St. Johns Lutheran Church

What St. Johns Lutheran Church does

St. Johns Lutheran Church is a Christian congregation founded in 1787 in Shiremanstown, Pennsylvania, currently affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lower Susquehanna Synod. The organization operates as a religious nonprofit governed by an 11-member Church Council headed by Lead Pastor Sarah Keilholtz (called June 2020) and Associate Pastor Elizabeth Eckman. It serves the Cumberland Valley and Greater Harrisburg area through weekly worship services (Saturday 6pm; Sunday 9am Sept-May / 10am June-Aug), Christian education across the full age spectrum (Sunday School, three-year Confirmation program starting in 7th grade, Vacation Bible School), children's and youth ministries (K-12), diverse music programs (adult choir, contemporary band Faith Reigns, bell choir, children's choirs), and social ministry initiatives that include a Little Free Pantry and Wednesday community meals.

The church operates two adjacent subsidiaries: St. John's Cemetery (founded 1793 in Mechanicsburg, PA), which sells individual plots ($1,100), full burial interment ($1,300), and cremation burial interment ($900) to both members and non-members; and The Children's Garden Preschool, a wholly-owned early-childhood education program run on church property. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: voluntary tithes and offerings (one-time and recurring contributions collected via the Vanco Services electronic giving platform with automatic withdrawals), cemetery plot sales and interment services, and facility rentals for weddings and events at quote-based pricing. The customer base comprises congregation members, families with children in the educational programs, cemetery plot purchasers across the Greater Harrisburg Area, and community recipients of social ministry programs.

The technology stack is deliberately lean and entirely off-the-shelf: a WordPress website (stjohns1787.org), Vanco Services for electronic giving, Constant Contact for email newsletters, SignUpGenius for volunteer coordination, Google Forms for contact intake, Google Maps for directions, CTRN Member Directory, and Facebook and YouTube (channel: stjohns1787) for community engagement and worship video. The organization holds no patents or proprietary technology assets, has made no disclosed AI/ML investments, and operates without venture capital, private equity, or external ownership structures. It is led by approximately seven to eight paid staff positions alongside volunteer council members.

Name

St. Johns Lutheran Church

Legal name

St. Johns Lutheran Church

Website

https://stjohns1787.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1787

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Johns Lutheran Church is a 1787-founded ELCA congregation in Shiremanstown, PA offering weekly worship, Christian education for all ages, youth ministries, and social ministry outreach, with adjacent cemetery and preschool operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Childcare Centers (EDACAAAN)

Keywords

• Worship services
• Religious education
• Cemetery services
• Community outreach
• Youth ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlisle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Traditional church donations collected during worship services and through electronic giving. Donors can set up recurring contributions or one-time gifts through Vanco Services platform. Automatic withdrawals provide consistent income stream for church operations.
2. Cemetery Services: Revenue from cemetery plot sales and burial interment services at St. John's Cemetery in Mechanicsburg, PA. Individual plots, full burial, and cremation burial options available.
3. Facility Rentals: Church facility rental for weddings and events. The property includes sanctuary, parlor, library, and social hall with kitchen available for community use.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

St. John's Lutheran Church provides weekly Christian worship services combined with life-long faith education for all ages, plus ancillary community services. Core offerings include Saturday evening and Sunday morning worship with Holy Communion, Sunday School, a three-year Confirmation program (grades 7–10), children's ministry (K–5), youth ministry (6–12), Vacation Bible School, music ministries, and pastoral care. The church also operates St. John's Cemetery, The Children's Garden Preschool, a Little Free Pantry for neighbors facing food insecurity, and Social Ministry partnerships.

Product overview

St. Johns Lutheran Church offers a unified portfolio of faith-based products and services centered around its core worship ministry. The church's main offerings include weekly worship services (Saturday 6pm, Sunday 9am/10am) with Holy Communion, combined with educational programs such as Sunday School, Confirmation (3-year program for grades 7-10), Children's Ministry (K-5th grade), and Youth Ministry (6th-12th grade). Seasonal programs include Vacation Bible School and Word of Life Wednesdays community meals. Ancillary services include St. John's Cemetery (founded 1793) with burial options, The Children's Garden Preschool, a Little Free Pantry for community food assistance, and Social Ministry programs supporting regional charitable organizations. Online giving is facilitated through Vanco Services. The church also offers music ministries including adult choir, bell choir, contemporary band (Faith Reigns), and children's choirs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Central PA Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial ministry partner. Church supports food bank initiatives to address food insecurity in the community through donations and volunteer efforts.
• New Hope MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity service partner supporting families and individuals in need through various assistance programs.
• Christian Churches UnitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcumenical partnership joining with other churches in the area for coordinated community service and outreach.
• Church World ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian organization. Church participates in refugee resettlement and disaster relief efforts.
• Compassion InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild sponsorship organization. Church supports children through this global Christian humanitarian organization.
• YWCA - Race against RacismminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual race event focused on learning about racial and social justice issues affecting the community.
• The Children's Garden PreschoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreschool ministry operated through a Google Sites platform. Church partners with the preschool for Vacation Bible School and Word of Life Wednesday community meals. Located on church property.
• Vanco ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing service for online church donations. Provides secure, inexpensive electronic giving platform for tithes and offerings.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): The denominational body that St. John's is affiliated with through the Lower Susquehanna Synod. Directly comparable as the umbrella organization governing theological framework, resource support, and broader network for the subject congregation.
• Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS): The largest other Lutheran denomination in the United States, operating parallel congregations across the country. Comparable as a Lutheran body with similar worship, education, and community-outreach programs serving overlapping demographic segments.

Others

• The Salvation Army USA: Faith-based nonprofit with similar community-service programs (food pantries, social services) and a comparable blended-worship-plus-outreach model. Comparable in operating a parish-style local presence with tithes-style funding and community engagement programming.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Faith-affiliated nonprofit combining religious mission with community service delivery. Comparable in how it channels donations toward community programs and partners with local congregations for volunteer-driven ministry.
• Compassion International: St. John's is an active partner, supporting child sponsorship through this organization. Comparable as a faith-based organization running community/child welfare programs funded by donor contributions from church congregations.
• Church World Service: St. John's participates in this organization's refugee resettlement and disaster relief efforts. Comparable as a faith-based humanitarian organization that local congregations channel volunteer and donation support through.
• YMCA of the USA: Community-rooted organization with faith-based origins, operating local branches with programming analogous to a congregation's youth, education, and community-outreach programs. Comparable in delivering mission-driven community services funded by member/donor contributions.
• Catholic Charities USA: Faith-based nonprofit network delivering social services (food, shelter, counseling) comparable to St. John's social-ministry partnerships. Operates with a parish-style local presence funded by donations and congregational support.
• United Lutheran Seminary: The seminary where St. John's Lead Pastor and Associate Pastor received their theological training. Comparable as the educational formation institution that supplies clergy and supports faith formation programs central to Lutheran congregational life.

Direct peers

• St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Camp Hill, PA: A nearby ELCA Lutheran congregation in the same Cumberland Valley / Greater Harrisburg market, offering comparable worship, Christian education, and community ministry programs. The closest direct peer given shared denomination, geography, and program portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/stjohns1787
• Facebookfacebook.com/stjohns1787
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-johns-lutheran-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 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 St. Johns Lutheran Church