Everyone Counts: 2016
(Being Inclusive & Welcoming to All)
Everyone Counts 2016 is a diocesan representative survey of the Church of England – Birmingham. As Birmingham has become home to a rich mosaic of cultures and ethnicities. Migration and the global world has meant that diversity characterises many communities. Diversity is a blessing from God and enriching creation and the church. A significant strength of Anglicanism is the variety and vitality borne from its different traditions and people groups; it is as the whole people of God that we are called together to love, serve and evangelise within the communities in which we live. In the next few weeks your church will be shining a light on itself. To grow a church for everyone we need to understand who we are, where we are – so count yourself in and help us with this unique diocesan initiative, with a focus on aspects of inclusiveness and welcome.
This short survey asks questions about demographic and church participation (frequency and roles). It helps us to share stories of hope, love and inclusiveness in life and worship of your church and how your partnership with various other churches has helped in developing a multicultural missional space to grow, learn and embrace everyone in God’s Love.
As the people of God, we are one body. God blesses Unity. What makes us one in Christ is more than what divides us. This message is important for every generation. The recurrent question is: “in what ways can we contribute to making the church reflect God’s Hospitality, his kingdom”. Therefore, I request you to take part in this congregational survey, which will help AME (Anglican Minority Ethnic) strategy group to produce a strategy aimed at creating a sustained improvement in the presence, ministry, mission and leadership in breath and numbers of AME people, lay and ordained, across CofE Birmingham.
Many Blessings,
Bishop David Urquhart
Questionnaire -Everyone Counts: 2016
(Being Inclusive & Welcoming to All)
Name of your Church: ………………………………………
- What are the main Anglican Minority Ethnic (AME) groups in your church/es.
(be as precise as you can)?
Ethnicity / Number/Percentage
White:
English/ Welsh/ Scottish/ Northern Irish/
British
Gypsy or Irish Traveller
Irish any other White background
Asian/ Asian British:
Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Chinese
any other Asian background
Black/ African/ Caribbean/ Black British:
African
Caribbean
any other Black background
Mixed/multiple ethnic group:
White and Asian
White and Black African
White and Black Caribbean
any other Mixed background
Other ethnic group:
Arab
Any other ethnic group (please write in)
- How would you consider your church to be a welcoming and inclusive place for people from any AME backgrounds?
- Please outline the number of Anglican Minority Ethnic (AME) people in your church,
Areas of representation / Total Number of people in your church / Number of AMEs in your congregation
In your local community
Church attendances
Electoral role
PCC
Sub-Committees
Deanery Synod
General Synod
Exploring Vocations
Active in Ordained Ministry
Active in Lay Leadership
- How far does your worship reflect the ethnic diversity of your church – in leadership, music, prayers and preaching topics?
- In what ways do you assist all your members to understand and live in a multi-racial society?
- What other Christian churches are active in your parish?
- Do you feel that the statistics (from the 2011 census based parish studies) we have about your parish are reflective of the reality today?
Thank you so much for participating and filling this survey!
Your generous gift of time in responding to these questions affirms your openness and commitment in supressing “unconscious bias” across our diocese.