First Church Congregational

What First Church Congregational does

First Church Congregational UCC is a private, nonprofit religious congregation affiliated with the United Church of Christ, founded on June 17, 1810 in Painesville, Ohio. It is the oldest congregation in Lake County and has operated continuously for more than two centuries, currently drawing a membership of approximately 300 people from across the local community. Its mission centers on worship, faith formation, and community ministry, and it has a documented historical legacy tied to the Underground Railroad and abolitionist movement dating to the 1830s.

The congregation's core offerings are in-person Sunday worship services at 10:00 AM at the 1862 sanctuary located at 22 Liberty Street, supplemented by live online streaming and on-demand recordings of recent services. Supporting programs include youth ministries, adult Bible studies, a newsletter, and a historical ministry program. The underlying technology stack is modest: a public website (firstchurchcongregational.org) with embedded streaming, plus a Breeze ChMS-powered digital giving platform that supports credit card, bank, recurring, and legacy gifts. The church also operates a small online store for merchandise. There is no proprietary technology, app, or API; the site has no mobile app and no AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

The revenue model is entirely voluntary: tithes and offerings from members and visitors, collected in person or through the digital giving platform, are the sole funding source. Worship services and ministry programs are provided free of charge. The organization is governed by the congregation under congregational polity with local autonomy within the UCC denomination, led by Rev. Thomas J. Cofer as pastor, supported by a Financial Secretary, Administrative Assistant, custodian, and housekeeping staff. Geographic reach is concentrated in Painesville and Lake County, Ohio, with no disclosed expansion plans beyond the existing digital channels.

Name

First Church Congregational

Legal name

First Church Congregational United Church of Christ

Website

https://firstchurchcongregational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1810

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Church Congregational UCC is a 200+ year-old nonprofit religious congregation in Painesville, Ohio, serving approximately 300 members with in-person and online worship, youth and adult ministry programs, and voluntary digital giving.

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)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Worship services
• Religious community
• Faith formation
• Online giving
• Ministry programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Painesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Members and visitors give monetary contributions to support church ministries and operations. Giving can be done in person during worship, online through the website, via automated recurring gifts, or legacy gifts.
2. Online Giving Platform: Digital giving through the church website enabling credit card transactions, bank withdrawals, and recurring gift options. Over 60% of giving transactions are conducted via credit card according to church disclosures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

First Church Congregational delivers weekly Christian worship services both in-person at its Painesville sanctuary and via live online streaming, with on-demand access to recent services. It supplements worship with faith formation ministries (youth programs and adult Bible studies) and supports operations through a digital giving platform, an email newsletter, and an online church store.

Product overview

First Church Congregational is a traditional church offering a unified set of worship and ministry services centered around in-person and online religious gatherings. The core offerings include Sunday worship services (conducted both in-person at 22 Liberty Street, Painesville, and live-streamed online), on-demand recorded services, and various ministry programs such as youth programs and adult Bible studies. Additional services include online giving through a digital tithing platform, email newsletter subscription for community updates, and an e-commerce store. The church also maintains a historical ministry legacy tied to its abolitionist roots. These products and services function as an integrated spiritual community platform rather than a modular software product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Worship Services Weekly in-person worship services held on Sundays at 10:00 AM at the sanctuary located at 22 Liberty Street in Painesville, Ohio.
• Online Worship Streaming Live streaming of worship services on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM ET, allowing online community members to participate remotely.
• Worship On Demand Recorded worship services available on demand, enabling congregation members to catch up or rewatch previous services.
• Youth Programs Youth-focused ministry programs offering spiritual development and community engagement for young members of the congregation.
• Adult Bible Studies Adult educational programs focused on Bible study and spiritual growth for congregation members.
• Online Giving Digital tithing and donation platform enabling congregation members to give online, set up recurring gifts, and make legacy gifts.
• Newsletter Subscription Email newsletter providing updates on church news, events, and information to subscribers.
• Church Store Online retail store offering church-related products and merchandise.
• Underground Railroad Historical Ministry Historical ministry reflecting the church's legacy of standing for dignity of all people, originating from involvement with the Underground Railroad and abolitionist movement in the 1830s.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Council of Churches: Ecumenical coalition of mainline Christian denominations; relevant as an ecosystem organization influencing the broader mainline Protestant space in which First Church operates.
• United Church of Christ (national body): Denominational parent organization providing governance, resources, and shared programming for affiliated congregations such as First Church Congregational.
• Habitat for Humanity of Lake County, Ohio: Faith-rooted nonprofit operating in the same Lake County geography. Comparable faith-based community-services operating model and volunteer-driven footprint.
• Interfaith Association of Greater Cleveland: Regional interfaith network adjacent to First Church's service area; relevant peer for collaborative programming, community outreach, and faith-based social services in Northeast Ohio.

Direct peers

• First Congregational United Church of Christ of Washington, D.C. Urban UCC congregation offering in-person and streamed worship plus mission-driven programming. Direct peer on denomination, polity, and digital worship model.
• Old South Church in Boston: Long-standing Congregational congregation with a historic building, online streaming, and multi-channel giving. Comparable in heritage-driven brand, traditional worship, and digital distribution approach.
• First Congregational Church of Los Angeles: Historic UCC-affiliated Congregational congregation in downtown LA with deep heritage, in-person and online worship, and comparable ministry programming. Closest category peer given shared UCC affiliation and Congregational polity.
• Pilgrim Congregational Church: Congregational church with a similar mix of worship, education, and community outreach. Comparable structure as a mid-sized congregationally governed church with volunteer-driven operations.

Regional players

• St. Mary Catholic Church (Painesville, OH): Another longstanding faith community operating in the same Painesville geography, competing for the same pool of local worshippers and donors.
• First Presbyterian Church of Painesville: Mainline Protestant congregation serving the same Painesville/Lake County community. Direct local competitor for members, donations, and community visibility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-church-congregational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 First Church Congregational