07/19/18

Show Me the Numbers! A SpiritGroups Case Study from Unity Community of Central Oregon

One of the highlights of the 2018 Small Group Leadership Summit was a special presentation by Rev. Jane Hiatt, senior minister of Unity Community of Central Oregon in Bend, Oregon. (Rev. Jane is pictured in the center above with Mendhi Audlin (left), Kevin Kubota (right) and Rev. Elizabeth Mora (far right).

Jane shared the metaphor of a stalk of bamboo as she described the growth of her ministry after implementing the SpiritGroups program. For the first few years, growth was slow, but culture was changing.  With consistency and commitment, that slow change has created a dynamic foundation for exponential growth.

The following is an adaptation from her speaker notes from the Summit:

I became minister in Jan 2011. At that time we had 12 members regularly attending. By end of 2015, 5 years later, we were averaging 53 people on a Sunday.

The only significant change to the strategic focus of the ministry has been implementing the SpiritGroups training and going through the Engagement Strategy Mastermind Program that is part of the SpiritGroups training curriculum.

The Metrics (what you measure grows)

I attended the SpiritGroups Train the Trainer program in October of 2015 along with a woman who would initially serve as our Program Leader of our SpiritGroups program.

Our SpiritGroups launched in the Winter Series in 2016 with 4 groups and 33 participants.  When the Spring Series rolled around, we grew to 6 groups and 38 participants.

For our fall series, we offered a 4 week host/leader training group using the SpiritGroups structure with a focus on Absolute Abundance. The 8 participants of this special group all became leaders who have done ongoing groups. One of them was Kevin Kubota, who went on to become the 2017 SpiritGroup Leader of the Year and eventually the new SpiritGroups Program Leader at Unity Community of Central Oregon.

The average Sunday attendance in 2016 was still 53. Membership was 50. But our revenue had increased by 13%.

In 2017, we launched our Winter Series with 8 groups/53 participants; the Spring Series had 7 groups/52 participants (with 10 non-Unity attendees); and in Fall we had 4 groups/21 participants.

Average Sunday attendance in 2017 was 60, an increase of 13%. Membership was 81, growing 60%. Revenue increased by 17%.

Now, midway through 2018, the growth trend continues.  Our Winter Series began with 7 groups/42 participants; and Spring had 4 groups/19. 

Average Sunday attendance is 80, an increase of 33%. Membership, halfway into the year is 112, a 38% growth (contrast to 12 members in 2011 start).

THE BOTTOM LINE:
Over the 2.5 years of using SpiritGroups in our ministry, our membership has more than doubled.

But the number only tell part of the story.  The real magic has been happening in immeasurable ways behind the scenes.

Meet Kevin. Kevin found his way into our community through SpiritGroups as an attendee during the Spring 2016 series.  By Fall 2016, he had become a SpiritGroup host.  By Spring 2017, he made the decision to pursue a ministerial path.

Meet Dan.  Dan became a SpiritGroup Host in Spring 2016. His involvement inspired a $5000 matching donation to help kick off a fundraising drive for a new building. By Spring 2018, we were able to write an offer on a new building.

Meet Susan. Susan joined the board because she got to know Jim in a small group setting. When he approached her about being on the board she was more open because of the connection they had created through their group.

The Engagement Mastermind— A Hidden Gem

I participated in the Engagement Strategy Mastermind in August 2015 before signing up for the SpiritGroups training. <Note: it is now exclusively offered as part of the SpiritGroups LAUNCH program.> The process influenced our strategies for engaging newcomers and growing our Welcome Team.  It inspired us to make changes, improvements and additions to our systems, including revising our newcomer packets, sending follow up cards, making connection calls, hosting welcome dinners, and strategically scheduling our new member orientations. 

We now introduce new members every 2-3 months. I usually have 1-2 minute worth of sharing about each person, so the community has a chance to get to know them. It’s always inspiring to see the various backgrounds people have.

You can share your comments, insights, and questions for us or for Rev. Jane in the comments area below. We also invite you to share your own metrics so we can celebrate your success, too!