Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church

What Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church does

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church (ECRC) is a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit serving the western suburbs of Chicago from its campus at 149 West Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst, Illinois. Founded in 1924 as Bellwood Gospel Tabernacle and operating today within the Christian Reformed tradition, ECRC delivers weekly Sunday worship (in-person and live-streamed), age-segregated ministries spanning Little Lambs preschool through Children's, Student, Adult Life Groups and THRIVE (55+) programming, support ministries including GriefShare, DivorceCare, and SHE, and recurring local and international missions (Honduras, Israel, Ukraine outreach).

The organization's technology stack consists of standard church-operations SaaS: the Church Center App for community and event management, live-streaming for remote worship access, and an online/text-to-give payment platform. ECRC holds ECFA accreditation for financial accountability and is governed by an elected Council with Elders, Deacons, and a Senior Leadership Team. Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary tithes and offerings from congregation members, supplemented by periodic capital campaigns — most notably the Hearts Ablaze centennial campaign targeting $11.3M in total commitments, with $7.2M fulfilled as of the latest reporting. The church employs approximately 12 staff under Senior Pastor Rev. Gregg DeMey and Rev. Jeff Klein, and maintains mission and community partnerships including All God's Children Honduras, Ukraine Bible Church of Chicago (which uses ECRC facilities), Hope Mobility, Jerusalem University College, and the Elmhurst Farmers Market.

Name

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church

Legal name

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church

Website

https://elmhurstcrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ECRC is a 501(c)(3) Christian Reformed Church in Elmhurst, Illinois, serving the western suburbs of Chicago. Founded 1924, it offers weekly worship, age-segregated ministries from preschool through seniors, missions, and community services funded by tithes and capital campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Worship Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAD

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

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAE

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Christian ministry programs
• Community outreach
• Youth faith education
• Online giving platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmhurst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary contributions from church members and attendees based on biblical tithing principles (10% of income suggested)
2. Special Campaigns: Capital campaigns such as Hearts Ablaze for building and ministry expansion

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church (ECRC) provides Christian worship services and faith-based ministry programs for individuals and families in the western suburbs of Chicago. Core offerings include Sunday in-person and online worship, age-segmented ministries (preschool, children, youth, adults, seniors), pastoral care, support groups, and digital giving tools supported by the Church Center App and live streaming.

Product overview

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church offers a comprehensive set of church programs and services centered around its core worship ministry. The church operates primarily through in-person and online worship services (Sundays at 10 AM) supported by the Church Center App for community management. Ministry programs span all ages: Little Lambs Preschool, Youth Ministries (Pathfinders, Cadets, GEMS, Youth), and Adult Programs (Life Groups, Coffee Break Bible Study, SHE, Journeymen, Thrive). Additional services include live streaming, podcasts and media content, online giving, and the Hearts Ablaze 100th anniversary capital campaign. The church also hosts community outreach programs through Serve Weekends, missions trips, and local partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hearts Ablaze: Capital campaign for building on the church's past and igniting its future vision for the next 100 years. Includes commitment guide, devotionals, and stories from church members.

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly in-person Christian worship services held Sundays at 10 AM at 149 West Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst, IL, open to congregants and visitors.
• Live Stream Worship

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful completion of Honduras Mission Trip with 14 team members
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• All God's Children HondurascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECRC partners with All God's Children Honduras, supporting a network of Christ-centered ministries serving orphaned and vulnerable children. Through partnerships with local leaders, these ministries provide care, education, and hope to children facing poverty and abandonment.
• Jerusalem University CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Oliver Hersey, President of Jerusalem University College, serves as guide for ECRC's Tour to Israel 2027 (October 25-November 7, 2027).
• Ukraine Bible Church of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECRC entered into partnership with the Ukraine Bible Church of Chicago, which meets every Friday evening and Sunday afternoon at the ECRC building. The Ukrainian Church ordained its first deacons and baptized new followers in Lake Geneva, WI.
• Elmhurst Farmers MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECRC hosts the Elmhurst Farmers Market at its parking lot, providing opportunity to bring community members to the church campus and offer hospitality to the wider community.
• Hope MobilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECRC serves as a collection site for gently used mobility devices (wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and crutches) for Hope Mobility in Kenya.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Christ Community Chapel: Non-denominational church in Hudson, OH with a teaching-focused, multi-generational ministry model. Comparable to ECRC as a mid-sized Midwest congregation emphasizing biblical literacy, life groups, and family ministries.
• Mars Hill Bible Church: Grandville, MI congregation with strong Reformed evangelical roots and multi-generational programming. Comparable to ECRC as a mid-sized, family-focused Midwest congregation emphasizing biblical teaching, life groups, and community outreach.
• Ada Bible Church: Large multi-site, non-denominational church in Ada, MI serving the Grand Rapids metro. Comparable to ECRC in evangelical, multi-generational ministry philosophy and Midwest suburban context, though at a larger operational scale.
• Traders Point Christian Church: Multi-site, family-focused church in the Indianapolis metro with strong children's and student ministries. Comparable to ECRC in its multi-generational programming model, digital engagement, and suburban Midwestern base, though with broader geographic reach.
• The Chapel (Granger Community Church): Multi-site evangelical church in the Granger/South Bend, IN area with comparable family-ministry emphasis. Comparable to ECRC in its Midwest suburban context, family programming, and digital broadcast reach.

Others

• Western Theological Seminary: CRC seminary in Holland, MI that trains pastors for congregations like ECRC. Comparable as the credentialing and theological-formulation body behind the catechetical and preaching tradition ECRC practices.
• Hope College: CRC-affiliated liberal arts college in Holland, MI. Comparable as another institutional touchpoint of the CRC denomination's education pipeline and a reference point for the family-oriented, formation-focused model ECRC embodies.
• Calvin University: Flagship Christian Reformed university in Grand Rapids, MI. Comparable as the most prominent institutional expression of CRC values and catechetical heritage that ECRC's children's and youth ministries (Pathfinders, Cadets, GEMS) feed into.
• North Park University: Chicago-based university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church with historic CRC ties. Comparable as a regionally rooted, CRC-adjacent educational institution in the Chicago area that shares ECRC's faith-formation ethos and northern-Illinois geographic base.
• Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA): Denominational parent body of ECRC. Comparable as the institutional umbrella governing ECRC's doctrine, credentialing, and shared mission infrastructure, though its scale (multi-denominational operations across North America) far exceeds the local congregation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elmhurst-christian-reformed-church

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church