BELC

What BELC does

Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church (BELC) is a 501(c)-equivalent religious nonprofit congregation founded on September 14, 1930, in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, operating as a member church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) under the Southwestern PA Synod. The congregation serves residents of Glenshaw, Shaler Township, and the greater Pittsburgh North Hills area, delivering weekly in-person worship services (Saturday 6pm spoken word, Sunday 8am and 10:30am traditional), Christian education across age cohorts (Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, confirmation, adult Bible study), pastoral counseling, lifecycle sacraments (baptism, communion, weddings, funerals), and community outreach through partner agencies including Northside Common Ministries, Miriam's House, and North Hills Community Outreach. As of the most recent disclosures, the named paid staff comprises approximately six individuals: Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Daniel Smail (since 2010), Associate Pastor Rev. Ellen Lundie (since 2019), Music Director & Organist Laura Henri, Church Secretary Marianne Reed, and two sextons (Steve Balawejder and Jim Cenci).

The congregation's technology footprint is modest and consumer-grade: a Wix-hosted website (belc.org), a YouTube livestream channel (@bethlehemlutheranchurchgle9313) for remote worship, a podcast ("Understanding Church," hosted by Pastor Dan Smail and Pastor Wendy Farone, reaching approximately 16,000 downloads), a Facebook page, and a weekly "Tuesday Tidings" email newsletter. There is no proprietary software, AI/ML capability, mobile app, or API; technology is used purely as a content distribution and community engagement layer rather than as a commercial product.

Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary, tax-deductible donations — tithes and offerings received by mail, in person, online, or by phone, plus a "Simply Giving Program" that processes automatic recurring withdrawals from donor accounts. There is no pricing model, no commercial product, and no publicly disclosed financial statement. The church has no parent company, no outside investors, no subsidiaries, and operates under a lay-led Church Council. Strategic activity is concentrated in programming expansion (VBS, youth and adult education), mission partnership cultivation, and digital content distribution to extend the congregation's reach beyond its single physical campus.

Name

BELC

Legal name

Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church

Website

https://belc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church is a Glenshaw, Pennsylvania-based ELCA congregation founded in 1930, providing weekly worship, Christian education, pastoral care, and community outreach to residents of Pittsburgh's North Hills through voluntary donations and a small paid staff of six.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Lutheran worship
• Faith formation
• Pastoral care
• Community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Glenshaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Members contribute financial tithes and offerings during worship services. Donations can be made by mail, in person, online, or over the phone. Tax-deductible donations accepted.
2. Simply Giving Program: Automatic withdrawal from donor accounts for recurring contributions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BELC provides Lutheran Christian worship services, pastoral care, Christian education (Sunday school, youth and adult programs), and community mission/outreach activities for its members and the surrounding Glenshaw, Pennsylvania community. As a faith-based congregation, it sells no commercial product; its "offerings" are religious services and parish programs sustained by member donations.

