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Research: United Methodist Clergy Age Trends

UM Elders Under 35

 

Elders - Those whose leadership in service includes preaching and teaching the Word of God, administration of the sacraments, ordering the Church for its mission and service, and administration of the Discipline of the Church are ordained as elders.  2004 Book of Discipline 303.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Click here to see the data tables used to create these charts.

 

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Levels of Elders Under 35 by Annual Conferences

=
5.00% or more elders under 35
=
3.00% - 4.99% elders under 35
=
2.99% or fewer elders under 35

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Presence of Elders Under 35 by Annual Conferences (Numeric Order)

CONFERENCE
2005 Elders Total
Age 29 and younger

Age
30 – 34
Total younger than 35
% younger than 35

Holston

335
9
26
35
10.45%
Arkansas
268
5
16
21
7.84%
Western North Carolina
711
21
32
53
7.45%
Alabama-West Florida
288
5
16
21
7.29%
Tennessee
209
3
12
15
7.18%
Mississippi
355
8
17
25
7.04%
North Georgia
613
8
35
43
7.01%
Northwest Texas
117
4
4
8
6.84%
Dakotas
151
4
6
10
6.62%
North Texas
257
1
16
17
6.61%
North Alabama
364
6
18
24
6.59%
Louisana
232
8
7
15
6.47%
Texas
441
2
24
26
5.90%
North Carolina
445
10
16
26
5.84%
Desert Southwest
138
3
5
8
5.80%
Detroit
318
2
16
18
5.66%
Oklahoma
322
4
14
18
5.59%
Central Pennsylvania
339
6
12
18
5.31%
Florida
533
6
22
28
5.25%
South Carolina
483
7
18
25
5.18%
South Georgia
290
0
15
15
5.17%
Western New York
136
3
4
7
5.15%
Central Texas
253
6
7
13
5.14%
Wisconsin
284
2
12
14
4.93%
Eastern Pennsylvania
331
5
11
16
4.83%
Virginia
669
9
23
32
4.78%
Oregon-Idaho
152
2
5
7
4.61%
West Ohio
659
2
27
29
4.40%
North Indiana
319
6
8
14
4.39%
Kentucky
281
0
12
12
4.27%
Rocky Mountain
235
3
7
10
4.26%
Western Pennsylvania
425
3
15
18
4.24%
Illinois Great Rivers
407
5
12
17
4.18%
Northern Illinois
341
4
10
14
4.11%
California-Pacific
407
2
14
16
3.93%
Missouri
342
1
11
12
3.51%
East Ohio
442
6
9
15
3.39%
Iowa
405
3
10
13
3.21%
Baltimore-Washington
472
4
11
15
3.18%
Wyoming
126
2
2
4
3.17%
California-Neveda
326
2
8
10
3.07%
Minnesota
261
5
3
8
3.07%
Memphis
201
1
5
6
2.99%
West Michigan
235
2
5
7
2.98%
South Indiana
303
2
7
9
2.97%
Kansas West
170
1
4
5
2.94%
Southwest Texas
250
1
6
7
2.80%
Greater New Jersey
405
4
7
11
2.72%
West Virginia
232
0
6
6
2.59%
Kansas East
167
0
4
4
2.40%
Nebraska
171
0
4
4
2.34%
Pacific Northwest
216
0
5
5
2.31%
New England
322
0
7
7
2.17%
New Mexico
107
1
1
2
1.87%
New York
329
0
6
6
1.82%
Yellowstone
57
1
0
1
1.75%
North Central New York
154
1
1
2
1.30%
Peninsula-Delaware
182
0
2
2
1.10%
Troy
110
0
1
1
0.91%
Rio Grande
34
0
0
0
0.00%
Alaska Missionary
1
0
0
0
0.00%
OK Indian Missionary
13
0
0
0
0.00%
TOTAL
18,141
211
639
850
4.69%

Click here to download an Excel Version of this table.

Presence of Elders Under 35 by Annual Conferences (Alphabetical Order)

CONFERENCE
2005 Elders Total
Age 29 and younger

Age
30 – 34
Total younger than 35
% younger than 35
Alabama-West Florida
288
5
16
21
7.29%
Alaska Missionary
1
0
0
0
0.00%
Arkansas
268
5
16
21
7.84%
Baltimore-Washington
472
4
11
15
3.18%
California-Neveda
326
2
8
10
3.07%
California-Pacific
407
2
14
16
3.93%
Central Pennsylvania
339
6
12
18
5.31%
Central Texas
253
6
7
13
5.14%
Dakotas
151
4
6
10
6.62%
Desert Southwest
138
3
5
8
5.80%
Detroit
318
2
16
18
5.66%
East Ohio
442
6
9
15
3.39%
Eastern Pennsylvania
331
5
11
16
4.83%
Florida
533
6
22
28
5.25%
Greater New Jersey
405
4
7
11
2.72%

