A Preliminary Overview:
How We Got Here & Who Responded
Over the past year, St. John’s has been in a rich and wide-ranging season of listening — asking who we are, what is ours to hold, and where God is calling us. This document offers a preliminary look at that journey: how we got here, who participated in the all- parish survey, and a first glimpse of what the data is beginning to reveal. A fuller analysis will be shared with the congregation in the months ahead.
How We Got Here
Fall 2025 — Parish Retreat & Listening Sessions
Nearly 150 parishioners gathered at our fall parish retreat, where Music that Makes Community drew us into conversation about who we are, what is ours to hold, and where we imagine God calling us. That spirit carried forward through 8 listening sessions — including one with our youth group — each one an invitation to speak honestly and listen deeply.
Winter 2026 — One-on-One Interviews
More than 20 parishioners sat down for in-depth conversations — sharing where they’ve felt welcomed and connected, where they’ve faced challenges, and what they hope St. John’s might become. The MVV team listened carefully, and what they heard shaped the questions we brought to the whole congregation.
Spring 2026 — All-Parish Survey
268 people completed the Mission, Vision & Values Survey — a remarkable response representing a wide range of voices, perspectives, and experiences at St. John’s.
Coming in Summer 2026 — Analysis, Discernment & Drafting
Drawing on everything we’ve heard — and on the long history of St. John’s — the MVV team will prayerfully draft a renewed mission, vision, and values statement. Survey data will be further analyzed and findings will be shared with staff, ministry leaders, and the vestry to help inform programming for years to come.
Who Completed The Survey
The survey drew 268 responses from across the St. John’s community. Here is a portrait of who responded.
Length of Membership
The survey captured voices from every era of St. John’s history. More than a third of respondents have been part of this parish for over 20 years, reflecting the deep roots and long memory of our community. At the same time, more than one in five joined within the past three years — a sign of ongoing welcome and growth.
Less than 1 year: 7% (19 people)
1–3 years: 14% (38 people)
4–10 years: 22% (59 people)
11–20 years: 20% (52 people)
More than 20 years: 37% (98 people)
Worship Service Attendance
Respondents represented all of St. John’s worship communities. Taken together, 77% of respondents worship primarily in the Rite II tradition and 23% in the Rite I tradition.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. Rite II — in person: 68%
Sunday 10:00 a.m. Rite II — online: 10%
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Rite I — in person: 17%
Sunday 8:00 a.m. Rite I — online: 3%
Thursday Healing Service (Rite I): 3%
Frequency of Worship
The survey reflects a deeply committed worshipping community. Half of all respondents attend in person every week, and another quarter attend two to three times per month. An additional 10% worship primarily online.
Weekly in person: 50%
2–3 times per month: 25%
Monthly: 9%
Occasionally: 12%
Rarely or never in person: 4%
Who People Come to Worship With
The survey shows a community of both couples and individuals, with families also represented.
With a spouse or partner: 51%
Usually alone: 36%
Sometimes alone, sometimes with others: 9%
With young children (elementary age or younger): 6%
With middle or high school youth: 6%
With adult children or other family members: 9%
Age Range
The age profile of survey respondents reflects a congregation with significant depth among older adults. Nearly 70% of respondents are 65 or older. Younger adults are present but underrepresented in the survey data — which is itself a finding worth noting as we discern our shared future.
25–34: 3%
35–44: 4%
45–54: 10%
55–64: 13%
65–74: 38%
75 or older: 32%
Path to the Episcopal Church
St. John’s is home to both lifelong Episcopalians and those who have found their way here from other traditions. Two thirds of respondents (67%) came to St. John’s from another tradition. The Episcopal Church has always been a place where many paths converge, and that diversity of spiritual journey is woven into who we are and into the discernment ahead.
Raised in the Episcopal / Anglican tradition: 33%
From a Roman Catholic background: 26%
From another Protestant / mainline Christian tradition: 25%
From another Christian tradition (Evangelical, non-denominational, or other): 10%
From another faith tradition, no prior faith, or still exploring: 6%
What the Data Is Beginning to Reveal
The survey covered a wide range of topics — belonging, worship, formation, pastoral care, outreach, and the future of St. John's. Full analysis is still underway, but the shape of something is already coming into view.
What the data is beginning to reveal is a community with deep roots and genuine hungers — for connection, for belonging, and for ways to live out faith in the world. Respondents spoke clearly about the desire for deeper community, a shared commitment to serving the wider Seacoast community, and a thirst for small group connection, deeper prayer, and formational opportunities that nourish faith for the long haul. At its heart, this is a community that wants to go deeper — in its life together and in its engagement with the world.
The data also surfaces the questions that faithful communities must sit with: who among us is still searching for that sense of belonging, what the future holds for a congregation skewing older, and how we answer the call to be both a deeper community within and a more present force for good beyond our walls. The MVV team will carry all of it into discernment, and the full analysis will bring these themes into sharper focus.
What Comes Next
The MVV team will now turn to careful analysis of all of this input alongside everything heard at the retreat, in listening sessions, and in interviews. Their work will include:
Prayerfully drafting a renewed statement of mission, vision, and values for St. John’s over the summer
Sharing findings with staff, ministry leaders, and the vestry to help inform programming for years to come
We will share periodic updates over the summer as the work progresses — including additional data and findings as they emerge.
Thank You
On behalf of the Mission, Vision and Values Team and the Clergy and staff of St. John’s - Thank you to every person who participated - your voice matters deeply to the future of this community.