Practical Resources for Churches

What Practical Resources for Churches does

Practical Resources for Churches (PRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-denominational nonprofit founded in 1985 and headquartered in West Islip, New York, with a secondary office in Mt. Sinai, NY. The organization provides practical consulting, curriculum, and programming support to churches of all sizes, with a primary service concentration on Long Island and extended reach nationally through online delivery. Its core product is the Connections 52-week curriculum, available in both Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and Narrative Lectionary (NL) cycles, built from three interlocking components: Into The Prayground (children's engagement during worship), Snapshots (multigenerational activity centers), and Visio Divina (image-based scripture engagement). The Holy Moments sub-brand, operated under the Cultivate Faith initiative launched in 2024, extends the portfolio into seasonal family faith formation resources including parent book clubs, family gatherings, bedtime stories, and Lent/Easter content. Supporting services include one-on-one consulting (covering finance, technology, children's ministry, worship, stewardship, and administration), Zoom-based learning cohorts (Children's Ministry, Teacher Training, and Beyond the Pew), customized workshops, and a recurring webinar program coordinated by a dedicated Webinar Coordinator.

PRC generates revenue through three streams: recurring membership subscriptions priced at $75 (individual) to $300 (congregational) annually, tier-priced product subscriptions such as Holy Moments at $160–$480 based on congregation size, and one-time curriculum/printable product sales priced from $5 to $120 through a direct e-commerce shop at prcli.org. Membership provides access to consulting, downloadable resources, workshop participation, discounts on physical materials, and a physical resource borrowing library. The technology footprint is modest: a content management system for the online resource center, Zoom for virtual cohorts and consultations, a WordPress/WooCommerce-style e-commerce stack, and downloadable PDFs. There are no disclosed APIs, integrations, mobile applications, or AI/ML capabilities. Marketing operates through content (blog/book reviews), email newsletters, organic social (Facebook, X), webinars, and cohort programming, with no paid acquisition or enterprise sales motion evident.

The leadership team is small (approximately 6–7 named consultants and staff) and long-tenured; Executive Director Charlaine Apsel has held her role for 25 years, and several consultants (Elizabeth Christie, Debbie Kolacki, Karen Smith) similarly bring decades of ministry experience. The organization has no parent company, no external investment, no disclosed subsidiaries, and no public revenue filings.

Name

Practical Resources for Churches

Legal name

Practical Resources for Churches

Website

https://prcli.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Practical Resources for Churches is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 that provides consulting, curricula, learning cohorts, and workshops to churches, primarily on Long Island and nationally online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Church Consulting & Religious Education Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAD

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYMPAJAHAC

Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Religious & Spiritual Publishing

SECONDARYBPAGAJAE

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Church consulting services
• Faith formation curriculum
• Children's ministry resources
• Church administration support
• Worship planning resources

Headquarters

HQ city

West Islip

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual congregational and individual memberships providing access to consultants, hundreds of resources, free or discounted events, and workshop participation.
2. Product Sales: Sale of curriculum resources including Connections, Holy Moments, Visio Divina, and other faith formation materials. Products are sold individually or as bundles through their e-commerce shop.
3. Consulting Services: One-on-one consulting sessions with expert consultants in various areas of church work including finances, technology, children's ministry, and worship planning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PRC provides faith formation curriculum (Connections, Holy Moments, Visio Divina), one-on-one consulting, learning cohorts, customized workshops, webinars, and physical/digital resource lending to churches and church leaders. Offerings are sold via annual memberships, individual product purchases, and paid consulting engagements to support church administration, children's ministry, worship planning, financial stewardship, and technology adoption.

Product overview

Practical Resources for Churches (PRC) is a nonprofit organization providing a comprehensive ecosystem of church ministry support services since 1985. Their core product portfolio centers on the Connections 52-week curriculum (with RCL and NL versions), supported by its three components: Into The Prayground, Snapshots, and Visio Divina. The Holy Moments sub-brand offers seasonal family faith formation resources including parent book clubs, family gatherings, bedtime blessings, and mission projects. Beyond curriculum, they provide membership-based access to consulting services, Zoom-based learning cohorts (Children's Ministry and Teacher Training), customized workshops, webinars, and one-on-one coaching through their Children's Ministry Launchpad and Lab services. Products are delivered as downloadable digital resources and are priced for various congregation sizes. The organization operates a physical and digital resource center with offices in West Islip and Mt. Sinai, NY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cultivate Faith: Innovative ministry designed to empower congregations in nurturing the spiritual growth of families and individuals across all ages through curriculum resources, coaching, and collaborative cohorts.

