El Montecito Presbyterian Church

What El Montecito Presbyterian Church does

El Montecito Presbyterian Church (operating as "ELMO Pres") is a 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit religious organization headquartered at 1455 East Valley Road in Santa Barbara, California, founded November 13, 1887. The organization operates a traditional Presbyterian congregation of the ECO denomination and offers weekly Sunday worship services (in-person and online at 10 a.m.), Bible study programs across demographics (Men's Bible Study, Women's Bible Study, Women in the Word, and the externally-hosted Bible Study Fellowship), children's ministry (ELMO Pres Kids), youth ministry, prayer support, and local/global outreach ministries. It also operates El Montecito Early School (License #426212460), a licensed preschool and early childhood education program for ages 0-5 located on the same campus, functioning as an adjacent operating subsidiary.

Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary tithes and offerings from the congregation plus likely tuition from the Early School, with capital projects funded through dedicated capital campaigns. The Triple R Capital Campaign, launched in 2024 and completed in June 2026, raised over $2 million against a $1.7M target to retire debt from the 2017 PCUSA property buyout, complete roof repairs, and renovate the manse. Technology is limited to standard church-management SaaS (Church Community Builder for visitor management) and payment processing (myAmplify for online giving), with no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capabilities, and no disclosed digital products beyond a basic livestream.

The organization is led by Pastor Tom Haugen (first ECO-affiliated lead pastor, since 2019) with a 14-person staff, governed by elders and deacons, and affiliated with the ECO denomination and ministry partners including Westmont College, BSF International, Bible Project, Biola University, Ligonier Ministries, and disaster-response organizations. The congregation draws members almost exclusively from Santa Barbara County, with community outreach events drawing 500+ attendees and 95+ volunteers.

Name

El Montecito Presbyterian Church

Legal name

El Montecito Presbyterian Church

Website

https://elmopres.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

El Montecito Presbyterian Church is a 138-year-old ECO-affiliated nonprofit Presbyterian congregation in Santa Barbara, CA, offering weekly worship, multi-generational Bible studies, children's and youth ministries, and an on-campus licensed preschool, funded by tithes and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services / House of Worship

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Christian worship services
• Bible study programs
• Early childhood education
• Youth ministry programs
• Community outreach ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary donations from congregation members collected during services and online. Capital campaigns fund major projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

El Montecito Presbyterian Church is a Santa Barbara-based Presbyterian congregation that provides weekly Christian worship services (in-person and online) along with a portfolio of ministry programs including demographic-specific Bible studies, children's and youth ministries, prayer support, and local/global outreach. It also operates the El Montecito Early School, a licensed preschool for children ages 0–5. Revenue is generated through voluntary tithes, offerings, and capital campaigns.

