Characteristics of U.S. Congregations, by faith group - part 1 (2008/2009)

	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Facilities:
Primary worship service held in a church, synagogue, or temple	98%	98%	100%	98%
Congregation or denomination owns building	98%	95%	100%	97%
Facilities used/rented by community groups at least weekly	18%	62%	30%	46%
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Affiliation:
Affiliated with denomination, convention, or association of congregations	93%	96%	82%	92%
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Provide religious education classes:
For children (under age 12)	100%	91%	100%	95%
For youth (ages 12-18)	86%	86%	90%	87%
For adults	70%	87%	99%	88%
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Technology:
Use internet to communicate with worshiperss	85%	76%	73%	77%
Use email to communicate with worshipers	62%	83%	64%	74%
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Political orientation of congregation:
On conservative side	36%	41%	74%	51%
In the middle	60%	37%	15%	33%
On liberal side	4%	22%	11%	16%
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Theological orientation of congregation:
On conservative side	38%	34%	83%	48%
In the middle	49%	38%	13%	32%
On liberal side	13%	29%	4%	20%
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Financial situation:
Increasing financial base	8%	18%	5%	12%
Stable financial base	65%	49%	67%	57%
Declining financial base or seriously threatened	27%	33%	28%	30%

Characteristics of U.S. Congregations, by faith group - part 2 (2008/2009)
All figures are medians.

	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Age:
Year congregation was founded (median)	1916	1902	1943	1914
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Size:
Approximate seating capacity where worship is held (median)	468	225	200	244
Average weekly worship attendance, 2007 (year before survery)	638	90	85	103
Total number of people (children and adults) participating (median)	831	120	117	130
Total number of children participating (median)	301	26	37	37
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Religious education classes:
Number of children (<12) participating (median)	107	10	15	15
Number of youth (12-18) participating (median)	59	7	7	8
Number of adults participating (median)	30	20	20	20
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Worship services:
Number of worship services offered each week	9	1	2	2
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Strictness:
Mean number of prohibitions reported (Note 1.)	1.4	.5	2.4	1.2
	Catholic Churches	Mainline Protestant Churches	Conservative Protestant Churches	All Congregations
Congregational programs:
Mean number of outreach activities reported (Note 2.)	4.0	7.0	7.0	6.9
Mean number of community services reported (Note 3.)	8.0	6.0	5.0	6.0

Note 1. Seven possible prohibitions: homosexual behavior; unmarried adults living together; drinking alcohol; gambling; prohibitions against members smoking; how much money people give to the congregation; and what people eat (listed here in order from most often prohibited to least often prohibited).

Note 2. 15 possible outreach activities: encouraged people to invite others, established or maintained a website; letters sent to visitors, mailing flyers or newsletters, neighborhood activity, newspaper/magazine ads, worship or public event to bring people in, telephoning visitors, telephone book ads,  visiting visitors, recruitment committee, contact people new to the area, email visitors, radio/TV ads, community survey (listed here in order from most common to least common overall).

Note 3. 25 possible community services: emergency relief, counseling/support groups, other social/recreational activities, transportation to bring people to worship, other youth programs, arts/music activities, other senior programs (not housing), health-related programs, other welfare/service activities, hobby and craft groups, political/justice work, sports, abuse/recovery programs, voter registration or education, prison ministry, housing for others (not seniors),  programs for college students, care for people with disabilities, community organizing, financial literacy, immigrant support services, animal welfare or environmental activities, HIV/AIDS services, housing for seniors, activities for the unemployed (listed here in order from most common to least common overall).