Holston

335
9
26
35
10.45%
Illinois Great Rivers
407
5
12
17
4.18%
Iowa
405
3
10
13
3.21%
Kansas East
167
0
4
4
2.40%
Kansas West
170
1
4
5
2.94%
Kentucky
281
0
12
12
4.27%
Louisana
232
8
7
15
6.47%
Memphis
201
1
5
6
2.99%
Minnesota
261
5
3
8
3.07%
Mississippi
355
8
17
25
7.04%
Missouri
342
1
11
12
3.51%
Nebraska
171
0
4
4
2.34%
New England
322
0
7
7
2.17%
New Mexico
107
1
1
2
1.87%
New York
329
0
6
6
1.82%
North Alabama
364
6
18
24
6.59%
North Carolina
445
10
16
26
5.84%
North Central New York
154
1
1
2
1.30%
North Georgia
613
8
35
43
7.01%
North Indiana
319
6
8
14
4.39%
North Texas
257
1
16
17
6.61%
Northwest Texas
117
4
4
8
6.84%
Northern Illinois
341
4
10
14
4.11%
Oklahoma
322
4
14
18
5.59%
OK Indian Missionary
13
0
0
0
0.00%
Oregon-Idaho
152
2
5
7
4.61%
Pacific Northwest
216
0
5
5
2.31%
Peninsula-Delaware
182
0
2
2
1.10%
Rio Grande
34
0
0
0
0.00%
Rocky Mountain
235
3
7
10
4.26%
South Carolina
483
7
18
25
5.18%
South Georgia
290
0
15
15
5.17%
South Indiana
303
2
7
9
2.97%
Southwest Texas
250
1
6
7
2.80%
Tennessee
209
3
12
15
7.18%
Texas
441
2
24
26
5.90%
Troy
110
0
1
1
0.91%
Virginia
669
9
23
32
4.78%
West Michigan
235
2
5
7
2.98%
West Ohio
659
2
27
29
4.40%
West Virginia
232
0
6
6
2.59%
Western New York
136
3
4
7
5.15%
Western North Carolina
711
21
32
53
7.45%
Western Pennsylvania
425
3
15
18
4.24%
Wisconsin
284
2
12
14
4.93%
Wyoming
126
2
2
4
3.17%
Yellowstone
57
1
0
1
1.75%
TOTAL
18,141
211
639
850
4.69%

Click here to download an Excel Version of this table

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Median, Average, Mode Ages - Elders

Year
Median* Age
  
Year
Average Age
 
Year
Mode* Age
1985
48
1985
46.8
1985
54
1990
47
1990
47.5
1990
43
1995
48
1995
48.4
1995
48
2000
50
2000
49.5
2000
53
2005
52
2005
51.5
2005
58
*Median - half older, half youger *Mode - single age most represented

Gender Breakdown Within Age Cohorts - Elders

 
Under 35
35- 54
55 -70

Men

69%
75%
77%
Women
31%
25%
23%

Age and Gender Breakdowns - Elders

Women
Under 35

1.54%
Women
35 - 54
13.67%
Women
55 - 70
9.37%
Men
Under 35
3.46%
Men
35 - 54
40.12%
Men
55 - 70
31.83%

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Comparisons of Elders under 35 with Membership, Churches, and Charges

Change in Ratio of Elders under 35 to Membership
Year
Membership
Elders under 35
Ratio
1985
9,301,863
3,219
1:2,900
1990
8,872,370
2,385
1:3,700
1995
8,611,021
1,312
1:6,600
2000
8,356,816
906
1:9,200
2005
8,074,697
850
1:9,500
Change in Ratio of Elders under 35 to Number of Churches
Year
Churches
Elders under 35
Ratio
1985
37,988
3,219
1:12
1990
37,407
2,385
116
1995
36,559
1,312
1:28
2000
35,609
906
1:39
2005
34,892
850
1:41
Change in Ratio of Elders under 35 to Number of Pastoral Charges
Year
Charges
Elders under 35
Ratio
1985
25,727
3,219
1:8
1990
25,880
2,385
1:11
1995
25,934
1,312
1:20
2000
26,201
906
1:29
2005
26,307
850
1:31

 

Comparisons of Elders under 35 with U.S. Population Ages 25-34

Change in Ratio of Elders under 35 to Population 25-34
Year
Population 25-34
Elders under 35
Ratio
1985
42,027,000
3,219
1:13,000
1990
43,161,000
2,385
1:18,000
1995
40,730,000
1,312
1:31,000
2000
39,891,000
906
1:44,000
2005
39,600,000
850
1:47,000
Ratio of Elders under 35 to Population 25-34 by Jurisdictions (2005)
Jurisdiction
Population 25-34
Elders under 35
Ratio
North Central
7,311,000
168
1:44,000
Northeastern
8,148,000
113
1:72,000
South Central
6,339,000
152
1:42,000
Southeastern
8,721,000
360
1:24,000
Western
9,514,000
57
1:167,000
Total
40,033,000
850
1:47,000
Percentage of Elders under 35 Compared to Population 25-34 by Jurisdictions (2005)
Jurisdiction
% Population 25-34
% Elders under 35
North Central
18%
20%
Northeastern
20%
13%
South Central
16%
18%
Southeastern
22%
42%
Western
24%
7%

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These graphs and tables are prepared by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary from data provided by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church of "active participants." Active participant means that the person is active in clergy service, therefore excluding statuses such as retired, sabbatical, leave of absence, maternity leave, disability, or administrative location. Those who have been comissioned on the elder track but not yet ordained are included.