How to complete the Attender Survey
The Attender Survey is for regular church attenders aged 15 years and over. It explores their experiences of church life, their hopes, strengths and evaluation of their church's health.
It is best to be completed together during a Worship Service, Mass, or activity of spiritual nurture. It is optional and confidential, and takes around 15-20 minutes to complete.
See below for all you need to run the Attender Survey at your church.
The Attender Survey can be completed via a paper survey or online.
What do you need to complete the Attender Survey at your church?
Check your Survey Kit for:
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Site Instructions showing your Church Code
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Attender Surveys- paper or online
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Attender Surveys- translations (if ordered)
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Attender Survey Collection Envelopes
*Church Survey Coordinators will find a Return Postage Label in your Survey Kit. You can keep the original Post Pack to reuse it or use a new one.
Site Instructions for Attender Survey
showing your Church Code
(one per church location or Mass centre is included in your Survey Kit)
To be used by leaders of worship services or spiritual nurture activities to conduct the survey.
This Instructions Sheet displays the NCLS Church Code for a church location (page 1) to be written on all survey forms at that location.
N.B. Multi-site churches or parishes will receive one Site Instructions for each church location or mass centre, displaying their NCLS Church Code (see Guide for more details).
Attender Survey Forms - paper or online
(multiple attender surveys as ordered)
The Attender Survey is for church attenders aged 15 years and over.
It is optional and confidential.
Parents can decline the participation of their 15 year old child.
Each attender must complete the survey once only.
The survey takes around 20 minutes to complete.
Languages: The Attender Survey is available in English, Arabic, Burmese (Chin and Karen), Chinese, Korean, Sudanese (Dinka), Tongan and Vietnamese. N.B. Chin, Karen and Dinka are offered as paper surveys only.
Online option: The Attender Survey can be completed on a paper survey form, or online at attendersurvey.ncls.org.au
Attender Survey Collection Envelopes
(one per 50 Attender Surveys)
To be used to collect surveys once completed.
Inside the envelope, place completed Attender Surveys, Child Surveys (if completed) and Reply Slips. Approx 50 surveys per envelope. Please seal the envelopes and do not read attender responses, to protect attenders' anonymity.
More resources:
Use the resources below to help you run the Attender Survey, either on your Survey Day or during your Survey Period. Churches can use the resources in a way that suits them, whether they are completing the survey together face to face or streaming live online.
Display this Slide showing your Church Code
A Display Slide template is available for you to enter your Church Code and project for people to see. Designed for use in worship services or activities where the survey will be completed. Remember to enter your Church Code before projecting the slide.
Download options:
Display Slide template w QR Code (PPT)
Distribute this QR Code for the online Attender Survey
A QR code is available for you to display, print in your church bulletin, or distribute to attenders completing the online Attender Survey. The QR code can be scanned by a smart phone to go to attendersurvey.ncls.org.au .
Use these worship resources
Prayers, liturgical reflections and readings are available for use, to integrate the survey into a worship service, Mass or activity.
Child Surveys (if ordered)
If your church ordered Child Surveys for church attenders aged 8 to 14, you can view instructions and resources to help you complete the Child Survey, either alongside adult attenders in a worship service or Mass, or in a children's activity.
Read Aloud or Print Instructions for Survey Day
Provide these instructions to church attenders before completing the Attender Survey. You can either read them aloud if you are meeting together face-to-face, or print and distribute them if you are completing the survey online.
These Instructions are also found in the Site Instructions to be provided to church leaders at each site or location completing the Attender Survey.
“Thank you for taking part in this Church Life Survey. The Survey is a chance to review our church’s qualities as we look to the future. Afterwards we will receive our own church results.
- This is a voluntary, anonymous and confidential survey
- Most people complete it within 15 to 20 minutes
- Choose one response for each question unless it states otherwise
- Do not fill in a second form if you have already completed one for this local church
Paper: On the paper survey, please fill in our NCLS Church Code at the top right corner.
Online: Go to attendersurvey.ncls.org.au and enter our NCLS Church Code. (If sharing a device, click 'Finish' before you share your device with someone else.)
When you have finished,
Paper: Please return your survey form to your Church Survey Coordinator. It will be sealed in the Attender Survey Confidential Collection Envelope.
Online: Please click 'Finish’ when you have completed your online survey.
If you have not finished, please stay behind at the end of the service to complete your survey.
Thank you."
Invitation Template Text for the Attender Survey
Use this text to send invitations to your church attenders to complete the Attender Survey, if you are completing them online or separately at home. Remember to include your Church Code before sending.
YOU ARE INVITED to take part in our Attender Survey
Dear churchgoer,
Our church is participating in a Church Life Survey and you are invited to complete the Attender Survey for churchgoers aged 15 years and over.
The survey will ask you about your experiences of our church, your thoughts about our ministries and activities, as well as your personal spiritual beliefs or religious practices. The results of the survey will help our local church to assess our church health, understand our strengths and build directions for the future.
We invite you to take part in this survey.
- It will take around 15-20 minutes to complete
- It is anonymous and confidential
TO TAKE PART:
- Complete a paper survey form or
- Go online to: attendersurvey.ncls.org.au
- and enter our Church Code: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
We ask you to complete the Survey by _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _
The Survey is designed by NCLS Research, as part of the Church Life Survey and has Ethics approval from Charles Sturt University. More information about the survey can be found at ncls.org.au/churchlifesurveys
Yours faithfully,
Reminder Template Text for the Attender Survey
Use this text to send a reminder to your church attenders to complete their survey. We recommend sending one or two reminders during your survey period. Remember to include your Church Code before sending.
A FRIENDLY REMINDER about our Attender Survey
Dear churchgoer,
Recently we sent you an invitation to take part in the Attender Survey, as part of our Church Life Survey.
We hope you will take part soon if you haven’t already done so.
You will be asked about your experiences of our church, your thoughts about our ministries and activities, as well as your personal spiritual beliefs or religious practices.
We remind you to please complete the Survey by _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _
- It will take 15-20 minutes to complete, and is anonymous and confidential
TO TAKE PART:
- Complete a paper survey form or
- Go online to: attendersurvey.ncls.org.au
- and enter our Church Code: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The results of the survey will help our local church to assess our church health, understand our strengths and build directions for the future.
The Survey is designed by NCLS Research, as part of the Church Life Survey and has Ethics approval from Charles Sturt University. More information about the survey can be found at ncls.org.au/churchlifesurveys
Yours faithfully,
Final Call Template Text for the Attender Survey
Use this text to send a final reminder to your church attenders to complete their Attender Survey. Remember to include your Church Code before sending.
CLOSING SOON: Don’t miss out on completing our Attender Survey
Dear churchgoer,
Recently we sent you invitations to take part in the Attender Survey, as part of our Church Life Survey.
We hope you will take part soon if you haven’t already done so.
You will be asked about your experiences of our church, your thoughts about our ministries and activities, as well as your personal spiritual beliefs or religious practices.
Don’t miss out! The Survey is closing on _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _
We invite you to take part in this survey.
- It will take 15-20 minutes to complete, and is anonymous and confidential
TO TAKE PART:
- Complete a paper survey form or
- Go online to: attendersurvey.ncls.org.au
- and enter our Church Code: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The results of the survey will help our local church to assess our church health, understand our strengths and build directions for the future.
The Survey is designed by NCLS Research, as part of the Church Life Survey and has Ethics approval from Charles Sturt University. More information about the survey can be found at ncls.org.au/churchlifesurveys
Yours faithfully,
