Council Report on results from the CAT (Congregation Assessment Tool)
Report prepared by Council members Karen Couturier, Nancy Fontneau, Beth Getman, Bryan Gregoire, Roz Horn, and Mary Tarquinion on behalf of the entire Council.
What is the CAT?
The CAT, or Congregation Assessment Tool, is a questionnaire that looks at our church in comparison to more than 2000 mainline Protestant churches. As Pastor Sara Anderson told the council, the CAT data allow us to “make better decisions in shorter time with more confidence”. Thank you to all 96 members who completed the Congregational Assessment Tool! Whether you did the CAT or not, there is still time to make your voice heard, as we work to understand what we have learned from the CAT, and how to focus Trinity’s mission in the future: to Welcome, Proclaim and Serve. We need everyone’s perspective.
What top priorities were identified by the CAT data?
- To develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to reach new people and incorporate them into the life of the church.
- To make necessary changes to attract families with children and youth to our church.
- To work to renew and revitalize the community around the church by building coalitions with partners that share this vision and commitment.
What did we learn from the CAT?
- Our priorities did not change much since we completed the CAT in 2015, and our top priorities are quite consistent across all age groups at Trinity.
- Our overall energy and satisfaction have improved, but we still have work to do.
- Since the 2015 CAT, we have showed positive growth in the areas of energy, satisfaction and flexibility.
- Communication and collaboration in decision making are highly valued by the congregation.
- We need to help our members grow in welcoming and leadership skills for the future.
- We found that our worship experience, participation in the Afghan resettlement effort, and feeding and helping our local community are highly valued by the congregation.
What’s next?
- Beginning in May, Council members will be leading sessions each Sunday after church to review the CAT findings and discuss the priorities that the congregation has identified. We want to be sure we understand the congregations’ ideas about how best to achieve our purpose. Your participation is key during this phase.
- More information about the CAT will be in the Worship Bulletin, on the weekly email news, and in Trinity News. Please look for them.
- Please join us at the discussion sessions, or speak with a Council member.