To: PWNC Churches & Clerks of Session

From: Tonya Williams

Date: December 7, 2022

Re: Annual Statistical Reports

It’s hard to believe that another year has passed and it’s time to complete your church’s Annual Statistical Report again! The stat portal from the Office of General Assembly is officially active for you to submit your church’s information for the 2022 reporting year. You can access the information by clicking this link: OGA Statistical Reporting & FAQs

If you are new to statistical reporting, the program includes helpful tools, a workbook and definitions to assist in the completion of this report. The General Assembly approved a number of changes from last year, most notably: gender breakdown, age distribution, youth distribution, removing racial ethnic definitions, and the finance questions. (It’s important to remember the finance section questions are about the church’s finances. Not all money will be shown.) The question regarding women members has been expanded and is no longer on the main page. The question is now related to women, men, non-binary/genderqueer and appears on the Congregation Life page.

Churches are still worshiping in new and creative ways. There is no standard metric on how you count the number of people attending worship. Each church should account for attendance in a way that feels comfortable to them, and report it accordingly in the appropriate section on the report.

Your User Name and Password have not changed. If you have misplaced your login information, call (828/438-4217) or email me (twilliams@presbyterywnc.org) and I can look it up for you. *If you are having trouble logging in, remember that the most common mistake in entering your login information is omitting the exclamation mark (!) at the end of your password.*

Remember that you don’t have to complete the report in one sitting. However, you must hit the "accept" button at the bottom of each page for your data to be saved. Also, keep in mind that this is the perfect time of the year to evaluate your membership rolls. This benefits not only your church, but the Presbytery as well. Help us be good stewards and purge those records!

The 2023 Church Data Form is hyperlinked. It will also be posted on Presbytery’s website (www.presbyterywnc.org) under “Useful Forms” by mid-month. If you have your session or deacon membership available in a different format, feel free to print that version and attach it to the Church Data Form as opposed to retyping the information.

All reports are due by Friday, February 10, 2023. Submitting this information maintains the good standing of our churches as required by G-3.0202f of the Book of Order. I know year-end is hard for everyone! Let us know if we can be of help. God’s grace and peace to each of you this Advent season!