Christ Lutheran Church, Pacific Beach

What Christ Lutheran Church, Pacific Beach does

Christ Lutheran Church, Pacific Beach (CLC) is an inclusive congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Pacifica Synod, founded in 1946-1947 and headquartered at 4761 Cass Street in the Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego, California. The church delivers a unified portfolio of worship, education, wellness, and social-service programs: traditional Sunday worship at 9:30am in a 400-seat sanctuary, online worship via its own YouTube channel, multiple Bible study formats (Zoom-based and in-person), music ministry, a book group, donation-based yoga/meditation/movement classes, and a Cass Street Community Garden with 12 raised beds. Pastoral and administrative staff total approximately 60 individuals across roughly six named full-time-equivalent roles (Lead Pastor, Associate Pastor, Music Director, Business Manager, Community Life Administrator, Faith Formation Coordinator) plus a four-person Executive Committee.

CLC operates as a community hub, providing its campus to partner organizations including Shoreline Community Services (Compass Station drop-in resource center at 1004 Chalcedony St), Gigi's Playhouse (Down syndrome achievement center), 12-step recovery groups, and the San Diego Catholic Workers (Our Daily Bread Friday meal program, in operation for over 25 years). International partners include the Rwandan Orphans Project (since 2006) and Sowing Seeds of Life and Family in Mexico. Technology integrations are limited to standard SaaS: Vanco for online giving, Zoom for Bible study, YouTube for online worship, Servant Keeper for member directory, and Google Drive for event photos. No AI/ML, proprietary software, or mobile applications beyond Vanco's consumer app are operated.

Revenue is derived from voluntary tithes and offerings (in-person and online via Vanco), facility rental income from weddings and events (including LGBTQIA+ ceremonies), distribution of earnings from an endowment fund, and a minor $5-per-session contribution from wellness classes. Donors may allocate funds to specific ministries. The church is governed by a Church Council and is led by its first all-woman pastoral leadership team, with Kinndlee Lund as Lead Pastor and Keegan Chin-Cheleden as Associate Pastor. CLC has been a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation since 2021, explicitly affirming LGBTQIA+ inclusion and anti-racism.

Name

Christ Lutheran Church, Pacific Beach

Legal name

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pacific Beach

Website

https://christpb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Christ Lutheran Church, Pacific Beach is an inclusive ELCA Lutheran congregation in San Diego's Pacific Beach neighborhood offering Sunday worship, Bible study, wellness classes, and community programs, while serving as a campus hub for partner nonprofits serving unhoused individuals, recovery groups, and refugee families.

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)

Keywords

• Lutheran worship services
• Religious community programs
• Pastoral care services
• Bible study groups
• Homeless outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary donations from congregation members and visitors during worship services, both in-person and online. Members can give via cash, check, or digital methods.
2. Online Giving Platform: Digital donations through Vanco Mobile app allowing one-time or recurring gifts via debit/credit card. Donors can specify fund allocation.
3. Facility Rental: Rental income from booking church facilities (Wright Chapel, Garman Fellowship Hall) for weddings, events, and community gatherings.
4. Endowment Fund: Long-term investment fund where principal remains intact; earnings distributed as grants and scholarships to support ministry activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Christ Lutheran Church is an ELCA congregation providing weekly Lutheran worship services both in-person and online, faith formation programming (Bible studies, book group, music ministry, faith formation for children), and community outreach including the Our Daily Bread meal program, Compass Station partnership, and Cass Street Community Garden. It also offers wellness classes (yoga, meditation, movement), facility rentals for weddings and events, and pastoral care such as prayer requests and caring ministries.

Product overview

Christ Lutheran Church, Pacific Beach is an inclusive Lutheran congregation (ELCA denomination) offering a unified portfolio of worship, educational, wellness, and community service programs. The core offerings include in-person and online worship services, Bible study groups (Zoom-based and in-person), yoga/meditation/movement classes in Wright Chapel, music ministry with choir, book group, and caring ministries. The church operates as a community hub providing homeless resources (Our Daily Bread meals, Compass Station partnership), facility booking for events including LGBTQIA+ weddings, and an endowment fund for grants and scholarships. Technology integrations include YouTube for online worship, Zoom for Bible study, Vanco e-Service Payments/Mobile app for online giving, Servant Keeper for member directory, and Google Drive for event photo sharing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Worship Services