Product overview

El Montecito Presbyterian Church (ELMO Pres) is a Presbyterian congregation in Santa Barbara, CA that offers a portfolio of ministry programs and services centered on Christian worship, education, and fellowship. The church's main offerings include weekly Sunday worship gatherings (in-person and online), the El Montecito Early School (a licensed preschool for ages 0-5, License #426212460), Bible study programs (Men's Bible Study, Women's Bible Study, Women in the Word, and Bible Study Fellowship), children's and youth ministries (ELMO Pres Kids and Youth Ministry), outreach and mission programs, prayer support, and sermon resources. The church also provides online giving through myAmplify and uses CCB (Church Community Builder) for visitor management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• El Montecito Early School Licensed preschool and early childhood education program serving children ages 0–5, operated as a ministry of the church (License #426212460). Includes a dedicated staff and director, with a preschool children's program also offered during adult Bible Study Fellowship.
• Sunday Worship Gathering Weekly worship service held every Sunday at 10 a.m., offered both in-person at 1455 East Valley Road and online via livestream, with downloadable worship guides. Includes worship, Scripture teaching, sacraments, and children's programs.
• Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Weekly structured Bible study program studying the book of Romans ('Romans: From Guilt to Grace'), with preschool children's program for ages 0–5, meeting Wednesdays 9:30–11 a.m.
• Men's Bible Study Weekly men's Bible study meeting Thursdays at 9 a.m. in the church library, currently studying 1 & 2 Peter; coffee provided.
• Women's Bible Study Weekly women's Bible study meeting Thursdays 7:45–9 a.m. at Samarkand, The Oaks Dining Room, currently studying Isaiah; new members welcome at any time.
• Women in the Word Women's Bible study studying The Gospel of Mark and The Power of the Holy Spirit, Mondays 9:30–11:15 a.m. in Fellowship Hall with small friendship groups and music.
• Prayer Shawl Ministry Monthly knitting and crocheting fellowship ministry meeting every third Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall; knitters and crocheters welcome.
• Sermons Sermon archive and recordings from weekly worship services covering books of the Bible and topical series, accessible online.
• ELMO Pres Kids Children's ministry program for preschool-through-elementary-age children, providing age-appropriate faith formation, including programs during Sunday worship services.
• Youth Ministry Youth ministry program for middle and high school students, providing spiritual growth, fellowship, Confirmation classes, service opportunities, and summer programming.
• Local and Global Outreach Ministries Mission and outreach programs serving both the local Santa Barbara community and global missions, including events like 'Christmas in Narnia'.
• Prayer Support / Prayer Chain Prayer team ministry that prays for requests and praises, with a dedicated online form for submitting prayer needs.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ECO (Evangelical Community Church Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe church is a member of the ECO Presbyterian denomination. ECO is described as a healthy, vital and flourishing denomination. The church left PCUSA in 2017 and joined ECO. The denomination provides national gatherings, resources, and collegial support for pastors and congregations. The church participates in ECO events including National Gatherings in Dallas.
• Westmont CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for campus ministry, student involvement, and joint events. The church prays for and connects with Westmont College students. Pastor Tom has served at Westmont College Ash Wednesday chapel. Some church members have children attending Westmont. The church campus is located near Westmont College in Santa Barbara.
• Bible ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecommended resource for understanding Scripture. The church uses Bible Project videos to help congregants understand books of the Bible (Genesis, Minor Prophets, Romans, etc.) being studied in sermon series.
• Biola UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced for The Lent Project devotional series which the church recommends during Lenten season. Biola University provides free daily devotional content through their Center for Christian Thought.
• World RenewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster response organization recommended by ECO for giving to support relief efforts (e.g., Southern California fires, Hurricane Helene relief).
• Convoy of HopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster response organization recommended by ECO for giving to support relief efforts.
• Bible Study Fellowship (BSF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational Bible study organization that resumes at the church location. BSF meets Wednesdays 9:30-11 a.m. with preschool children's program for ages 0-5. Study titled 'Romans: From Guilt to Grace' beginning September 2026.
• Ligonier MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecommended as a resource for Bible reading plans and devotional materials. Ligonier provides teaching resources from notable theologians.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Biola University: Christian university in La Mirada, California, whose Center for Christian Thought produces the Lent Project devotional content that El Montecito Pres recommends. Others (adjacent/ecosystem) peer because it is a content/resource partner supplying curriculum rather than a competing congregation.
• Westmont College: Christian liberal arts college physically adjacent to the El Montecito campus in Santa Barbara. Others (adjacent/ecosystem) peer because Westmont is an active ministry partner rather than a competitor — Pastor Tom serves at Westmont chapel, and the church actively engages Westmont students and families.

Direct peers

• Calvary Santa Barbara (Calvary Chapel): Evangelical Bible-teaching congregation in Santa Barbara with comparable Sunday worship, verse-by-verse teaching, and family/youth ministry. Direct peer because it competes for the same evangelical-leaning Santa Barbara households that El Montecito Pres also targets.
• St. Mark United Methodist Church Santa Barbara: Mainline Protestant congregation in Santa Barbara with comparable multi-generational programming, children's and youth ministries, and historic presence. Direct peer because it competes for the same Santa Barbara mainline-leaning families with similar ministry mix.
• First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara: Mainline Presbyterian congregation in downtown Santa Barbara, also founded in the 19th century and serving the same geographic market as El Montecito. Direct peer because it competes for the same Presbyterian-leaning households in Santa Barbara County and offers overlapping ministries (worship, children's, youth, adult education).
• Shoreline Church Montecito: Non-denominational church with a Montecito-area campus serving Santa Barbara families. Direct peer because it operates in the same immediate geography with overlapping family-oriented programming and modern worship style.
• All Saints by-the-Sea Episcopal Church: Historic Episcopal parish in Montecito serving the same upper-income Santa Barbara corridor with comparable traditional liturgy, family programming, and community outreach. Direct peer because both compete for the same Montecito demographic with overlapping denominational heritages.
• Santa Barbara Community Church: Large non-denominational evangelical congregation in Santa Barbara with multi-generational programming and a children's/early-education component. Direct peer because it competes for the same Santa Barbara County families with comparable worship, discipleship, and outreach programming.
• Montecito Covenant Church: Evangelical Covenant congregation located in Montecito, immediately adjacent to El Montecito Pres. Direct peer because both serve the same affluent Montecito/Santa Barbara community with comparable multi-generational programming and a similar theological orientation.

Emerging players

• Christ Presbyterian Church (ECO): ECO Presbyterian congregation using comparable teaching, discipleship, and community-outreach programming. Emerging player peer because both share the ECO denomination's teaching philosophy and can share curriculum, staff networks, and national gathering connections referenced by El Montecito Pres.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/el-montecito-presbyterian-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 El Montecito Presbyterian Church