Products and services

• Connections Curriculum A 52-week lectionary-based curriculum following both the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and Narrative Lectionary (NL) cycles, designed for congregations with unpredictable attendance and limited leadership. Sold to congregations and individual churches through the PRC e-commerce shop.
• Holy Moments Seasonal family faith formation resource line released each liturgical season, including parent book clubs, family mission projects, family gatherings, scavenger hunts, table topic cubes, Numbering Our Days, bedtime stories, bedtime blessings, and prayer care packages. Priced annually by congregation size ($160-$480).
• Children's Ministry Lab Zoom-based children's ministry program following the Revised Common Lectionary, providing faith formation for children and teacher training. Ideal for churches without enough teachers or children for their own Sunday School.
• Children's Ministry Launchpad One-on-one coaching package with three one-hour sessions covering vision building, curriculum design, and operational aspects (communication, scheduling, safe church policies, supply closet). Delivered by children's ministry consultants.
• Annual Membership Annual membership subscriptions including Congregational Membership ($200-$300/year), Individual Membership ($75/year), and Children's Ministry Cohort memberships ($75-$150/year). Benefits include consulting, workshops, e-store discounts, physical resource borrowing, cohort participation, and QuickBooks support.
• Learning Cohorts Zoom-based cohort learning programs including the Children's Ministry Cohort (twice monthly meetings for a year) and Teacher Training Cohort (four monthly meetings focused on teacher training and educational ministry techniques). Available as team or individual memberships.
• One-on-One Consulting One-on-one consulting with expert consultants covering church administration, children's ministry, family faith at home, worship, financial stewardship, accounting, adult ministry, technology, and judicatory membership. Delivered via phone, email, Zoom, in person, or text.
• Customized Workshops Customized workshops for member churches including three hours of onsite (local) or online workshops or meetings, including retreats or custom topics. Can be broken into three one-hour sessions.
• Webinars Free and member-exclusive webinars featuring expert presenters balancing inspiration with practical tips to help churches innovate and meet changing ministry landscapes.
• Connecting (Take Home Pages) Take-home resources for families including direct links to RCL readings, Picture This sections, Practice This spiritual practices, and Pray This weekly prayers. Available in flyer and social media formats.
• Pew Basket Resources Monthly pew basket materials including Plus Plus Psalms, Poppit Bible Searches, Tangram Psalms, Hymn Sleuths, Spot It games, and Plus Plus People activities designed for children to engage with scripture during worship.
• Family Ministry Resources Family ministry products including Play Complete Bundles (priced by congregation size), Kindle Complete Bundles (for Advent), Family Care Packages, Bedtime Stories and Prayers, Parent Book Clubs, Family Gatherings, Numbering Our Days, Bedtime Blessings, Mission Projects, Table Topic Cubes, and Family Scavenger Hunts.
• 40 Hours Together Lent-themed resources including Table Topic Cubes, Lunchbox Notes, Sketchy Lent Plans, and prayer resources for family engagement during the Lenten season.

Quantifiable outcome

• Keep staff costs low by using PRC consultants as adjunct staff
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• David C Cook: Multi-denominational curriculum, worship, and church leadership publisher (including Echo the Story and Deep Blue). Overlaps with PRC's lectionary curriculum and intergenerational resources.
• Group Publishing: Large Sunday school and children's ministry curriculum publisher with cohorts, VBS, and digital resources for churches — directly comparable to PRC's Children's Ministry Cohort, Connections, and Holy Moments product lines.
• Sparkhouse: Augsburg Fortress's church curriculum arm providing Spark, Whirl, and Sunday school programs for mainline Protestant churches — the closest direct competitor in PRC's lectionary/RCL space.
• Vibrant Faith: Faith formation and church engagement organization offering coaching, cohorts, and resources for congregations — directly parallels PRC's cohort and consulting model.

Broad incumbents

• Abingdon Press: United Methodist Publishing House's trade and church resource division; produces adult curriculum, worship resources, and church leadership content serving a similar mainline audience to PRC.
• Concordia Publishing House: LCMS-affiliated publisher of Sunday school, VBS, and family ministry resources; comparable scope to PRC but denominational rather than non-denominational.
• Church Publishing Incorporated (CPI): Official publisher of the Episcopal Church producing worship, formation, and leadership resources serving the same general ecclesiastical ecosystem as PRC.
• The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH / Upper Room): UM-affiliated publisher and ministry resources including the Upper Room daily devotional — provides adult formation and curriculum comparable in audience to PRC.

Regional players

• Christian Reformed Church (Faith Formation / Walk Together): Denominational curriculum and faith formation publisher serving Reformed congregations — comparable in product structure but distribution-restricted to a specific tradition.

Emerging players

• Logos Bible Software: Digital Bible study and ministry prep platform with original-language tools and preaching content; an emerging adjacent resource used by the same church leader persona PRC's consultants serve.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/PR4Churches
• Facebookfacebook.com/practicalresourcesforchurches
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/parish-resource-for-churches

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Practical Resources for Churches