FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF ODENTON INC

What FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF ODENTON INC does

First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Odenton Inc is a single-site religious nonprofit congregation incorporated in Maryland in 1942 and affiliated with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). Headquartered at 8397 Piney Orchard Parkway in Odenton, Maryland, the church delivers traditional confessional Lutheran worship services, Christian education programming (Children's and Adult Sunday School, women's and men's Bible studies, Young Adults group), a 40-lesson Family-Based Confirmation curriculum, and pastoral services including baptism, weddings, and funerals. The congregation also operates community outreach programs such as monthly charity dinners, blood drives, seasonal flea markets, and an inter-church Easter Eggstravaganza.

The church runs on a lightweight technology stack consisting of a Squarespace-hosted website (felcodenton.org) integrated with Planning Center's Church Center for online giving, member management, and event calendaring. Donation mechanics include text-to-give (shortcode 84321), online card/Apple Pay/direct debit via Church Center, and traditional envelopes, with funds directed to either a General Fund for operations or a Building Fund for mortgage-related obligations. The 2009 sanctuary renovation reflects the most recent material capital investment, and a pastor transition is currently underway with Pastor Corey Brooks succeeding the long-tenured Reverend Scott M. MacDonald (ordained 2002).

The revenue model is donation- and event-driven rather than fee-based: weekly tithes and offerings form the core income stream, supplemented by per-plate charity dinner proceeds, flea market revenues, and occasional mission fundraisers. The church shares youth ministry with three neighboring LCMS-area congregations (St. Paul Annapolis, St. Paul Crofton, Trinity Lutheran Bowie) and co-hosts ecumenical community events with St. Joseph Catholic and Nicol-Bethel Methodist churches, indicating a collaborative rather than competitive operating posture within the Odenton religious submarket. No private equity, venture, or institutional sponsorship is present; ownership and governance rest with the voting congregation.

Name

FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF ODENTON INC

Legal name

First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Odenton, Inc.

Website

https://felcodenton.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Odenton Inc is a single-site LCMS-affiliated congregation in Odenton, Maryland offering traditional Lutheran worship, Christian education, family-based confirmation, and community outreach events to local families and adults. Revenue is generated through member donations, online giving, and charity events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Lutheran worship services
• Christian education programs
• Religious community services
• Confirmation instruction
• Spiritual formation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Odenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tithes: Members and visitors contribute through weekly offerings, which can be given via cash, checks, or online. Donations support the General Fund for day-to-day operations and can be designated for specific purposes like the Building Fund for mortgage payments.
2. Online and Text Giving: Text-to-give via 84321 with keyword 'help' or dollar amount; online donations through Church Center platform supporting Apple Pay, Direct Debit, and credit card payments.
3. Charity Dinner Events: Community fundraising events including charity dinners (e.g., St. Patrick's Charity Dinner at $15/plate, brisket dinners, roast beef dinners) that generate revenue while serving the community.
4. Fundraising Events: Spring and Fall Flea Markets, Alaska Mission Fundraiser Luncheons with silent auctions, and other special event fundraisers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Odenton provides traditional Lutheran worship services, Christian education across all ages, pastoral care, and community outreach to residents of Odenton, MD and surrounding Maryland areas. Core programs include weekly Divine Worship with Holy Communion, Family-Based Confirmation, Sunday School, Bible study small groups, and youth ministry. The congregation is supported by tax-deductible donations tithed weekly and online, supplemented by revenue from charity dinners and fundraising events.

Product overview

First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Odenton offers a unified suite of religious and community programs centered on Lutheran worship and education. The core offerings include Divine Worship Services (traditional liturgical Sunday services with Holy Communion) and faith formation programs (FamilyBasedConfirmation with 40 lessons, Bible Study Groups, and Sunday School). Supporting programs include online giving via Church Center, monthly charity dinners, blood drives, and seasonal community events like flea markets and mission fundraisers. The church operates on the Squarespace web platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Divine Worship Services Weekly traditional and liturgical worship services held on Sundays at 10:30 AM featuring Word and Sacrament ministry with Holy Communion, hymnody, confession, and absolution for the Odenton, MD community.
• Bible Study Programs Small group Bible studies including Tuesday Morning Women's Bible Study, Wednesday Morning Men's Bible Study, Young Adults Group sessions, and Evening Compline and Bible Study on Thursdays at 7:00 PM for adults seeking deeper scriptural engagement.
• Family-Based Confirmation Confirmation curriculum based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (the Shema) that equips families to intentionally share the faith with children while learning about their own faith, comprising 40 lessons across key biblical books and Lutheran doctrine.
• Sunday School Children's Sunday School held 9:00-10:00 AM and Adult Sunday School programs for faith education of all ages at the Odenton, MD congregation.
• Charity Dinner Events Monthly community charity dinners providing meals to those in need, including brisket, roast beef, and St. Patrick's themed dinners, with a charity-donation exchange option for the homeless.
• Community Events and Fundraisers Seasonal community events and fundraisers including Spring and Fall Flea Markets, Alaska Mission Fundraiser Luncheons with silent auctions, Easter Eggstravaganza, and Easter breakfast events.
• Live-Streamed Worship Services Live-streamed and recorded Divine Worship services and sermons published on the church's YouTube channel, enabling remote participation for members and visitors unable to attend in person.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lutheran Church Missouri SynodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Evangelical Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). The church operates under the theological guidance and polity of the LCMS, participating in district activities and adhering to confessional Lutheran doctrine.
• Combined Youth Group PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined Youth Group with St. Paul, Annapolis; St. Paul, Crofton; Trinity Lutheran in Bowie. Churches collaborate on youth ministry activities and programs for shared youth and young adults.
• Easter Eggstravaganza PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEaster Eggstravaganza hosted in partnership with St. Joseph Catholic Church and Nicol-Bethel Methodist Church. Joint family-friendly community event with egg hunts, games, crafts, and food at three churches within walking distance.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St. Paul Lutheran Church (Crofton): Adjacent LCMS congregation in Crofton, MD, also part of the Combined Youth Group partnership. Closely comparable in scale, denomination, and geography to the subject church.
• Trinity Lutheran Church (Bowie): Third Lutheran (LCMS) congregation in the Combined Youth Group. Same denomination, similar suburban Maryland context, and shared youth programming.
• St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Gambrills): Historically joint-called Lutheran congregation in nearby Gambrills, MD (shared pastors in 1961-1965). Very close comparable in denomination, scale, and Maryland suburban location.
• St. Paul Lutheran Church (Annapolis): Partner Lutheran (LCMS) congregation directly participating in the Combined Youth Group. Most direct comparable given shared denomination, similar Maryland suburban location, and joint programmatic relationship.

Regional players

• St. Joseph Catholic Church (Odenton): Catholic parish in Odenton, MD that co-hosts the Easter Eggstravaganza. Comparable as a neighboring congregation serving the same community with religious services and family ministry.
• Nicol-Bethel United Methodist Church (Odenton): Methodist congregation in Odenton that partners with the church on the Easter Eggstravaganza. Comparable as a same-community, non-Lutheran Christian congregation pursuing similar outreach.

Broad incumbents

• Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (Baltimore): The mother LCMS church in Baltimore from which Reverend Emmanuel T. Finck was sent to found First Lutheran in 1940. Larger, more established LCMS congregation with broader programming as a denominational anchor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeKkm3LY3uqU0-57RQzC5-g
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirstLutheranOdenton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-evangelical-lutheran-church-of-odenton-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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