 2 of 21
9. Estimate the gender make-up of your congregation by percent. Men Women Total 10. What percent of your church members are in the following age categories (put in %)? Children: birth to 12 Youth: 12-18 Young Adult: 19-30 Adult: 31-49 Adult: 50-65 Adult: 66 and older Total Page 3 of 21
Worship in Your Church Section 1: Tell Us More about Worship in Your Church 11. Please indicate how many worship services you have. Main worship service Second worship service Third worship service Fourth or more services Yes No 12. Please indicate the best description of the style of service for each service you have. Traditional Service Blended (Traditional & Contemporary Elements) Contemporary Service Type Main worship service Second worship service Third worship service Fourth or more services 13. Please indicate whether each service is growing, declining, or staying the same in attendance. Growing? Declining? Staying the Same? Main worship service Second worship service Third worship service Fourth or more services 14. List any additional weekly services held at your church (Check all that apply.) Sunday Afternoon Service Sunday Evening Service Youth Church Children s Church Bible Study Family Night Prayer Meeting Page 4 of 21
15. On a typical Sunday in our church worship is lead by: (Check ONE.) Minister(s) alone Minister(s) and liturgist Minister(s), liturgist and worship leader Minister(s), liturgist(s), worship leader(s) and other leaders from our congregation 16. List other leaders active in worship at your church: (Check all that apply.) Ministers (not ordained) Evangelists Dancers Step Team Flaggers Class Leaders Sunday School Teachers Youth Minister Music Minister Choir Director Choir Section Leader(s) Ushers Lay Leader Prayer Group Leader(s) Trustees Outreach Minister Young Adult Minister Nurse(s) Armor Bearers Altar Worker(s) Prayer Counselor(s) Mothers of the Church Communion Stewards Stewardship Committee Mime and Drama (list) 17. In our church, the bulletin is used for: (check all that apply) Order of service Note Taking Announcements Prayer Requests Promotional Materials about your Church Spiritual Education Page 5 of 21
18. When is the sermon preached? In the middle of the service At the end of the service before the benediction 19. Do worship services at your church have (Check all that apply.) Private, individual prayer at the altar Corporate prayer at the altar Altar Call (Invitation to Christian Discipleship) 20. Complete the statement: Most of the time when people are baptized, They are baptized in a pool or body of water. (Immersed) The minister sprinkles or pours water over the person s head. (sprinkled or poured) 21. How often does your church celebrate Holy Communion? Weekly Bi-weekly Monthly Quarterly : 22. How is communion served in your church? (Check all that apply.) We use small cups and wafers. We receive communion at the altar rail. We use leavened or unleavened bread and a common cup. Ushers bring the communion elements to us. We use a small cup packaged with a wafer on top. We line up to receive communion at one or several stations in our church. 23. How is the offering received? (Check all that apply.) We walk to the table to give our tithes/offerings. We pass the offering plate or basket. We sing during the offering. Choir sings during offering. We say or sing the Doxology or another song to dedicate the offering. 24. How are the announcements shared when your church meets for worship (Check all that apply.) Printed in bulletin Read by liturgist Shared by pastor or minister Page 6 of 21
25. List the occasional worship services that your congregation observes. (Check all that apply.) Thanksgiving Eve Thanksgiving Day Christmas Eve Christmas Day Watch Night New Year s Day Ash Wednesday Maundy Thursday/ Holy Thursday Good Friday Foot Washing Love Feast Women s Day Men s Day Dedication of Officers Homecoming Church Anniversary Pastor s Anniversary Choir Anniversary Usher s Anniversary Mother s Board Rites of Passage Bible Sunday Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts Juneteenth Kwanzaa Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Revival (which month, typically?) Page 7 of 21
Worship Planning Worship Planning 26. Does someone plan worship at your church? Yes No I don't know. 27. Who participates in planning worship at your church (Check all that apply): Pastor(s), Associate Pastor Musician(s) Worship Leader(s) Worship Committee Lay Leader Church Secretary Volunteer I don t know. 28. How far in advance is worship planned at your church? 1-4 weeks in advance 4-26 weeks in advance That week That morning We do not plan worship in advance. I do not know. 29. Which of the following is most descriptive of worship planning at your church? (Choose one) More men than women participate in planning worship at my church. More women than men participate in planning worship at my church. 30. Which of the following best describes worship planning at your church? (Choose one) Our worship is planned by a committee and we know well in advance what will take place in worship on any given Sunday. We are a traditional church and our worship does not change very much from Sunday to Sunday. Our worship is spontaneous; it would be difficult to predict what might happen in worship at our church on any given Sunday. Page 8 of 21
