The Church Pension Group has upgraded its database to allow for the collection of more demographic data to track clergy trends in compensation and deployment across race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation, under the banner, Be Part of the Picture.
The Church Pension Group announced:
In support of The Episcopal Church’s initiative, Becoming Beloved Community, and in response to resolutions passed by the 79th General Convention, the Church Pension Group (CPG), as the Recorder of Ordinations, will begin to collect data on race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation from all clergy. The data will be used to assist the Church in understanding how different groups are treated in terms of deployment and compensation, as well as in Episcopal elections.
The CPG announcement stresses that:
The newly requested data will only be used for analysis and reported in aggregate form. We will not publish the data or use it to administer benefits, nor will we print any of it in the Episcopal Clerical Directory.
Their website adds:
Today’s Episcopal Church is very different from the Church of even a few years ago, and it continues to evolve in exciting ways.
Documenting the changing demographic make-up of our clergy will provide a better understanding of the changing nature of the community by identifying trends in deployment, and compensation, as well as in Episcopal elections.
Ultimately, this will help in the Church’s initiative to create a more just, equitable, and diverse Church.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is quoted in support of Be Part of the Picture, saying,
This gives us a snapshot of who we are. This really can help us along journey to truly becoming God’s Beloved Community.
Clergy wishing to participate in the data collection program can find more information, instructions, and log-in at the CPG portal.
Featured image: CPG, Be Part of the Picture