Location: Decatur Ballroom
This session will release new 5-year findings from a survey of thousands of congregations, showing how congregations have fared in terms of worship attendance, virtual participation, technology use and other key factors. Clergy attitudes and member dynamics will also reveal the shape and vitality of faith communities in a post-pandemic religious landscape. Join project researchers and clergy commentators as we explore the findings and implications. The Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project is a national study by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research examining how U.S. congregational life has changed since 2020.
SPEAKERS
Dr. Charissa Mikoski
Dr. Charissa Mikoski is an Assistant Professor of Research at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. She primarily works on quantitative data analysis and survey management for the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations research project. Her research examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced religious congregations, including the adoption of technological innovations, financial challenges, and shifts in clergy wellness. She also explores how the religious composition of geographic regions impacts residents and broader changes in the U.S. religious landscape.
Rev. Joel Moody
Rev. Joel Moody is the Senior Pastor of Sunnyside Presbyterian Church in South Bend. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and served a congregation in Austin, TX, prior to moving to South Bend with his spouse and two children. He’s passionate about partnering with people to learn about God and working to build bridges across differences.
Dr. Allison L. Norton
Allison L. Norton is the Associate Professor of Migration Studies and Congregational Life at Hartford International University, where she is co-directs the Hartford Institute for Religion Research and directs the Pastoral Innovation Network of New England. She is most interested in applied research that makes a tangible difference for religious communities and congregations. She is currently serving as Co-Investigator on the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations study.
Rev. Miluska E. Silencio
Rev. Miluska E. Silencio has served as a youth minister in New York City since 2005, supporting immigrant families through church ministry and activism. Of Afro-Peruvian, indigenous and Italian heritage, she serves as vice president of the Indigenous Ministers Association and as an Evangelical Covenant Church licensed clergy member coaching pastors and church planters. She also serves as assistant site director for Immigrant Connection NYC. Rev. Silencio holds degrees from CUNY Hunter College and Alliance University and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Seminary. She and her husband, Josh, have two children.
Scott Thumma
Scott Thumma is Professor of Sociology of Religion and co-director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at Hartford International University, Hartford, CT. Scott is the Principal Investigator for 5-year Lilly Endowment grant to study the impact of the pandemic on churches. He has published numerous articles, research reports, and chapters on religious life in addition to co-authoring three books, The Other 80 Percent, Beyond Megachurch Myths, and Gay Religion. He co-led the 25-year long Faith Communities Today national research project for many years and has conducted numerous studies of megachurches and nondenominational churches. Additionally, he has been an RNA participant for 25 years.