31. In your opinion, whose influence is strongest in worship at your church? Our pastor has the strongest influence in worship in our congregation. Our musicians have the strongest influence in worship in our congregation. Our church members have the strongest influence in worship in our congregation. 32. On an average Sunday, how long is worship at your church? 1 hour 90 minutes 2 hours More than two hours Section 2: Good Church 33. Describe a good church service. Is there one that stands out in your memory? [If you have more to say about factors that contribute to good worship, please do so at the end of the survey under additional comments.] 34. Which of the following is true about good worship services? (Check all that apply.) Organized/planned worship is important. Good worship can be planned. Good worship should be planned. The spiritual disciplines are preparation for good worship. Congregational singing is vital to good worship. Page 9 of 21
Music Section 3: Music 35. How many songs are sung during worship in a typical Sunday worship service at your church? 1-3 4-6 7 or more 36. How many of these are sung by the congregation? 1-3 4-6 7 or more 37. Where in the order of worship is the congregation invited to sing? (Check all that apply.) Processional Call to Worship Gathering Praise Welcome, Greetings, Passing the Peace Giving/Offertory Baptism Communion Reception of New Members Response to the Word Prayer Altar Call/Altar prayer times Call to Discipleship Sung Benedictions and Amens Recessional/Sending Forth? Page 10 of 21
38. Does the congregation sing: (Check all that apply.) from printed music or hymnal from projected music/lyrics from both printed & projected music/lyrics from memory from lined out lyrics with CD for accompaniment from none of the above Main Service Services 39. Does your congregation sing call and response praise songs? Yes No 40. List the kinds of songs that your congregation sings in worship at your church (Check all that apply.) Hymns Praise Music (contemporary or traditional) Spirituals Scripture Songs Ring Shouts Hymn Choruses or Refrains Old-time Gospel Contemporary Gospel Urban Gospel Hip-hop or Rap Chants Chanted Prayers Long-meter, Lined Hymns Dr. Watts Traditional Songs Decalogue Quartet music 41. Approximately how many different songs written by John or Charles Wesley have you sung in the last 12 months? 42. Do you have one or more church musicians that play an instrument for weekly worship? Yes No Page 11 of 21
43. Do(es) your musician(s) Read music? Play by ear? Both? 44. Which of the following instruments does your church use during the main worship service? (Check all that apply.) Acoustic Piano Electric Piano Keyboard, Synthesizer Organ Hammond-type Organ Pipe Organ Guitar(s) Drum Set Conga, Bongo or African Drums Brass Strings (violin, cello, etc.) Recorded Tracks or CDs : 45. Who selects the music that is sung in worship at your church? (Check all that apply.) Church Musician/Music Minister Choir Director/Leader Worship Leader/Director Worship Committee Church Secretary Pastor Main Service Services Page 12 of 21
46. Who leads congregational singing in worship at your church? (Check all that apply.) Church Musician/Music Minister Worship Leader/Director Choir Director/Leader Pastor Praise Team No one Main Service Services 47. Who accompanies the congregational singing in your worship? (Check all that apply) Organist Pianist/keyboardist Praise band Choir Recorded tracks or CD's No one Main Service Services 48. How often do you use the following in worship: (Check all that apply.) Always Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never The Doxology The Gloria Patri Communion Responses (Sung) Baptism Responses (Sung) Amens Lord s Prayer Offertory Responses (Sung) Benediction (Sung) Prayer Responses (Sung) Apostle s Creed or Creed Psalter 49. Does your church have a choir(s)? Yes No Page 13 of 21
50. If yes, how many choirs does your church have? 1 2-3 4-5 6 or more 51. How many Sundays per month does the choir (one of the choirs) sing in worship? 1 2 3 4 52. List the musical groups that may participate in worship in your church on a typical Sunday? (Check all that apply.) Choir(s) Praise team Band Orchestra Soloists Quartets/Small Groups 53. How is new music learned by the choir? (Check all that apply.) Our choir learns new songs by ear. Our choir learns new songs from sheet music or hymnals. 54. How is new music learned by the congregation? (Check all that apply.) Our congregation learns new songs by hearing them sung frequently or by ear. Our congregation learns new songs from the hymnals we use. Page 14 of 21
