Church Of The Apostles

What Church Of The Apostles does

Church of the Apostles is a 501c3 nonprofit religious organization headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that operates as a progressive Episcopal-Lutheran congregation within both the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and is a designated Reconciling in Christ (LGBTQ+ affirming) community. Founded circa 2008 as part of the Emerging Church movement under founder Karen Ward, the church holds a single weekly Sunday worship service at 4:30pm in the Great Hall of Fremont Abbey Arts Center (4272 Fremont Ave N), a century-old arts venue. Membership is concentrated among adults aged 25-45, with explicit intergenerational programming for children and elders, and the church describes itself as a young, Gen-X/Millennial postmodern expression of ancient liturgical traditions.

The organization operates four paid staff roles (Pastor Nat Johnson, Music Director Lacey Brown, Kids and Family Ministry Coordinator Lacy Clark Ellman, and Parish Administrator Matt Quarterman) and is supported by a broader community of volunteers and lay preachers under a 'priesthood of all believers' model. Core programs include Kids & Family Ministry (COTA Littles, COTA Crew, COTA Vota confirmation series), Theology Pub at Blue Star Pub, Liturgy Guild, Community Architects, Community Spaces small groups, and the volunteer-driven Reverb sermon series. The church produces original music albums distributed via Bandcamp, including Lumen, Epiphany Songs, Open Space, and Paschal Troparion, and supports the Poor Clare Music indie folk project.

Revenue is generated exclusively through voluntary donations and tithes collected via the Tithe.ly online giving platform (ACH or credit card) and in-service cash or check giving; no revenue figures, budgets, or financial statements are publicly disclosed. Marketing and outreach rely on a website, weekly email newsletter, and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), with acquisition driven primarily by word of mouth and community referral. The organization has no proprietary technology, no API, and no AI capabilities, and operates without subsidiaries, parent entities, or external investors.

Name

Church Of The Apostles

Legal name

Church of the Apostles

Website

https://apostleschurch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Church of the Apostles is a progressive Episcopal-Lutheran 501c3 congregation in Seattle, WA, holding weekly Sunday worship at Fremont Abbey Arts Center and serving an inclusive, LGBTQ-affirming community of primarily 25-45 year olds through liturgy, music, and lay-led programming funded by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Worship Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Faith community programs
• Children ministry programs
• Inclusive church services
• Community music worship

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tithes: Church of the Apostles operates as a 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN: 02-0624186) funded primarily through voluntary donations and tithes from congregation members. The church accepts one-time and recurring gifts online via bank account ACH or credit card, as well as cash or check donations during Sunday services. The church encourages bank account ACH donations over credit card to avoid finance charges, noting they lose over $2,000 annually to credit card fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Church of the Apostles provides weekly Sunday worship services at 4:30 PM at Fremont Abbey Arts Center in Seattle, combining ancient liturgical traditions with creative, experimental expression. The church also delivers original music albums (via Bandcamp), children's and family ministry programming, lay-led Reverb sermons, volunteer-driven community programs (Theology Pub, Liturgy Guild, Community Architects, Community Spaces small groups), and a donation-supported operating model as a 501c3 nonprofit.

Product overview

Church of the Apostles is a religious organization offering Sunday worship services at Fremont Abbey in Seattle, WA. The organization provides a unified worship experience combining ancient liturgical traditions with contemporary musical expression. Its core offerings include weekly Sunday services at 4:30pm, original music albums released via Bandcamp, children's programming (Kids & Family Ministry), lay-led sermon delivery (Reverbs), volunteer opportunities, email newsletters, and online giving. The church operates as an Episcopal-Lutheran expression with radical inclusion values, serving primarily 25-45 year olds while welcoming all ages and identities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Theology Pub: Community discussion group meeting at Blue Star Pub in Wallingford, Seattle
• Liturgy Guild
• Community Architects
• Community Spaces
• Poor Clare Music
• Open Space
• Church of the Beloved