Product overview

BELC (Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church) is a religious organization offering worship services, Christian education programs, and community ministries. The organization does not offer commercial technology products or services; its offerings consist of spiritual/religious services including in-person and online worship, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, youth ministries, music programs (Senior Choir, Handbell Choir), pastoral counseling, community outreach, and various volunteer ministries. The church operates under the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) denomination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekend Worship Services Regularly scheduled Lutheran Christian worship services open to members, families, and visitors in the Glenshaw, PA area, including sacramental ministry.
• Sunday School and Christian Education Christian formation programming for children, youth, and adults as part of the congregation's faith formation ministry.
• Youth and Family Ministry Programs Programs and activities supporting youth, confirmation-aged members, and families within the congregation.
• Small Groups and Adult Fellowship Small group ministries and fellowship opportunities for adult members of the congregation.
• Community Outreach and Mission Ministry Local and broader mission/outreach activities serving the surrounding Glenshaw community and wider needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 16,000 podcast downloads
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC is a member congregation of the ELCA, one of the largest Christian denominations in the US. The partnership provides theological alignment, connection to broader church network, and support for global mission initiatives including ELCA World Hunger, ELCA Malaria Campaign, and ELCA Good Gifts program.
• Southwestern PA SynodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC is affiliated with the Southwestern PA Synod which serves, connects & equips ELCA congregations in southwestern Pennsylvania to tell the story of Jesus. The synod provides pastoral support, resources, and connection to the wider ELCA network.
• Lauren Wolcott (Communications Director, Southwestern PA Synod)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest on the Understanding Church Podcast sharing expertise in human, relational approaches to church communication.
• ELCA World ReliefcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC faithfully supports the ELCA World Relief Program which includes ELCA Malaria Campaign, ELCA World Hunger Relief, ELCA HIV and AIDS Ministry, Lutheran Disaster Response, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
• Northside Common MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC serves meals to men's shelter residents on the second and fourth Friday of each month. Four teams prepare, deliver, and serve food. NCM provides hope for the homeless with dignity and compassion, offering laundry facilities, clothing, shoes, and resume resources.
• Miriam's House Women's SheltercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC provides regular dinner meals to women staying at Miriam's House, a program for homeless women and those at risk of homelessness.
• North Hills Community Outreach (NHCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC collects food and personal care item donations for the interfaith NHCO organization addressing needs of people in crisis, hardship and poverty. Donations collected at church entrance bins.
• ELCA Good Gifts ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEach December, BELC members 'fill the stable' through donations to purchase livestock and supplies for the needy worldwide through ELCA Good Gifts, part of the ELCA World Hunger Program working in over 60 countries.
• Trinity Northside Children's Christmas Gifts MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC provides Christmas gifts to needy children in the Pittsburgh area through Trinity Lutheran Church on the Northside.
• Glade Run Lutheran ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELC supports Glade Run Lutheran Services through the Bridging Communities campaign, serving children, families and adults through autism, cultural activities, education and mental health programming.
• Camp LutherlynminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly benevolence envelopes designated for Camp Lutherlyn youth camp programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Camp Lutherlyn: ELCA-affiliated summer youth camp that BELC supports through monthly benevolence giving. Adjacent peer — same denomination and youth-formation mission, but operates a camp rather than a parish; useful comparable for children's programming quality.
• Glade Run Lutheran Services: ELCA-affiliated social services organization serving children, families and adults through autism, education, and mental health programs. A peer in the broader ELCA ecosystem and recipient of BELC's Bridging Communities campaign support.
• Northside Common Ministries: Interfaith Pittsburgh nonprofit providing meals, laundry, clothing and case management to people experiencing homelessness. Operates the men's shelter that BELC serves twice monthly — adjacent peer in the regional social-services ecosystem rather than a worship competitor.

Direct peers

• Bethany Lutheran Church, Bethel Park: ELCA congregation in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and prior parish of BELC's current Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. Daniel Smail (served nine years). Same denomination, similar suburban Pittsburgh footprint, comparable programming mix — a direct operational peer.
• Nativity Lutheran Church, Allison Park: ELCA congregation in the same Pittsburgh North Hills submarket that BELC helped plant in 1965 as a mission church. Direct lineage peer — same theology, same local market, similar congregation profile.
• St. Joseph Parish, O'Hara Township: Catholic parish in the same Pittsburgh North Hills corridor and prior employer of BELC's Music Director & Organist, Laura Henri. Comparable in scale and geographic footprint — a direct parish-services peer across the denominational line.
• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, New Castle: ELCA congregation in western Pennsylvania and prior parish of BELC's Associate Pastor, Rev. Ellen Lundie (served three years). Same denomination and worship-programming model — directly comparable in scale and tradition.
• Trinity Lutheran Church (Northside Pittsburgh): Partner congregation referenced in BELC's Trinity Northside Children's Christmas Gifts Ministry. ELCA-affiliated urban Pittsburgh parish — comparable in denomination and worship programming, slightly different urban geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_acOhStaTbQYbiXzdKe0Sw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Bethlehem-Evangelical-Lutheran-Church-Glenshaw-478615718821675
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 BELC