Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
United Methodist Church (US)--Iowa; United Methodist Church (US); Church work with single parents--Iowa; Single parents--Iowa; Church work with single parents; Single parents; Iowa;
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to identify the factors that influenced participation of single parents in the United Methodist Churches. The points considered include (a) the needs of single parents and their families; (b) the attitudes of the single parents and their families towards church; (c) the attitudes of the church members toward single parents and their families; and (d) barriers that may influence single parents to be churched or unchurched. The study included the United Methodist Churches within the Waterloo District in the state of Iowa. The target population were single parents with children 18 years and younger living with them at least part of the time. Data were collected through a questionnaire sent to all charges within the Waterloo District. The same questionnaire was sent to both the churches represented at large and to the single parents. Fifty-two single parents and 10 churches returned questionnaires. Findings of the study included:
1. Single parents wanted programs that included single parent issues, however, did not feel the need for individualized programs.
2. Forty percent of the single parents stated they felt respected and 40% felt they were treated average or like everyone else within their church. Yet, 35% of the single parent respondents attended church 25% of the time or less. Eight percent never attended church, stating they just did not want to get involved.
3. Single parents strongly differ in opinion on issues such as child care, support from church members, and the environment within the church making them feel welcome or unwelcome.
4. Many of the churches, represented at large, did feel they were attempting to be inclusive and supportive of single parent families. Single parents did not always agree that the congregation was being inclusive and supportive to them.
5. Barriers that may influence single parents from being active members provided very different responses from the representative group than from the single parent group. These barriers are listed in detail in Appendix C of the thesis.
6. Financial concerns were an issue from single parents, but were not mentioned from the representative groups.
7. Some of the United Methodist Churches are reaching the single parent members positively while other United Methodist Churches are not.
Year of Submission
1995
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services
First Advisor
Carole Hanson
Second Advisor
Jane Mertesdorf
Third Advisor
Susan Hudson
Date Original
1995
Object Description
1 PDF file (103 leaves)
Copyright
©1995 Sindy Mason
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Mason, Sindy, "Single Parent Ministries" (1995). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 1842.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/1842
Comments
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