Cathedral of Hope

What Cathedral of Hope does

Cathedral of Hope is a progressive Christian congregation in Dallas, Texas, founded in 1970 and currently affiliated with the United Church of Christ. It serves approximately 4,500 members, with a primary outreach to LGBTQIA+ individuals, and self-identifies as the largest Open and Affirming congregation in the world. The church operates four weekly worship services (8:30am and 10am Traditional, 11:45am Contemporary, and 1:30pm Spanish-language), supplemented by live and on-demand streaming via BoxCast and YouTube, an ASL-interpreted service, and a weekday "Words of Hope" devotional podcast distributed across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and BuzzSprout.

The church's digital infrastructure is built on the Realm community management platform (with mobile Connect App), the Sources of Hope Shopify store, the FreeWill planned-giving platform, and Google Analytics. Content extends beyond the main campus through the 2021 acquisition of Believe Out Loud, a global digital community originally founded in 2007 as the Religious Voices Project that supports LGBTQIA+ people of faith. Community programs include Life Groups, Social Groups, Service Groups, and Advocacy Groups, plus youth and children's ministries, Hope Day School (early education on campus), and a Spanish-language ministry (La Catedral de la Esperanza).

Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary donations: tithes and offerings (including online, text-to-give, auto-giving, and Realm-integrated giving), estate and planned giving (via FreeWill), special event fundraising, commemorative brick sales, and the Partners of Hope business membership program (five tiers ranging from $150 to $1,500 annually). The 11-50 employee organization is led by Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Neil G. Thomas, with Rev. Dr. Andria M. Davis as Executive Pastor of Digital Experience and a dedicated COO overseeing operations. Benevolence programming is substantial, with food rescue operations distributing over 1.29 million pounds of food in 2024.

Name

Cathedral of Hope

Legal name

Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ

Website

https://cathedralofhope.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cathedral of Hope is a Dallas-based progressive Christian church affiliated with the United Church of Christ, serving approximately 4,500 members with a primary outreach to the LGBTQIA+ community. It operates four weekly worship services, a global digital ministry via the Believe Out Loud platform, and community programs supported by voluntary donations and a business partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Progressive Christian church
• LGBTQ affirming ministry
• Inclusive worship services
• Religious community programs
• Benevolence and outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary financial contributions from congregants during worship services and through online giving platforms. Members pledge annual financial commitments and make one-time or recurring donations.
2. Text-to-Give: Mobile giving through text message, allowing congregants to donate by sending text messages with donation amounts
3. Estate/Planned Giving: Deferred giving vehicles including bequests, charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities, and pooled income funds through United Church Funds
4. Special Event Fundraising: Annual anniversary celebrations, anniversary dinners, and specific project fundraising (e.g., driveway construction, benevolence ministries)
5. Partners of Hope Business Program: Annual membership fees from business partners at various tiers ($150-$1,500 annually) who receive directory listings, marketing exposure, and networking opportunities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cathedral of Hope is a progressive Christian church (United Church of Christ) that delivers inclusive in-person and online worship services, faith formation programs, small group ministries, youth and family programming, and community benevolence services, with a primary outreach to LGBTQIA+ individuals. The church funds its operations through voluntary tithes, donations, online giving, estate/planned gifts, and a tiered business partner sponsorship program.

Product overview

Cathedral of Hope operates as a multi-service progressive church offering in-person and online worship, with four weekly services in English (Traditional at 8:30am and 10am, Contemporary at 11:45am) and Spanish (1:30pm). The church runs an integrated digital ecosystem comprising the Realm community platform, Words of Hope podcast, and online giving system. Additional programs include small groups (Life Groups), youth and children's ministries, benevolence programs (BACH, iCARE, Taste of Hope, Hope GYFTS food rescue), the Partners of Hope business alliance, and commemorative brick sales. In 2021, the church acquired Believe Out Loud, a digital LGBTQIA faith community originally founded in 2007.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 58,000+ meals distributed to those experiencing food insecurity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Believe Out LoudcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2021Cathedral of Hope acquired Believe Out Loud, a global digital community supporting LGBTQIA individuals of faith and allies. Originally founded as the Religious Voices Project in 2007 to assess clergy views on LGBT issues, it has become an inclusive online platform. It was integrated as a church program to promote inclusive religious messaging and expand the church's digital ministry reach.
• Hope Day SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHope Day School operates on Cathedral of Hope's campus, offering high-quality early education for children 6 weeks to 5 years old. It is a separate organization that enhances the church's family ministry offerings.
• Black Tie DinnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCathedral of Hope is a beneficiary of the Black Tie Dinner, an annual fundraising event for LGBTQ organizations in Dallas.
• Resource Center DallasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization serving LGBTQIA+ communities in Dallas. Listed as a community partner on Cathedral of Hope's website.
• Partners of Hope Business MembersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness and professional partners who pay annual membership fees ($150-$1,500) to be part of the Partners of Hope program, receiving directory listings, marketing exposure, and networking opportunities. Commits to fostering inclusion, acting with integrity, serving with excellence, strengthening community, and advancing hope.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hope Metropolitan Community Church: One of the largest LGBTQ+ affirming congregations in the country, based in Fort Lauderdale. Directly comparable to Cathedral of Hope in mission focus (LGBTQ+ Christians), congregational scale, progressive theological positioning, and historical affiliation with the Metropolitan Community Churches denomination.
• Sunshine Cathedral: LGBTQ+ affirming congregation in Fort Lauderdale, FL with a similar combination of progressive Christian theology, large congregational scale, and community programming. Comparable along mission, denomination-adjacent identity, and reliance on community-led outreach.
• Founders Metropolitan Community Church: Large LGBTQ+ affirming church in Los Angeles where Rev. Dr. Neil G. Thomas previously served as Senior Pastor. Directly comparable in mission, denominational lineage (MCC), congregational scale, and progressive worship programming.
• Gentle Spirit Christian Church: Open and affirming Christian church in Atlanta serving LGBTQIA+ community. Similar mission focus, progressive theological positioning, and community-led model, though smaller in scale than Cathedral of Hope.
• East Lake MCC: Metropolitan Community Church congregation in Atlanta focused on LGBTQ+ affirming ministry. Directly comparable in theological positioning, MCC denominational heritage, and community-centered programming.
• Believe Out Loud: Global digital community supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals of faith, originally founded in 2007 as the Religious Voices Project and now wholly owned by Cathedral of Hope since 2021. Comparable in mission focus and content distribution, though delivered as a digital platform rather than a physical congregation.

Broad incumbents

• United Church of Christ: Cathedral of Hope's parent denomination, a progressive mainline Protestant body. Comparable in theological tradition (Open and Affirming movement), but operates at a national scale across thousands of congregations rather than as a single community.
• Metropolitan Community Churches: The global LGBTQ+ affirming denomination where Cathedral of Hope held membership before joining the UCC. Operates worldwide as a denomination rather than a single congregation, but directly comparable in mission focus and theological tradition.

Emerging players

• Church of the Beatitudes UCC: Progressive United Church of Christ congregation in Phoenix where Rev. Dr. Andria Davis previously served as Acting Senior Minister. Comparable in progressive UCC identity, Open and Affirming stance, and contemporary worship programming, though smaller in scale.

Regional players

• St. Andrew's Episcopal Church: Large progressive Episcopal congregation in a major U.S. metro providing inclusive worship programming. Comparable in faith-based community scale and progressive theological positioning, though Episcopal rather than UCC/MCC tradition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CathedralofHope
• Facebookfacebook.com/lacatedraldelaesperanza
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cathedral-of-hope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cathedral of Hope