Timeline

Spring 2020

  • Research design adjusted from in-person to digital ethnography
  • Identified diverse sample of 23 thriving congregations for Phase 1 research
  • Consulted with PTS grant leaders researching congregations
  • Hired team of 13 student researchers
Spring 2020

Summer - Fall 2020

  • Researchers trained in digital ethnography
  • Researchers completed digital fieldwork, memos and coding of congregational events, meetings, interviews, and focus groups
Summer - Fall 2020

Winter 2021

  • “Portraits” written and finalized for each congregation
  • 12 of the 23 congregations invited to participate in Phase 2 research
  • Student research team reconfigured to 5 lead researchers
  • Phase 2 research design planned
Winter 2021

Spring 2021

  • Analysis of Phase 1 data coding began
  • Integrative memo analysis and final data reports completed from Phase 1
  • Design thinking model studied for rollout with Phase 2 congregations
Spring 2021

Summer 2021

  • Virtual Initial Gathering of Phase 2 Cohort of 12 congregations held early June
  • Virtual Phase 2 Cohort Pitch Party – each congregational team pitched their project idea late August
Summer 2021

Fall 2021

  • Congregations started projects with their grant seed money
  • Testing hypotheses of initial interpretations of fieldwork data began
  • Quantitative data analysis began
  • Researchers checked in with congregations on progress of projects
  • Phase 2 data analysis wrapped up
  • Consulted with PTS grant leaders researching congregations
Fall 2021

Winter 2022

  • Congregations completed their project and submitted write-up and actual budget
  • Exit interviews conducted virtually with each congregational team
Winter 2022

Spring 2022

  • Virtual celebration planned with the 12 Phase 2 Congregations     
Spring 2022

Fall 2022

  • Invited diverse local congregations to apply for the 2023 cohort
Fall 2022

Spring 2023

  • Grant-led PTS course, “Pastor as Ethnographer, Coach, and Spiritual Leader.” Students will study 5 local diverse congregations and conduct ethnographic research.
Spring 2023

What's Next

  • Research analysis
  • Sharing of knowledge
  • Symposium on campus
What's Next
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