Westwood Lutheran Church

What Westwood Lutheran Church does

Westwood Lutheran Church is a non-profit religious congregation affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), located at 9001 Cedar Lake Rd in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The church was founded in 1984 and operates from a sanctuary originally designed by Ed Sovik in 1969 and renovated in 2013, with seating capacity for approximately 585 across the main floor and choir loft. Its core offering is a weekly blended worship service combining traditional and contemporary elements, delivered both in-person and via livestream on Vimeo, with additional cable broadcast distribution across four regional channels (Park TV, Lake Minnetonka, Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs).

Westwood's programmatic portfolio extends well beyond worship into early childhood education (the on-site Westwood Early Childhood Center serving infants through preschool, plus the affiliated Rise Early Learning Center), Children/Youth/Family programming with confirmation (Westwood U), pastoral care including Stephen Ministry and grief support, community meal programs, and life event services (baptisms, weddings, funerals). Distinctive positioning includes formal LGBTQIA+ affirmation via Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation status (welcome statement adopted October 2019) and 2024 Climate Justice Congregation certification from Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light. International mission activity is conducted through partnerships in Tanzania.

The operating technology stack is built on Church Community Builder (CCB) for member management and event registration, Pushpay for online giving, Vimeo for livestreaming and on-demand video, and Podbean for podcast distribution ('Real Good Courage'). The revenue model is non-commercial: Westwood is funded through voluntary member donations and tithes, facility rentals of the sanctuary and kitchen to outside groups, tuition-equivalent revenue from WECC, and grants/memorial gifts via the Westwood Memorial Foundation. No financial figures are publicly disclosed. Headcount is reported in the 51-100 range.

Name

Westwood Lutheran Church

Legal name

Westwood Lutheran Church

Website

https://westwood.church

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Westwood Lutheran Church is a progressive ELCA-affiliated congregation in St. Louis Park, Minnesota serving individuals and families through weekly worship, early childhood education, LGBTQIA+ affirmation, and environmental sustainability programs funded by member donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Westwood Lutheran Church is a progressive ELCA congregation offering weekly in-person and livestreamed worship services, faith formation programs for children and youth, early childhood education through its on-site Westwood Early Childhood Center, pastoral care and life-event services, community meal programs, and international mission partnerships. The church generates revenue through voluntary member donations and tithes rather than product or service pricing.

Product overview

Westwood Lutheran Church offers a comprehensive portfolio of faith-based programs and community services centered around its sanctuary at 9001 Cedar Lake Rd, St. Louis Park, MN. Core offerings include weekly in-person and livestreamed worship services (blended traditional/contemporary style), Children/Youth/Family programming (CYF) with confirmation, and early childhood education through WECC and Rise Early Learning Center. The church's digital ecosystem includes Vimeo livestreaming, Pushpay online giving, and Church Community Builder for member engagement. Additional services encompass music and media ministry, pastoral care, community meals, Tanzania mission partnerships, LGBTQIA+ affirmation programs with Pride events, environmental sustainability initiatives with Climate Justice Congregation certification, and facility rentals. The Westwood Memorial Foundation provides financial support for church initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person and Livestreamed Worship Services Weekly worship services held in the Westwood sanctuary with simultaneous livestream for virtual attendance; blended style incorporating organ, piano, traditional, and contemporary music elements. Designed for congregation members and broader community attendees.
• Westwood Early Childhood Center (WECC) On-site early childhood education and care program operated by the church for children from infancy through preschool age, with a dedicated office line. Targeted at families in the St. Louis Park community.
• Children, Youth, and Family (CYF) Programs Age-appropriate faith formation programs including Sunday school, confirmation (Westwood U), and summer activities for children ages 3 through 5th grade, plus youth ministry for older students.
• Caring and Support Services Pastoral care, prayer support, Stephen Ministry, and grief support programs for church members and the broader community.
• Community Meal Program Regular community meal offerings open to the broader St. Louis Park community as part of the church's local outreach.
• Tanzania Mission Partnership International mission partnership connecting Westwood with communities in Tanzania, including support for the Rise Early Learning Center.
• Facility Rental Sanctuary (seating for 500 on main floor plus 85 in choir loft), kitchen, and other spaces available for rental to church members and broader community groups.
• Life Events Services Pastoral services for baptisms, first communion preparation, end-of-life planning, funerals, and wedding ceremonies.
• LGBTQIA+ Affirmation and Pride Programs LGBTQIA+ group organizing Pride Night, Golden Valley Pride Festival booth, and affirmation speaker series covering mental health, race, and gender diversity topics, supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies.
• Environmental Sustainability (Green Team) Quarterly eco-newsletter 'A Greener Westwood, A Greener World', Earth Day celebrations, buckthorn removal, and climate justice advocacy certified by Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light.

Segments4 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestwood is a congregation of the ELCA, participating in the broader Lutheran denomination's mission, values, and community.
• ReconcilingWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestwood is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation, part of ReconcilingWorks network affirming LGBTQIA+ individuals in the Lutheran church.
• Minnesota Interfaith Power & LightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified Westwood as a Climate Justice Congregation in 2024; provides resources and recognition for environmental stewardship efforts.
• Rise Early Learning CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for prayer and support of the Rise Early Learning Center, part of Westwood's community partnerships.
• Westwood Early Childhood Center (WECC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn-site early childhood education center operated by Westwood, serving children from infancy through preschool. Office: 952-545-5624.
• Tanzania RelationshipsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational mission partnership relationships with communities in Tanzania.
• Community Meal Program PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative community meal program serving the broader community, part of Westwood's local outreach.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Edina Community Lutheran Church: ELCA congregation in adjacent Edina serving a similar suburban Minneapolis demographic with comparable family programming and progressive community engagement.
• Wooddale Lutheran Church: Large ELCA congregation in nearby Eden Prairie offering similar multi-generational programming and worship formats. Directly comparable as a peer ELCA church in the western Twin Cities suburbs.
• Westminster Presbyterian Church (Minneapolis): Progressive mainline congregation in Minneapolis with similar emphasis on inclusion, social justice, and community programming. Closely comparable in values and audience.
• Mount Olivet Lutheran Church: Large ELCA congregation in Minneapolis offering comparable worship, early childhood, and community programming. Closest direct denominational and geographic peer to Westwood within the Twin Cities ELCA ecosystem.
• Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Minneapolis): Downtown Minneapolis ELCA congregation with progressive leanings and broad community programming. Directly comparable as a fellow ELCA mainline congregation operating in the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• First Covenant Church (Minneapolis): Progressive faith community in Minneapolis with similarly strong social justice orientation and downtown-suburban crossover appeal. Comparable as a values-aligned faith community, though denominational (Covenant vs. Lutheran).

Regional players

• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (Burnsville): ELCA congregation in the southern Twin Cities metro offering comparable worship and family ministry structure. Comparable as a same-denomination peer in a different sub-market.
• St. Andrew's Lutheran Church (Mahtomedi): ELCA congregation in the broader Twin Cities metro with comparable worship and family programming, serving a similar but distinct suburban community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user101393923
• Facebookfacebook.com/WestwoodLutheranChurch
• Instagraminstagram.com/westwood_lutheran
• Xx.com/westwoodslp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westwood-lutheran-church

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Westwood Lutheran Church