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Rwandan Orphans ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006ROP was started in 2006 after CLC members visited Rwanda and witnessed children living on the streets, many survivors of the 1994 genocide. Started as providing food, shelter, clothes, and education, it has developed into a community center. CLC continues to support ROP through donations and prayers.
• Shoreline Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShoreline Community Services operates the Compass Station, a drop-in resource center open Monday through Friday at 1004 Chalcedony St (on CLC property). They serve unsheltered families and individuals in the central beach area of San Diego, bridging needs with services. CLC provides the physical space for this partnership.
• Community Christian Service Agency (CCSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCSA provides emergency services including food, clothing, referrals, and counseling to individuals and families in need in San Diego County. CLC is a dedicated member church supporting the organization through offerings and donations of food and clothing. CCSA has been operating in San Diego County for over 40 years.
• Sowing Seeds of Life and Family (SSoLF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Sister Esperanza Ortiz Macías as a boarding school for girls who have experienced abandonment, neglect, abuse, and trafficking. CLC members volunteer time at the boarding school and send monetary and material donations to support the residents and property.
• Gigi's PlayhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Down syndrome achievement center focused on empowering individuals and families to reach their highest potential. Provides researched-based, free resources that enrich body, mind, and spirit. Utilizes space on CLC campus.
• Neighbors TogetherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram established in 2018 to facilitate the immigration journey for refugee families. Together with other area congregations, CLC has assisted multiple individuals along the path to U.S. citizenship.
• ReconcilingWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent 501(c)(3) organization advocating for the full welcome, inclusion, and equity of LGBTQIA+ Lutherans. CLC partnered with ReconcilingWorks to become a Reconciling In Christ (RIC) congregation in 2021, actively welcoming people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions.
• San Diego Catholic WorkerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership (over 25 years) providing Our Daily Bread, a free weekly meal served every Friday at 11:30am in Garman Fellowship Hall on CLC's campus for community members in need.
• 12 Step Recovery GroupsminorOthersChurch provides space throughout the week for 12-step recovery groups. This longstanding history supports friends in the recovery community. Meeting schedule available on church website.
• Women of the ELCA (WELCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLC's Christ Church Women group is part of Pacifica Synod Women of the ELCA, which includes Lutheran women gathering in over 4,500 locations in the U.S. and Caribbean for service, study, advocacy, and fellowship.
• ELCA Pacifica SynodmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional governing body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. CLC supports the synod through budgeted benevolence offerings as part of the denomination's collective mission.
• Agape San DiegominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization supported through CLC's budgeted benevolence. Part of CLC's charitable giving to local community organizations.
• ELCA World HungerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerELCA's relief and development initiative addressing hunger globally. Supported through CLC's budgeted benevolence offerings.
• Lutheran Disaster ResponseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerELCA's disaster response organization. Supported through CLC's budgeted benevolence for emergency relief efforts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Mark's United Methodist Church (San Diego): Progressive mainline congregation in San Diego with similar emphasis on social justice, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and community outreach. Closely comparable in mission and operating model.
• Resurrection Lutheran Church (ELCA): ELCA-affiliated congregation with similar worship, education, and community-service programming. Comparable as a same-denomination peer with parallel mission structure.
• First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego: Progressive religious community in San Diego with similar inclusive values, social justice focus, and community programming. Comparable in demographic and mission orientation.
• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church: ELCA congregation with similar progressive orientation and community-programming emphasis. Operates as a same-denomination peer with comparable scale and outreach model.
• All Souls' Episcopal Church (Point Loma): Progressive Episcopal congregation in the San Diego coastal area with a comparable commitment to inclusion, community service, and worship programming. Operates as a same-market peer with similar value orientation.
• Bethany Lutheran Church (ELCA): ELCA congregation with comparable size, Lutheran worship tradition, and community-engagement programs. Closely comparable in doctrine and operating model.
• First Lutheran Church of San Diego: Another ELCA congregation in San Diego with comparable size, programming, and community-outreach orientation. Operates as a direct same-denomination peer in the same city.
• Pacific Beach United Methodist Church: Mainline Christian congregation located in the same Pacific Beach neighborhood. Directly competes for the same local congregation and donor base with similar progressive, community-oriented programming.

Others

• ELCA Pacifica Synod: Regional governing body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that oversees CLC. Provides denominational infrastructure, shared resources, and benevolence framework that any current or prospective donor or partner would also evaluate.

Emerging players

• University Christian Church (Seattle): Progressive Christian congregation with similar commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, social justice, and multi-channel worship (in-person and online). Comparable in progressive identity and community programming despite different denomination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ChristLutheranChurchSanDiego
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clcsd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Christ Lutheran Church, Pacific Beach