First Church In Jamaica Plain

What First Church In Jamaica Plain does

First Church in Jamaica Plain is a self-governing Unitarian Universalist congregation located at 6 Eliot Street in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, operating as the First Congregational Society of Jamaica Plain under Massachusetts law. The church serves congregants and the broader Jamaica Plain community through in-person Sunday worship services (11am, or 10am in summer at the Parish Hall), online livestreamed services with a chat feature for prayer requests, pastoral care, religious education, community-building circles, and a music program including a classical recital series. Core products and programs include the JP Craft Fair, social justice initiatives (land acknowledgment, Hidden Jamaica Plain reparation research, BIJAN immigration bond support, Mother's Day Walk for Peace), and pastoral care programs. Building rentals for events, weddings, and recitals supplement congregant giving.

The church's technology stack is minimal and operational rather than strategic: OneChurch Software handles member management, online giving, pledge processing, and donations (with a portal at app.onechurchsoftware.com); Tithe.ly is used for event registration; and the church maintains a website with direct livestreaming (transitioning from Zoom in fall 2025). There is no proprietary technology, mobile app, or API offering. Governance is exercised by an elected Governing Board, with annual congregational meetings for major decisions including budget approval. A separate entity, the First Church Trust, holds the church building and endowment and makes annual contributions to the operating budget; the Trust divested from fossil fuel assets in 2014. A 501(c)(3) foundation, the Monument Square Meeting House Foundation Inc. (Tax ID 92-2052131), was established to enable employer match programs and building preservation.

The revenue model is a hybrid of recurring congregant pledges, transactional building rental income, endowment draws, and donations. Annual pledges from members constitute approximately 60% of the roughly $270,000 operating budget, with the remainder sourced from building rentals, endowment contributions, fundraisers, and special collections. Worship is free to attend with no admission charge; attendees are encouraged to pledge based on financial capacity, and childcare is provided at $30.04 per hour. Distribution is primarily regional via the physical site in Jamaica Plain, with global online reach via livestream. The congregation is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association and historically an "Honor Congregation" contributor to the UUA Annual Program Fund.

Name

First Church In Jamaica Plain

Legal name

First Congregational Society of Jamaica Plain

Website

https://firstchurchjp.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Church in Jamaica Plain is a self-governing Unitarian Universalist congregation at 6 Eliot Street in Jamaica Plain, MA, offering in-person and livestreamed Sunday worship, pastoral care, social justice programs, recital series, and community-building events to its members and the local community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services / Congregational Worship

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Unitarian Universalist worship
• Congregational religious services
• Pastoral care ministry
• Social justice programming
• Spiritual community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Jamaica Plain

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

Revenue model

1. Pledges and Congregant Giving: Annual pledges from members constitute approximately 60% of church income. Congregants make financial commitments for the church year, with suggested giving based on percentage of income after adjustments for taxes and expenses.
2. Building Rentals: Revenue from renting the church building for events and community use, including the JP Craft Fair and recital series.
3. Endowment Income: The First Church Trust (endowment) provides annual contributions to the operating budget. The Trust divested from fossil fuel assets in 2014 and invests according to social responsibility guidelines.
4. Fundraisers and Donations: Special collections during services (e.g., Beyond Bond immigration legal defense fund), fundraiser events, and general donations from the congregation and broader community.
5. UUA Annual Program Fund: Contributions to the Unitarian Universalist Association's Annual Program Fund, which strengthens Unitarian Universalism. The church was an 'Honor Congregation' for many years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First Church In Jamaica Plain is a self-governing Unitarian Universalist congregation that delivers weekly worship services (in-person and online), pastoral care, social justice and community outreach programs, a music recital series, the annual JP Craft Fair, and rents its historic building to outside groups. The congregation operates on an annual budget of approximately $270,000 and is supported by member pledges, plate offerings, and rental income.

