Ministerial Employment and Compensation in the

United Church of Christ

Rev. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, Ph.D.Director, Center for Analytics, Research and Data (CARD)

United Church of Christ

Church and Ministry ConsultationLancaster Theological Seminary

October 15, 2014

Introduction

CARD Mission• We are a church-wide resource whose mission is to gather,

provide, and interpret information and trends for the purpose of illuminating the past, realizing the present, and envisioning the future of the United Church of Christ in the larger social context.

CARD Vision• We aspire to build a culture of assessment and a unified,

collaborative information network across all settings of the United Church of Christ.

Collecting Data

What CARD Collects– Annual authorized minister information – general

demographics, call/position information, standing– Congregational information – general

demographics, annual membership and financial data• Ministerial compensation

What CARD Cannot / Is Just Beginning to Collect– History on some trends

Collecting Data (cont.)How Information Is Collected– UCC Data Hub (through Conferences, Associations,

and local churches)

How Information Is Distributed– UCC Yearbook & Directory• www.uccresources.com

– Access UCC• www.accessucc.org (purchase at www.uccresources.com)

– UCC Statistical Profile• www.ucc.org/research

UCC Congregations and Members

Congregations and Membership Over Time

Congregational Changes Over Time

UCC Authorized Ministers

Summary of Ordained Ministers

Ordained Ministers: Details

Authorized Ministers: Age

Authorized Ministers: Gender

Ministerial Employment and Compensation in Local Churches

Pastoral Tenure in Congregations

Full-Time and Part-Time Local Church Positions

Salaries for Local Church Positions

Ministerial Compensation by Church Membership Size

Ministerial Compensation by Region

Summary

• The number of congregations and members in the UCC has decreased over time, most significantly in recent years.

• As a result, there are more small membership churches in the UCC.• The number of retired ministers has increased dramatically in recent

years, while the number of active employed ministers has decreased.• In the past decade, the number of pastors decreased as a result of fewer

UCC congregations.• In that same time period, the number of missionaries / chaplains / campus

ministers has increased dramatically. • The vast majority of active ministers (non-retired) are age 50 and over

(83.2%). This trend will most likely continue in the future.

Summary (cont.)

• Nearly half of all authorized ministers are female (47%); however, male ministers continue to hold the majority of single and lead / senior pastor positions (62.5%). Female ministers hold over two-thirds of all associate and assistant pastor positions (half of which are part-time positions), as well as over two-thirds of all interim and supply pastor positions (of which a majority are part-time positions).

• The average length of tenure for pastors is about 8 ½ years. For associate or assistant pastors, the average length of tenure is about 5 years.

• Roughly one in ten UCC congregations have associate or assistant pastors.• One out of three pastor positions are part-time.• The overall average salary for a full-time pastor is $38,855 (excluding

housing allowance and other benefits). Average salary figures increase or decrease depending on church size and region.

Questions?

For more information, visit:www.ucc.org/research

Rev. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, Ph.D.Center for Analytics, Research and Data (CARD)

United Church of Christ700 Prospect Avenue East

Cleveland, OH 44115(216) 736-3866hajbik@ucc.org