CHURCH OF THE CROSS UNITED METHODIST

What CHURCH OF THE CROSS UNITED METHODIST does

Church of the Cross United Methodist is a religious nonprofit congregation affiliated with the United Methodist Church (Great Miami River District, West Ohio Conference), operating from a single facility at 3121 Wilmington Pike in Kettering, Ohio. The congregation traces its roots to a United Brethren assembly formed in 1844 and adopted its current name in 1968 following the Evangelical United Brethren–Methodist denominational merger. It serves the Kettering-area community and surrounding zip code 45429 through weekly Sunday worship at 10:30 AM, combined contemporary and traditional services with a praise band and chancel choir, age-tiered Sunday school programming, and youth fellowship for grades 6–12.

The organization's program surface extends well beyond worship to include the World of Love preschool (a tuition-based early childhood education ministry), a twice-monthly food pantry operated in partnership with Dayton Foodbank, United Women in Faith circles, Kairos Prison Ministry, Vacation Bible School, and ongoing support for a member-missionary serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its technology stack is intentionally lightweight: a Squarespace-hosted website, Vanco-powered eGiving for one-time and recurring donations, and Facebook/YouTube live streaming for virtual worship. Revenue derives exclusively from voluntary tithes and offerings, fund-designated donations, and preschool tuition; no admission fees are charged for worship or ministry programs. The organization is governed by its pastoral staff and lay leadership, with a new Senior Pastor, Rev. Dare Stevens, scheduled to begin July 1st, and is officially designated as a Reconciling Ministry Church affirming full inclusion across gender, race, ability, sexual orientation, and other identity dimensions.

Name

CHURCH OF THE CROSS UNITED METHODIST

Legal name

Church of the Cross United Methodist

Website

https://churchofthecrossum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Church of the Cross United Methodist is a Kettering, Ohio-based United Methodist congregation offering weekly worship, Sunday school, youth fellowship, a preschool, food pantry, and outreach ministries, funded by voluntary donations and preschool tuition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Faith community
• Worship services
• Christian education
• Community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Salina, Kansas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings (Donations): The church receives voluntary financial support from regular attenders and members through time, talents, gifts, and service. One-time and recurring donations are accepted via eGiving platform (Vanco), online, mobile, or traditional methods.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Church of the Cross United Methodist is a faith-based religious congregation offering weekly in-person and virtual worship services, age-specific Sunday school and youth programs, a faith-based preschool (World of Love), a free community food pantry, prayer support, prison ministry (Kairos), women's ministry (United Women in Faith), and international mission outreach. Operations are sustained by voluntary tithes, offerings, and eGiving donations, with tuition charged for the preschool program.

Product overview

Church of the Cross United Methodist offers a comprehensive suite of faith-based programs and services centered around worship, education, and community outreach. The core offering includes weekly worship services combining contemporary and traditional elements with virtual streaming options, complemented by age-specific Sunday school programs for adults, youth (grades 6-12), and children (preschool through 5th grade). The World of Love Preschool provides early childhood education in a faith-based setting. Digital giving through Vanco enables convenient tithes and donations. Additional ministries include a food pantry partnership with Dayton Foodbank, United Women in Faith circles, Kairos Prison Ministry, international missions support for Jane Wise in the DRC, and annual Vacation Bible School. Prayer request submission connects congregants with pastoral care and a 70+ person prayer chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dayton FoodbankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch of the Cross operates its Food Pantry in partnership with Dayton Foodbank. The food pantry distributes free fresh, frozen, dry, and canned goods every first and third Wednesday of the month from 5:00–6:30 PM, serving zip code 45429 and surrounding areas.
• St. Paul United Methodist Church MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch of the Cross donates food and clothing monthly to St. Paul United Methodist Church Ministries, a small inner-city church in Dayton with many outreach ministries to those in need in their immediate area.
• United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch of the Cross is a member congregation of the United Methodist Church, affiliated with the Great Miami River District and the West Ohio Conference. The denomination shares foundational theological beliefs including the authority of Scripture, sacraments (Baptism and Communion), and the Wesleyan understanding of grace.
• Nuru Ya Mapendo (Love's Light) — Democratic Republic of the CongocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJane Wise, a member of Church of the Cross, serves as a full-time missionary in the Kasenga District in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The church supports the Nuru Ya Mapendo ministry, which provides holistic support to people through sustainable food and animal production while ministering spiritually. The ministry is an approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Feeding America: The national network of food banks of which the church's partner Dayton Foodbank is a member. Directly relevant as the upstream supply partner enabling Church of the Cross's free food distribution program.
• Reconciling Ministries Network: The national affiliation network of LGBTQ+ affirming United Methodist congregations of which Church of the Cross is a member. Provides connectional support, resources, and shared identity to inclusive UMC churches facing denominational schism pressures.

Direct peers

• Church of the Resurrection: One of the largest United Methodist congregations in the U.S., based in Leawood, KS. Operates a comprehensive multi-generational ministry portfolio comparable to Church of the Cross but at much greater scale, with similar worship, education, missions, and community outreach programming.
• Ginghamsburg Church: An Ohio-based United Methodist congregation recognized for innovative ministry approaches and multisite model. Directly comparable to Church of the Cross as a same-denomination church operating in a similar regional context with comparable Sunday school, youth, and missions programming.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: A community-services organization with Christian roots that delivers youth programming, early childhood education, and community outreach. Comparable to Church of the Cross's preschool, youth fellowship, and community engagement portfolio, though operating at much larger scale.
• Catholic Charities USA: A national network of faith-based social service agencies delivering food assistance, counseling, and community outreach. Comparable to Church of the Cross's food pantry partnership with Dayton Foodbank and broader community service orientation.
• World Vision: A large Christian humanitarian organization combining domestic community programs with international missions support. Comparable to Church of the Cross's international mission partnership with Nuru Ya Mapendo in the DRC and broader faith-based community service orientation.
• Habitat for Humanity International: A faith-based nonprofit that leverages volunteer labor and donor partnerships for community service, similar to how Church of the Cross uses Kettering Foundation grants and volunteer labor for home repair missions in Kettering.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: A national early childhood education and care provider. Comparable to Church of the Cross's World of Love Preschool as a tuition-based faith-context early childhood program, though operating as a large for-profit chain.
• The Salvation Army: A multi-faceted faith-based nonprofit delivering worship, social services, and community programs at scale. Comparable to Church of the Cross's combined model of worship services, food pantry, prison outreach, and community-based programming, though operating at vastly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@churchofthecrossu.m.2197/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/churchofthecrossum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/church-of-the-cross-united-methodist

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CHURCH OF THE CROSS UNITED METHODIST