Product overview

First Church in Jamaica Plain is a Unitarian Universalist congregation offering worship services and community programs. The core offerings include in-person and livestreamed Sunday worship services (11am, 10am summer) at 6 Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, and a First Church Recital Series featuring classical music performances. The church operates community programs including Social Justice initiatives (land acknowledgment, immigration justice), Pastoral Care services, JP Craft Fair, and Community-Building Circles. Supporting services include Building Rentals for events, Online Giving through OneChurch Software, Member Resources portal, and Childcare during services. The church transitioned from Zoom-based online worship to direct livestreaming with prayer request chat features.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekly Worship Services In-person and online Sunday worship services for members, friends, and visitors of the Jamaica Plain community and broader Boston area.
• Pastoral Care Spiritual counseling, life-cycle ceremonies (weddings, memorial services), and one-on-one pastoral support offered by the minister to congregants and the wider community.
• Religious Education and Family Life Programming Faith formation programs for children, youth, and families, coordinated by the Family Life Coordinator, supporting multigenerational spiritual growth.
• Social Justice and Community Outreach Programs Programs and initiatives aligned with Unitarian Universalist principles, engaging congregants and partners in advocacy, service, and outreach in Jamaica Plain and Greater Boston.
• Recital Series A community music recital series hosted at the church, curated by the Music Director, open to congregants and the public.
• JP Craft Fair An annual craft fair organized by the congregation in Jamaica Plain, serving as a community gathering and fundraiser.
• Building Rentals Rental of the historic 6 Eliot Street church building to outside organizations and individuals for weddings, memorial services, concerts, and community events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Exceeds fundraising goals for community causes (e.g., $3,505 raised vs $3,500 goal for Mother's Day Walk for Peace)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JP Historical Society (Jamaica Plain Historical Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Church collaborates with JP Historical Society on the 'Hidden Jamaica Plain' project investigating the history of land theft, slavery, and slavery-enabled industry and wealth in Jamaica Plain, particularly involving First Church founders and members. The church hosted a well-attended presentation in conjunction with JPHS, Loring Greenough House, and Eliot School.
• Loring Greenough HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with First Church for the Hidden Jamaica Plain presentation on Colonial-era history, slavery, and land theft in Jamaica Plain.
• Eliot SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with First Church and other organizations for the Hidden Jamaica Plain historical presentation on Colonial-era stories of Black and White residents.
• Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN)coreOthersBIJAN is a network of volunteers supporting people in immigration detention in New England. First Church takes special collections to support BIJAN's Beyond Bond and Legal Defense Fund that pays immigration bonds for detained individuals.
• Monument Square Meeting House Foundation Inc.coreOthersA 501(c)(3) non-profit (Tax ID 92-2052131) dedicated to First Church's building and grounds. Enables employer match programs for donations and supports the sanctuary roof replacement project.
• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Church is a member congregation of the UUA and contributes annually to the UUA's Annual Program Fund. The church was an 'Honor Congregation' for many years, contributing the requested amount annually.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Old South Church in Boston: A progressive, historic Boston congregation with a strong social justice identity, comparable donation-driven funding model, and a similar mix of in-person/online worship and community programs.
• First Parish of Watertown: A historic Unitarian Universalist congregation in Greater Boston serving a similar community-size profile with comparable operating budget, staffing scale, and programmatic offerings.
• Arlington Street Church: A Unitarian Universalist congregation in downtown Boston with a similar urban-mission profile, free-to-attend worship, active social justice programming, and historic building used for public events and rentals.
• First Parish in Brookline: A neighboring Greater Boston Unitarian Universalist congregation with a similar urban-suburban demographic, free-to-attend worship, music programming, and reliance on annual pledges and rentals.
• First Parish Cambridge: A historic Unitarian Universalist congregation in neighboring Cambridge serving a similar progressive, urban professional demographic with comparable programs in social justice, music, and community engagement.
• First Unitarian Universalist Church of Somerville: A Greater Boston UU congregation of similar size and progressive identity, operating with a comparable lean staff model, pledge-based funding, and emphasis on community engagement and justice work.
• King's Chapel: A historic Boston congregation with a Unitarian Universalist identity, sharing comparable operational characteristics: small paid staff, historic building, pledge-based revenue, and active community programming.

Broad incumbents

• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA): The national denominational body to which First Church belongs and to which it contributes annually. Provides broader identity, programming resources, and the Annual Program Fund that strengthens UU congregations across the region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/firstchurchjpuu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-church-in-jamaica-plain

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about First Church In Jamaica Plain