At GCSRW, one of our key focuses is the ministry of monitoring. You might have seen our reports during your conference sessions or on social media. But have you ever wondered what defines a young adult versus an adult? Or if local pastors are included under the clergy category?
We’re here to clarify some of the identifiers we use, based on the guidelines provided by the General Council on Finance and Administration. Keep in mind, our reports rely heavily on accurate data. If individuals don’t self-report, our monitoring team may assign them a category by default. Monitoring these demographics is crucial for us to remain self-aware and to work towards becoming The United Methodist Church we aspire to be.
Here are the categories we use:
Gender:
- Female
- Male
- Non-binary
Race/Ethnicity:
- Asian
- Black
- Hispanic/Latinx
- Native American
- Pacific Islander
- White
- Multiracial
Age:
- Youth: under 17
- Young Adult: 17-28
- Adult: 29-64
- Older Adult: 65+
Disability:
- Yes
- No
Status:
- Clergy (Elders, Deacons, Provisional Members, Local Pastors)
- Laity
Use this guide to better understand our monitoring reports, which you can find on our Women by the Numbers page.
The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women advocates for full participation of women in the total life of The United Methodist Church. GCSRW helps the church recognize every person – clergy and lay, women and men, adults and children – as full and equal parts of God’s human family. They believe that a fully engaged and empowered membership is vital to The United Methodist Church’s mission "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”