40% of Protestant Churches Fail to Return Calls, Researchers Find

A new study of 3,764 Protestant churches has found that 40% fail to respond with personal contact to telephone inquiries, even after an individual placed several calls.

In fact, 44% of the churches included in the unresponsive group did not even have answering machines.

The findings, which are significant for church efforts to attract new members, were announced this week by the Ventura-based Barna Research Group Ltd.

It takes an average of 2.1 telephone calls to reach a human being at a Protestant church during regular business hours on weekdays, the study found. Of the calls placed, a third were answered on the first call. But in one out of 10 churches, a person was not reached until at least the fourth call.

Mainline churches were slightly more responsive than evangelical churches (73% to 66%) in personally responding to or answering calls.

Black churches and charismatic and Pentecostal churches were substantially below average, Barna said. Overall, denominations that attracted the largest numbers of people also had above-average response rates. Those include the Episcopal Church (83%), Evangelical Lutheran (74%), Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (70%), United Methodist (73%), Southern Baptist (66%), Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod (65%) and Assembly of God churches (62%).

EVENTS

Artist Ruth Eyrich, past president of the National Watercolor Society, presents “Reflections of an Artist at the Millennium” through Monday at the Pauline and Zena Gatov Gallery, Alpert Jewish Community Center, 3801 E. Willow St., Long Beach. Free. Call for times. (562) 426-7601.

* Ted Flynn, a Catholic author, lecturer and film producer, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday on attempts he says are being made to mandate a worldwide standard of conduct that conflicts with the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings. The talk is sponsored by the Maxkol Institute and will be at St. Joseph’s Conference Center, 507 N. Granada Ave., Alhambra. Freewill offering. (626) 289-0223.

* Vegetarianism, reincarnation, yoga and the empowerment of women are among the subjects of workshops to be held all day today and Sunday at a traveling scientific spiritual expo at the Sanatan Dharma Temple, 15311 Pioneer Blvd., Norwalk. Fire ceremonies, a baby-naming event and herbal healing camps will also be presented. Free. (818) 341-9170.

* The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization and the Los Angeles chapter of the United Nations Assn. of the U.S.A. will present a program titled “Participate in the Culture of Peace--L.A” from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Celebrity Centre International, 5930 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles. Free. (323) 933-2808.

* A summer camp sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles and designed for abused, neglected and abandoned children will be held tomorrow through Thursday at Big Bear. (213) 385-1341, Ext. 201.

* Introduction to Judaism courses lasting 18 weeks are being offered by the University of Judaism for Jews and non-Jews. Starting dates and locations vary. (310) 440-1273.

* The monthly meditative healing service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Leo Baeck Temple, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 476-2861.

* Sessions on centering prayer and a meditative walk will be held Tuesday through Dec. 14 at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino. Freewill offering. (818) 784-4515.

* The Alpha course on Christianity, which began in England and spread around the world, will be offered at 6 p.m. Sept. 15 at St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church, 2563 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta. Free. A free introductory banquet outlining the course for those considering enrollment will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 10. (818) 248-3639.

* Cardinal Roger M. Mahony will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 10 as part of the 50th anniversary observance of St. Genevieve Parish, Sept. 8-10, 14061 Roscoe Blvd., Panorama City. (818) 894-2261.

* Rosemead Buddhist Monastery is offering a group meditation session every Wednesday at 7 p.m., beginning Sept. 6, for those interested in learning the ancient Vipassana Buddhist meditation method. 7833 Emerson Place, Rosemead. Free. (626) 280-1213 or (626) 288-3946.

PEOPLE

Thomas and Violet Zapara of Laguna Beach, who in the past decade have donated more than $1.5 million to Seventh-day Adventist educators for excellence in teaching, were honored for their support by Seventh-day Adventist Church educators this month at a convention in Dallas.

MUSIC

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The Bais Miriam Performing Arts Conservatory for Orthodox Jewish girls will present four performances of “The Wonder of Wonders--A Night of Miracles” at 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Crossroads School Theater, 1714 21st St., Santa Monica. Performances will include the work of award-winning playwrights and adaptations of stories by Hanoch Teller, as well as music and entertainment focusing on miracles in life. $15. (818) 769-9102.

* The final presentation of the third annual “August Concerts on the Patio,” featuring the Buckaroo Balladeers and a blend of cowboy ballads and folk humor, will be presented at 7 p.m. Sunday by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 9440 Balboa Blvd., Northridge. Offering. (818) 886-1324.

* Evangelist, recording artist and former special investigator Gary Revel, who probed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday at Chatsworth Foursquare Church, 10210 Canoga Ave., Chatsworth. Free. (818) 342-2144.

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