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Attendance

  • 1.  Attendance

    Posted 05-23-2023 09:19 AM

    We keep track of attendance at worship services by having people sign the "friendship register," a book in each pew. Our ushers also count the total number people at each service (usually). This is hit or miss as people don't want to sign the book, forget or don't know they should unless the pastor mentions it.

    We use Shepherd Staff attendance module and I've tried using the online feature with a tablet but it's slow to search through the people and add them. Maybe there's a shortcut I don't know about. I haven't researched it more. 

    In talking with friends who attend other churches, It turns out that many churches don't keep track of attendance. 

    Does your church track attendance and if so, how?



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    Virginia Ranisate
    St. Johns Lutheran Church
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  • 2.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 05-24-2023 05:23 AM
    Good morning. We use the Servant Keeper platform and the usher coubts and enters the information into the iPad. 
    Blessings 
    Kay Barnes 
    Our Savior Orlando 






  • 3.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 05-24-2023 07:25 AM

    We are a small church.  Our ushers count.



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    Patti Meyers
    Lakes Area Christian Fellowship
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  • 4.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 05-25-2023 01:05 AM
    We are also a small church and the usher count attendance both in the sanctuary and online.

    Marilyn Hunter
    Light of the Valley
    Elk Grove, ÇA




  • 5.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 05-24-2023 08:53 AM

    We also use Shepherd's Staff and it's slow!  Our process is pretty much the same as yours.  The only reason I stick with SS is because it automatically generates the LCMS Statistical Report.  Otherwise, it's a pretty antiquated system that would better serve if there was an option for people to record their attendance through a QR code or a tablet.

    I'd love to know if other churches have a better method.



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    Cheryl Schnicker
    St. James Lutheran Church
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  • 6.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 05-25-2023 01:44 PM

    We are a large church and leverage the ShelbyNext App, but unfortunately folks just don't register with consistency so we still rely on our ushers to count the good old fashioned way.  Even more difficult is capturing online worshippers across the various social media platforms.  While you can get metrics on number of "people watching," you can't ascertain (1) how many people are watching in a household and (2) how long did someone actually watch for.



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    Keith Fatzinger
    Concordia Lutheran Church
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  • 7.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 05-26-2023 09:38 AM

    We are a medium-large church and record attendance in ShelbyNext. We capture usher counts as well as self-reported attendance from our fellowship registration / friendship pad. The usher counts are used for statistical reporting, and the fellowship registration allows us to see who is/is not engaged and who is visiting. Online attendance is also self-reported and recorded. 



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    Teresa Blackley
    Bethlehem Lutheran Church
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  • 8.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 05-29-2023 03:57 PM

    We average about 200 on a Sunday morning between the two services.  My church shifted over to Planning Center about 4 years ago, and we started using the attendance function during COVID.  There are 1 or 2 people at the "check-in table" in the narthex that record who attended services that day on iPads.  Works fairly well.  Search by last name or first name then select the family which will then allow you to mark a check box to show who from the family is there.  We rarely have a problem with the software.  The problem is usually iPads that aren't charged.  The ushers also count, and there's always a small disparity between the usher's numbers and electronic numbers.  I track the usher numbers to see how our attendance is doing and use those numbers to report congregational statistics.  



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    Jay Moore
    Hope Lutheran Virginia Beach
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  • 9.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 08-11-2023 01:03 PM

    We do much the same. Attendance pads in the pews (Pastor reminds/announces it during the offering) which also indicate who is communing. Ushers get total count & try to fill in names of those who did not use the pads; some are regular non-signers! :-)  Secretary records the info on an Excel spreadsheet which already lists members, allowing easy calculating of totals. The Pastor/elders monitor member attendance & communion, plus any visitors or members asking for Pastor contact. It works pretty well, but we have a small church (under 50 attendance).



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    Linda Crane
    St. Mark Ferndale
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  • 10.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 08-12-2023 08:43 AM

    We are a fairly small congregation, and ushers typically do the counting for Sunday mornings. However, if the ushers didn't, it would be just as easy for the sound team to do a count during the sermon. We also have a Monday evening service, but not may people attend that, so Pastor or I do the count.



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    Alyssa Hahn
    UCF Youth Group
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  • 11.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 08-12-2023 02:29 PM
    Hello
    Thanks so much for this information. This is Kay from Our Savior Lutheran Church. Do.you all use paychex  or any system to pay staff and bills, or do you have the treasurer write checks?
    Thank you
    Blessings 
    Kay 





  • 12.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 08-12-2023 03:22 PM

    We have a small congregation and limited funds; only 1 (Pastor) on staff. Treasurer pays staff & bills with checks via Quickbooks program (stand-alone, not online version).



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    Linda Crane
    St. Mark Ferndale
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  • 13.  RE: Attendance

    Posted 08-12-2023 08:34 PM

    Awesome,

    Thanks Linda!

     

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