First Church of Christ

What First Church of Christ does

First Church of Christ in Wethersfield is an independent, congregational Protestant church headquartered at 250 Main Street, Wethersfield, Connecticut, operating from a historic campus that includes a 1761 Georgian brick Meetinghouse with an iconic ~170-foot steeple, Keith Jones Hall, the Morgan House, and the Marsh Building. Founded in 1635 as one of America's earliest Puritan congregations, it currently sustains a continuous ministry across worship, education, fellowship, and missions. Worship is delivered through three recurring formats — a Traditional 9:00 AM service in the Meetinghouse led by the First Church Choir, a 10:30 AM Contemporary service in Keith Jones Hall led by the Contemporary Worship Band, and a monthly 10:00 AM Combined service featuring blended worship and Communion — and is also streamed via a dedicated YouTube channel for remote attendees.

The church's product surface extends well beyond worship. It operates the First Church Preschool, a Christian early-childhood program for ages 3-5 using the Creative Curriculum (a play-based framework) with Bible integration, including 3-day, 4-day, 5-day, and All-Day Learning class options plus a Lunch Bunch extended-care add-on at $12/day. Age-segmented ministries cover the full life stage: Children's Ministry (birth through 5th grade, including Vacation Bible Camp), Youth Ministry (Grades 6-12 with summer camp at Camp Berea), Young Adults (18-30), Women's Ministry, Men's Ministry, Music Ministries (Choir, Campanella Handbell Choir, Brass Ensemble, Carol Choir, Children's Musical Theatre), Prayer Ministries, and Life Groups of approximately 12 people. Mission and outreach is the third pillar, supporting 10+ global missionary partnerships with CRU, Crossworld, InterVarsity, American Leprosy Missions, Challenge International Ministries, MedSend, and ABC Women's Center, alongside the church's own Good Samaritan Committee and grief/caregiving support groups. Technology infrastructure is intentionally minimal: the website (firstchurch.org), the Amplify platform for registrations and donations, and YouTube for live and recorded streaming.

The business model is a non-profit religious organization funded primarily by member donations and tithes (the church is ECFA-accredited for financial accountability standards) and supplemented by preschool tuition ($200 non-refundable application fee plus per-class tuition) and modest fee-based programming such as Summer BBQs ($5/person or $15/family) and Women's Retreat tickets ($84 discounted). Go-to-market is community-driven: word-of-mouth referrals through existing congregants, seasonal community events, the church's website, and YouTube streaming. Senior Pastor Todd Willard leads a roughly 11-50 person staff team supported by Directors of Youth, Children's, Caring/Women's, and Technology & Production Services, an Executive Assistant, a Preschool Director (Lisa Roncaioli), an Accountant, a Property Manager, and custodial/reception staff.

Name

First Church of Christ

Legal name

First Church of Christ in Wethersfield

Website

https://firstchurch.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, CT is a 1635-founded independent congregational church operating from a historic 1761 Meetinghouse campus, providing Traditional and Contemporary worship, age-segmented ministries, a Christian preschool for ages 3–5, and global missions partnerships for its local Connecticut congregation and community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (61)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Christian worship
• Preschool education
• Community ministry
• Missionary outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Wethersfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tithes: Church members and attendees contribute financial donations and tithes to support church operations, missions, and community programs. The church is ECFA accredited.
2. Preschool Tuition: First Church Preschool charges tuition for children ages 3-5 with various class schedules. Application fee of $200 plus per-day Lunch Bunch fees of $12.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First Church of Christ in Wethersfield operates a traditional Protestant congregation offering weekly worship services (Traditional, Contemporary, and Combined) along with a licensed Christian preschool for children ages 3-5. It also runs comprehensive age-segmented ministries (children, youth, young adults, women, men), music programs, prayer ministries, life groups, and supports global missionary partnerships.

Product overview

First Church of Christ is a traditional church offering a multi-service worship program with Traditional (9:00 AM), Contemporary (10:30 AM), and Combined (monthly) services. The church operates a Christian preschool for children ages 3-5 using the Creative Curriculum, and provides comprehensive ministries including Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry (Grades 6-12), Young Adults, Women's Ministry, Men's Ministry, and Music Ministries (Choir, Worship Team, Handbell Choir, Brass Ensemble). Additional programs include Vacation Bible Camp, Life Groups, Prayer Ministries, and Missions and Outreach supporting global missionary partners. The church also offers Lunch Bunch as an add-on extended care service for preschool families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Service Weekly traditional worship service held Sundays at 9:00 AM in the Meetinghouse, featuring prayer, sermons, and hymns led by the First Church Choir, with coffee fellowship afterward. Open to individuals and families in the Wethersfield, CT community.
• Contemporary Service Weekly relaxed contemporary worship service held Sundays at 10:30 AM in Keith Jones Hall, featuring prayer and worship led by the Contemporary Worship Band followed by a sermon from the Senior Pastor; Deacons available for private prayer afterward.
• Combined Service Monthly blended worship service held on the first Sunday of each month at 10:00 AM in the Meetinghouse, combining the Traditional Choir and Contemporary Worship Team with Communion.
• First Church Preschool Licensed Christian preschool for children ages 3-5 using the play-based Creative Curriculum with integrated Bible stories, scripture memory, and Christian values. Offers 3-day, 4-day, 5-day, and All Day Learning class schedules for families in the Wethersfield, CT area.
• Lunch Bunch Extended childcare program offered Monday through Thursday from 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM for preschool children at $12 per day, added to monthly invoice.
• Children's Ministry Programs for children from birth through 5th grade including Sunday School, Children's Church, nursery care, and Vacation Bible Camp, designed for spiritual formation.
• Youth Ministry Middle school and high school youth group programs for Grades 6-12 with Sunday classes, weekly gatherings, summer camp opportunities at Camp Berea, and various events.
• Music Ministries Comprehensive music program including First Church Choir, Contemporary Worship Team, Campanella Handbell Choir, First Church Brass Ensemble, Carol Choir, and Children's Musical Theatre, supporting worship services and concerts.
• Life Groups Small community groups of approximately twelve people meeting regularly for fellowship, Bible study, and mutual support, including specialized groups like GriefShare and topical Bible studies.
• Missions and Outreach Global and local mission support program funding missionary partnerships with CRU, Crossworld, InterVarsity, American Leprosy Missions, MedSend, and ABC Women's Center, serving more than 8 missionary families and organizations.

