First Congregational Church of St Louis UCC

What First Congregational Church of St Louis UCC does

Wydown United Church, operating as of 2025 under its new name (formerly First Congregational Church of St. Louis UCC), is a self-governing, self-supporting congregation of the United Church of Christ based at 6501 Wydown Blvd. in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1852 under the abolitionist leadership of Rev. Dr. Truman Marcellus Post and affiliated with the UCC since 1969, the congregation has been formally Open and Affirming of LGBTQ+ members since 2005. It serves general community members, families and youth, and LGBTQ+ seekers in the St. Louis metropolitan area through weekly Sunday worship at 10 a.m., faith formation programs (Sunday School, confirmation, youth groups), a music ministry led by a Minister of Music, community wellness classes in yoga and meditation, and community-facing arts programming through The Red Gate Gallery (launched 2023) and the Paul Evensen Memorial Chamber Orchestra (PEMCO, launched 2024).

The church operates from a single physical campus with a 10-person paid staff led by Senior Pastor Rev. Mia White (called January 2021), Minister of Administration and Membership Hannah Rice, Minister of Music Tim Clark (joined January 2023), and Minister of Faith Formation Joyce Haynes McCowan (joined March 2024). It is governed by a volunteer Council of 12-15 members. Its underlying technology stack is standard non-profit SaaS: Facebook Live and YouTube for livestreamed worship, Constant Contact for the weekly newsletter, Google Calendar for event listings, and the Vanco platform for online giving and recurring pledges; no proprietary technology or AI capabilities were identified.

Revenue is generated primarily through member pledges, tithes, plate offerings, and online donations, with ancillary nominal income from $10 suggested donations on wellness classes and free cultural programming. The church holds formal partnerships with three mission beneficiaries (Unleashing Potential, Every Child's Hope, Isaiah 58 Ministries), uses a Vanco integration for electronic giving, and benefits from a parking arrangement with Washington University in St. Louis. As a 501(c)-style non-profit, no commercial revenue, pricing model, or investor structure applies.

Name

First Congregational Church of St Louis UCC

Legal name

Wydown United Church

Website

https://firstcongregational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1852

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wydown United Church is a self-governing United Church of Christ congregation in St. Louis offering weekly worship, faith formation, music ministry, wellness classes, and community arts programs (Red Gate Gallery, PEMCO orchestra) to area residents, families, and LGBTQ+ seekers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregational Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAA

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

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

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Faith formation programs
• Community wellness programs
• Church arts programming
• Community chamber orchestra

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wydown United Church operates as a UCC congregation providing weekly Sunday worship services, faith formation programs for children and youth, music ministry, community health and wellness offerings (yoga, meditation, contemplative practices), an on-site art gallery (The Red Gate Gallery), and a community chamber orchestra (PEMCO). Services are offered both in-person at the Wydown Blvd. sanctuary and via online livestream on Facebook and YouTube, supported by a small staff and volunteer Council.

Product overview

Wydown United Church (formerly First Congregational Church of St. Louis UCC) is a religious congregation offering worship services, faith formation programs, music ministry, and community wellness services. The church operates several distinct programs including The Red Gate Gallery (an art gallery), the Paul Evensen Memorial Chamber Orchestra (PEMCO), and a Community Health and Wellness Program offering yoga, meditation, and mindfulness workshops. The church is part of the United Church of Christ and operates from 6501 Wydown Blvd., St. Louis MO 63105.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Red Gate Gallery: A creative space designed to foster community and appreciation for the arts. Red Gate exhibits artwork addressing contemporary social issues while providing viewers an opportunity to enjoy a religious space outside of a religious event. It is an initiative of the Mission and Outreach Committee.
• Paul Evensen Memorial Chamber Orchestra (PEMCO)