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly in-person worship services held Sundays at 4:30pm at Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle. Open to all people regardless of background, featuring unique liturgy, original music, communion, and Open Space interactive stations.
• Original Music Albums Original music albums created by the COTA community, including worship songs, chants, hymns, and meditative instrumental pieces released on Bandcamp (apostleschurchseattle.bandcamp.com).
• Kids & Family Ministry Children's programming during Sunday worship services and monthly breakout sessions including COTA Littles, COTA Crew, and COTA Vota confirmation series for children and families of the congregation.
• Online Giving Platform Secure one-time and recurring donation capability via Tithe.ly platform, supporting bank ACH and credit card contributions to fund the church's operations.
• Community Programs and Small Groups Includes Theology Pub (monthly discussion at Blue Star Pub), Liturgy Guild (worship planning), Community Architects (community events), and Community Spaces (small groups of 5-10 meeting weekly in 3-month cycles).

Quantifiable outcome

• Weekly in-person worship services with creative liturgy and inclusive communion
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Fremont Abbey Arts CentercoreOthersThe Fremont Abbey Arts Center is Church of the Apostles' longtime building partner. COTA worships in the Great Hall of this century-old arts venue. The Abbey's mission to curate welcoming arts and cultural experiences aligns with COTA's values: 'to curate welcoming arts & cultural experiences where people of all ages and incomes can explore creativity, enjoy beauty, grow empathy and increase awareness.' The building hosts dancers, musicians, visual artists, youth programs, poetry slams, community gatherings, and more six days a week.
• Episcopal ChurchcoreOthersChurch of the Apostles is a member of the Episcopal Church, representing a young Episcopal expression that hosts space for experiencing the divine through collectively crafted worship.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreOthersChurch of the Apostles is a member of the Lutheran Church (ELCA), representing a young Lutheran expression rooted in ancient traditions while embracing modern culture and progressive values.
• Reconciling in ChristcoreOthersChurch of the Apostles is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, formally affirming welcome and inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals and their families in the life of the church.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Glide Memorial Church: Large progressive, radically inclusive church in San Francisco with social-justice focus and prominent music/worship programming. Comparable to COTA in inclusion theology and urban progressive identity, though much larger and with broader social-service footprint.

Direct peers

• St. Lydia's: Progressive Lutheran (ELCA) community in Brooklyn centered around a shared meal Eucharist, lay leadership, and creative liturgy. Comparable to COTA in progressive mainline identity, lay participation model, and intimate small-group community structure.
• Lakewood UCC: Progressive United Church of Christ congregation in Cleveland with progressive theology, arts focus, and welcoming identity. Comparable to COTA in progressive mainline posture and creative, inclusive worship.
• House for All Sinners and Saints: Progressive ELCA congregation in Denver with a similar emerging-church ethos, radical inclusion of LGBTQ+ members, lay-led preaching, and worship that blends ancient liturgy with contemporary creative expression. Highly comparable in theology, demographic focus, and missional posture.
• Middle Church (Middle Collegiate Church): Progressive, radically inclusive Reformed Church in America congregation in New York City with progressive theology, arts programming, and LGBTQ+ affirmation. Comparable to COTA in inclusive mainline identity and creative-worship emphasis.
• Vox Veniae: Progressive, ecumenical church in Austin known for creative liturgy, arts integration, and emerging-church experimentation. Comparable to COTA in combining progressive theology with arts-centered worship and small-group community.
• The Church of the Village: Progressive, inclusive United Methodist congregation in New York City emphasizing arts, justice, and community. Comparable in progressive mainline identity, arts integration, and urban young-adult demographic focus.
• Reality SF: Progressive, queer-affirming church in San Francisco targeting young urban adults with creative worship and community programming. Closely comparable demographic focus (25-45) and inclusion-first identity to COTA.
• Mars Hill Music City Church: Nashville-based progressive, gospel-centered church with strong music programming and community-oriented young adult focus. Comparable to COTA in creative-worship, music-forward identity, and progressive theology.
• St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church: Progressive, LGBTQ-affirming Methodist congregation in New York City with progressive theology, arts orientation, and inclusive welcome. Comparable to COTA in progressive mainline identity and urban progressive demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cotapostles
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmeBgHZsgdpSxOjbLYe4t4Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/apostleschurch
• Instagraminstagram.com/apostleschurchseattle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/church-of-the-apostles-seattle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Church Of The Apostles