There is a large degree of common ground and overall satisfaction at St Ursula's, as well as a high level of commitment. Those are the key findings of the survey carried out last year.
We now have a lot of information about who we are as a congregation and what we can build on in the future. We are grateful to Hector, Pieter, Isabel (whose place has now been taken by Allison) for their work in processing all the data that came in.
We may be diverse in some ways (with as many as 17 different nationalities represented, speaking several languages) but we have a lot more in common. Approximately two-thirds of us are Anglicans or from other churches with a liturgical tradition; over two-thirds rated traditional hymns as their first preference (and an astonishing 98 percent said hymns were their first choice of music); over 80 percent expressed a "broad" view of the Bible (i.e. as opposed to a literalist one).
About 70 percent of you said you were happy or satisfied with such features of St Ursula's as prayer, teaching, worship and pastoral care. A similar majority of parents with children were happy or better with Junior Church. Welcome even got a 100 percent rating!
There will be a chance to hear more about the results during the AGM (28 March). As you can see, the general picture gives plenty of reason for hope and encouragement. It is also a testimony to the commitment and dedication of many people to St Ursula's.
Needless to say, we must not be self-satisfied (it is Lent after all!). We can, however, now say with greater confidence who we are and what we stand for. St Ursula's welcomes all who come to join us and we are the only such church in Berne that offers liturgical worship in English. We need to make sure we can all cooperate in doing that well. The point is, when we tell other people about St Ursula's, we now have a clear and distinctive message that is backed by the congregation as a whole.
Added to that are the other positive points that our survey has identified. All this gives us a good foundation on which to build and to grow. Work and pray that it happens.
Peter