Products and services

• Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship services held at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary featuring traditional worship with hymns, choral anthems, and scripture reflections. Communion is observed on the first Sunday of each month. Services are offered both in-person and via livestream on Facebook and YouTube, serving the congregation and broader community.
• Faith Formation Programs Religious education programs including Sunday School for children, confirmation classes for middle schoolers, and youth gatherings for teens featuring connection, fun, and faith-centered conversations. Designed for families with children and youth seeking structured faith formation.
• Music Ministry Music ministry led by Tim Clark (Minister of Music) including the Chancel Choir of professional vocalists and volunteers, instrumental and solo ensembles, and special concerts. Supports Sunday worship services and broader community performances.
• Community Health and Wellness Program Wellness program offering yoga, meditation, contemplative wisdom, somatic healing, and creative renewal classes and workshops open to the community. Free to church members; $10 suggested donation for community participants.
• The Red Gate Gallery An on-site art gallery at the church that exhibits artwork addressing contemporary social issues, fostering community through the arts and providing viewers an opportunity to enjoy a religious space outside of religious events.
• Paul Evensen Memorial Chamber Orchestra (PEMCO) A community chamber orchestra providing free, high-quality musical performances. Performs diverse repertoire in a friendly, educational, and supportive environment for both audiences and musicians.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Church of Christ (UCC)coreOthersWydown United Church is a congregation of the United Church of Christ with membership in the St. Louis Association and Missouri Mid-South Conference. The UCC is a distinct and diverse community of Christians with over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members across the U.S. The UCC was the first denomination to ordain an African American, a woman, and an openly gay minister.
• Unleashing PotentialcoreOthersOfficial mission partner of Wydown United Church supported through financial donations, special food and supply collections, and short-term projects.
• Every Child's HopecoreOthersOfficial mission partner of Wydown United Church supported through financial donations, special food and supply collections, and short-term projects.
• Isaiah 58 MinistriescoreOthersOfficial mission partner of Wydown United Church supported through financial donations, special food and supply collections, and short-term projects.
• VancocoreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic giving platform used by Wydown United Church for online donations, tithes, and recurring gift payments via credit/debit card or bank account withdrawal.
• Washington University in St. LouisminorOthersWashington University owns the parking lot next to the church, which is available for church use on evenings and weekends.

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Central Reform Congregation: A progressive Jewish congregation in St. Louis with a similar open-and-affirming identity, arts programming, and community-engagement orientation. Serves the same demographic and cultural niche in the St. Louis progressive-faith ecosystem, with overlapping social-justice and inclusion messaging.
• First Unitarian Church of St. Louis: A progressive, liberal religious community serving the St. Louis metro with comparable emphasis on inclusion, social justice, and arts programming. Both congregations target overlapping demographics—educated, progressive, inclusion-oriented families in the city-county corridor—and compete for similar member and donor pools.
• Old South Church in Boston: A historic United Church of Christ congregation in Boston that is also Open and Affirming, with similar progressive theological identity, strong music and arts programming, and a comparable urban-congregation profile. Represents the closest same-denomination (UCC) Open and Affirming peer with shared governance heritage.
• Ethical Society of St. Louis: A humanist congregation in the St. Louis metro serving a comparable progressive, inclusion-oriented demographic with a community-programming model. Overlaps with Wydown United Church on audience, mission orientation, and community engagement rather than on religious tradition.
• Plymouth Congregational Church (various): Network of historic Congregational/UCC churches sharing the same denominational heritage, congregational self-governance model, and progressive theological trajectory. Comparable in governance structure (self-supporting, member-led) and the Open and Affirming evolution common to progressive UCC congregations nationally.
• First Congregational Church of Berkeley, UCC: A long-standing Congregational UCC church with progressive theological identity, an Open and Affirming stance, and a comparable music-and-arts ministry profile. Mirrors the same historical Congregational identity and progressive repositioning trajectory visible in Wydown United Church's 2025 rebrand.
• Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal), St. Louis: A historic downtown St. Louis Episcopal cathedral offering traditional liturgy with progressive theology, comparable music programs (chancel choir, organ), and similar social-justice outreach. Comparable in scale and liturgical tradition (hymns, choral anthems, communion) to Wydown United Church's worship service.
• St. John's Episcopal Church, St. Louis: A progressive Episcopal congregation in the St. Louis metro offering comparable worship-with-choir programming, faith formation, and outreach ministries. Operates in the same city-county demographic and competes for similar educated, socially-liberal member households.

Broad incumbents

• The Riverside Church (New York): A large interdenominational/UCC-affiliated progressive church in New York City with a globally-known social-justice identity, extensive music and arts programming, and an Open and Affirming stance. Operates at a much larger scale, but shares the same UCC progressive-identity brand archetype that Wydown United Church is positioning toward.

Others

• Missouri Mid-South Conference, United Church of Christ: The regional UCC body to which Wydown United Church belongs, alongside the St. Louis Association. Not a competitor but the denominational governance and mutual-support network that shapes resources, clergy placement, and shared programming opportunities for member congregations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WydownUnitedChurch
• Facebookfacebook.com/WydownUnitedChurch
• Instagraminstagram.com/wydownunitedchurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-congregational-church-of-st-louis-ucc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Congregational Church of St Louis UCC