Hymnal Resources Section 4: Hymnal Resources 55. Which hymnals or songbooks does your church use regularly during the main worship service? (Check all that apply.) The 1989 United Methodist Hymnal Songs of Zion Zion Still Sings The Faith We Sing The African American Heritage Hymnal Cokesbury Worship Hymnal Hymns for the Family of God National Baptist Hymnal Global Praise Methodist Hymnals (AME, CME etc.) : 56. Approximately what percentage of the time does your congregation sing from The 1989 United Methodist Hymnal in worship? 0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-100% 57. Approximately what percentage of the time does your congregation sing from Songs of Zion or Zion Still Sings in worship? 0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-100% 58. Approximately what percentage of the time does your congregation sing from the African American Heritage Hymnal, or another hymnal in worship? 0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-100% Page 15 of 21
59. About how many new or unfamiliar songs do you sing each month? None 1-2 3-5 6-10 10+ 60. List the top ten songs that are sung frequently in worship at your church: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 61. Which of the following types of resources do you use for worship? (Check all that apply.) Hymnals Songbooks Downloadable Music/Lyrics Copies of Music/Lyrics Local Compositions and Arrangements Local Song Collection Charts/Scores Created from Listening to Music CDs Learned by Ear and Taught to Choir Members Regularly Occasionally Never 62. Do you use the Psalms in the United Methodist Hymnal? (If no, skip to question #66.) Yes No Page 16 of 21
63. If "Yes," how do you currently use the Psalter (Psalms in the UMH)? (Check all that apply.) Chanted/Pointed Responsive Reading Read, with provided musical response We use psalms taken from other sources 64. How often do you re-write, rearrange, or substitute for the sung response given? Frequently Occasionally Never 65. Do you use the Psalm as: (Check all that apply.) Scripture Reading Response to the Old Testament reading Call to Worship : 66. For each of the following services in The 1989 United Methodist Hymnal, please indicate whether or not you use that service from the hymnal or from the bulletin or if it is not used in your church. We have provided the page numbers on which the services appear in the hymnal for your convenience. Communion Service p. 12 Communion Music p. 17 Baptism Service p. 33 Baptism Music p. 53 Confirmation p. 45 Reception of Members p. 45 Reaffirmation p. 45 Marriage p. 864 Death/Resurection p. 870 Daily Praise/Prayer p. 876 Use from Hymnal Printed In Bulletin We do not use 67. For each of the following services in The 1989 United Methodist Hymnal, please indicate any other sources you use for that type of service. Communion Service Communion Music Baptism Service Baptism Music Confirmation Reception of Members Reafffirmation Page 17 of 21
68. Do you use the services of Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer? (If no, skip to question #72) Yes No 69. If yes: how often do you use them? Frequently Occasionally 70. Who leads them? Pastor Lay Person Worship Leader : 71. When do you use them? (Check all that apply) Weekday Weeknight Sunday Morning Sunday Night Part of a Meeting Retreat 72. Are there other services you would use if they were in the hymnal? Yes No 73. If yes : list them: Page 18 of 21
Technology Section 5: Technology 74. What types of electronic resources do you use in planning/performing the music for worship? Internet MIDI CD s Accompaniment Tapes Projection (example: PowerPoint slides of hymns or choruses) None of these 75. Do you or your worship/music planners use the Internet for: Finding and ordering worship resources Finding and/or downloading congregational music Finding and/or downloading music/lyrics for the choir Do not use the Internet for worship / music planning 76. What equipment are you currently using in worship? Computer/PowerPoint/Media Shout LCD projector Overhead projector Sound system/ sound amplification Portable CD player MIDI instrument None 77. Are you using projection for congregational singing? (If "no" please proceed to question #81) Yes No 78. If yes: Are you projecting: Words Words and music (notes) Page 19 of 21
79. How often do you use projection? Weekly Bi-weekly Monthly Quarterly Special Services/Infrequently Main Service Services 80. Where do you get your slides? A pre-packaged product (please name:) Internet downloads Creating slides yourself All of the above 81. Is your church using more, less or about the same level of technology as 3 years ago? More Less About the Same Not sure 82. Which kinds of technology do you expect your church to adopt for use in worship in the next 3-5 years? Computer / Power Point /Media Shout LCD projector Overhead Projector Sound System/ Sound Amplification MIDI Internet CD s Accompaniment Tapes 83. Is there anything in the area of music and worship that you wish you had but can t find? Are there any unmet music resource needs? Page 20 of 21
84. What has been the biggest change in worship and music at your church in the last 10 years? 85. Do you have any additional comments or suggestions you would like to make? Page 21 of 21