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sam Hollings (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSam Hollings serves as Team Leader for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, engaging college students with the Gospel at Connecticut universities to transform the state through the next generation living for Jesus Christ.
• CRU (Jesus Film Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDennis and Linda Ryan partner with CRU on the Jesus Film Project to distribute the gospel in native languages of all people worldwide, helping them see and hear the story of Jesus.
• CRU Central Asia (Kimball Family)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKevin and Maureen Kimball serve with CRU in Central Asia, running biweekly International Cafe to create friendship opportunities with international students to share the Gospel.
• Crossworld - Brown FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJon and Valerie Brown serve with Crossworld, working toward a self-sufficient reproducing church among the Yanomami people in North Amazon, maintaining jungle post and teaching Bible.
• Challenge International Ministries - Burger FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn and Jennifer Burger head up refugee outreach in Diyarbakir, Turkey, providing food distributions, women's programs, children's programs, and prosthetic devices for amputees.
• American Leprosy Missions - Oehrig FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJim and Becca Oehrig serve with American Leprosy Missions, with Jim serving as Member Care Director/Chaplain supporting staff globally.
• Wibberly Ministry - TurkeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJosh and Sarah Wibberly support Christians in Turkey; Sarah works with Shema Media Group reaching Turkish speakers, Josh teaches Old Testament at Bible training programs.
• Helm Family - Latin America/Middle EastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmil and Sarah Helm provide strategic support to God's love outreach among least reached in North Africa and Middle East, running a community center for immigrants in Malaga, Spain.
• Anneli Johnson - CRUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnneli Johnson serves with CRU in the unreached world, reaching students with the Gospel through evangelism, discipleship, Bible studies, and fellowship.
• CRUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple mission partnerships with CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) for international evangelism and discipleship.
• MedSendminorOthersHealthcare missions organization supported by the church's missions program.
• ABC Women's CenterminorOthersWomen's support organization supported through church missions and outreach.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Asylum Hill Congregational Church: Hartford-based Congregational church operating traditional and contemporary worship alongside community outreach. Comparable as a mid-sized Congregational congregation in Connecticut running multi-format services and social-ministry programs.
• First Church in Boston: Boston historic Congregational church with multiple services and historic-preservation orientation. Comparable as a long-running New England congregational church sharing Puritan-era origins and contemporary ministry programming.
• First Church of Christ, Lancaster: Historic New England Congregational church with shared Puritan-era heritage and similar name convention. Comparable as a long-established congregational church operating worship, education, and outreach ministries.
• First Congregational Church of Hartford: Downtown Hartford historic Congregational church with traditional and contemporary worship services. Comparable as a multi-format Connecticut Congregational congregation with ministries, music programs, and outreach initiatives.
• South Church (New Britain, CT): Connecticut Congregational church serving a similar-sized New England community with worship, children/youth, and missions programs. Comparable as a mid-sized congregational church with multi-generational ministries and community programming.
• Christ Church Cambridge: Historic New England congregation offering traditional and family-friendly worship plus extensive community outreach. Comparable as a well-established New England church sharing Puritan-rooted heritage and multi-generational ministry programming.
• Immanuel Congregational Church: Historic Hartford Congregational church with worship, education, and outreach ministries. Comparable as a similarly structured Connecticut congregational church operating Sunday programming and community engagement.
• Old North Church: Historic Boston Congregational-era church (1723) whose iconic steeple served as the visual model for First Church's 1761 Meetinghouse. Comparable in heritage tourism appeal, congregational worship, and historic-preservation orientation.
• Center Church on the Green: New Haven historic Congregational church on the green, serving downtown New England congregation with worship and community programs. Comparable as a long-standing Congregational-rooted Connecticut congregation with multi-format ministries.
• First Congregational Church of Old Lyme: Connecticut shoreline Congregational church with worship, youth, and music ministries. Comparable as a regional New England Congregational congregation with similar scale and community-driven programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks8 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwAdZHSj-Mb1_SZo_Eku_zQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirstChurchPage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-church-of-christ

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 First Church of Christ