Administer

Complete the surveys at your church using your Survey Kit

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During the Survey

ADMINISTER THE SURVEY WELL

Organise and complete the surveys, ensuring you include everyone.

Each participating church will receive a Survey Kit including a range of surveys, along with a Guide for the person coordinating the survey at the church and Instructions for completing them.

How to coordinate the 2026 NCLS at your church

Church Activities Survey

Church Activities Survey: to be completed by one leader or administrator in August.

 

 

 

  • Your church will receive the Church Activities Survey as an initial item sent for completion during August.  
  • Instructions for the Church Activities Survey- Coming soon.

Church Life Surveys for Attenders

To begin... Check - have you decided WHEN and HOW you're going to complete your surveys?

The timeline allows churches to select the best date(s) to complete surveys.

For the Church Life Survey (Attenders and Leaders) your church can decide the best time to best run the survey at your church.

We recommend setting aside 20 minutes during an activity of spiritual nurture for attenders to complete the Attender Survey.

How is your church gathering? Face to face or online?

Depending on your church's circumstances, suggestions are offered in the Guide on how to best run the survey at your church. 

Survey options include paper and online surveys that can be adapted to various modes of gathering.

 

 

 

 

Complete Attender Surveys and Child Surveys from September to October 2026

  • Attender Surveys to be completed by Adult Attenders and Child Attenders (if ordered) during a worship service or activity of spiritual nurture, at any time that suits your church in September or October.
  • Instructions - Coming soon.

Complete the Leader Surveys from September to October 2026

  • Leader Surveys to be completed by people in ministry/pastoral leadership roles (leaders, ordained and lay), from September to October. 
  • Instructions  - Coming soon.

 

Resources: This webpage will be updated with Survey Kit items and further resources in coming months. Watch this space!

 

Updates for Participating Churches will be sent to your church

Once your church signs up, you will also receive Participating Church Updates via regular emails throughout the survey period, with relevant instructions, tips and resources for each phase of the project.

Survey Kit

Information coming soon

A Survey Kit will be sent to your church by September for completion of the Attender Surveys and Leader Surveys

A full list of survey materials contained in your Survey Kit, including types of surveys and online survey options will be available soon.

Read the Church Survey Coordinator's Guide for guidance on how to complete the 2026 NCLS surveys at your church. The Guide included in your Survey Kit is labelled with the NCLS Church Code(s) for your church.

 

Survey Coordinator's Guide

The Survey Coordinator's Guide will have all you need to know to complete the 2026 NCLS Attender Surveys at your church. A sample Guide will be available soon.

Checklist of key tasks in your chosen Survey period

 

Church Activities Survey (during August 2026):

 

Before the Survey:

1. Each church may nominate an administrator or leader to complete the survey. Your church will receive the Church Activities in an initial mailing - provide this to your chosen leader or administrator.

Completing the Survey: during August 2026

2. Complete the Church Activities Survey on paper or online anytime during August.

After the Survey: 2 weeks after completion of surveys

3. Post completed survey back to NCLS Research or submit online. 

 

Attender Survey and Leader Survey (from September to October 2026):

 

Before the Survey:

1. Each church may nominate a person to coordinate the survey. When you receive your Survey Kit, check over the contents, reading the Guide for Church Survey Coordinators.

2. Remind your church of the date(s) that the Attender survey will be held during a worship service or activity. Invite attenders to bring along their smart device if they would like to complete the Attender Survey or Child Survey online during church.

3. If your church ordered Child Surveys (optional), provide Parent Information Sheets to parents and carers before the survey. 

 

Completing the Survey: from September to October 2026

3. Circulate Site Instructions for the Attender Survey showing your NCLS Church Code, along with Attender Survey forms and Collection Envelopes to leaders of each worship service, Mass and/or activity where you are completing the Attender Survey. (Multi site churches need to distribute materials to each church location or site.)

4. If your church ordered Child Surveys, circulate Child Survey Instructions showing your NCLS Church Code, Child Surveys and Collection Envelopes to leaders of each worship service, Mass or activity where you are completing the Child Survey. Ensure parents and carers have received the Parent Information Sheet prior to completion. (Multi site churches need to distribute materials to each church location or site.)

6. Complete Leader Surveys (senior leader plus leadership team, elders etc.) at any time during September or October.

7. Collect completed Attender Surveys and Child Surveys in Collection Envelopes and completed Reply Slips back from each worship service and group. The Survey Returns Coversheet should be completed for each location and included with their completed surveys.

8. Collect all other completed paper surveys (e.g. completed Leader Surveys in Confidential Collection Envelopes) or ask leaders post their survey direct to NCLS Research.

9. If your church completed any surveys online, track completion rates of surveys online. Remind participants to complete their survey.

 

After the Survey: 2 weeks after completion of surveys

10. As you gather all completed survey items, ensure that the Survey Returns Coversheet has been completed to ensure all items are included. (Multi site churches will need to complete a Coversheet for every location or site returning surveys).

11. Place all completed survey items and the Coversheets in the post pack or box.

12. Post back to NCLS Research. Thank you for covering return postage.