First Mennonite Church

Religious Services / House of Worshipfirstmennoniteiowacity.org

First Mennonite Church of Iowa City is a historic Anabaptist congregation serving ~50+ active families, University of Iowa students, and local community members through Sunday worship, Christian education, peace and justice ministry, and a football parking program that funds scholarships and local missions.

Company typePrivate
Founded1840
HeadquartersIowa City, United States
Headcount51–100
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What First Mennonite Church does

First Mennonite Church of Iowa City (FMC) is a private nonprofit religious congregation located at 405 Myrtle Ave in Iowa City, Iowa, affiliated with Mennonite Church USA and the Central Plains Mennonite Conference. Founded approximately in 1840 within the Anabaptist tradition, the church describes itself as a historic peace church with an explicit "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Rooted in Christ" identity that welcomes LGBTQ+ persons and people of every race, gender, immigration status, ability, age, and marital status. Its primary constituents are local families, University of Iowa students and staff, and traditional Mennonite community members from nearby Kalona, Iowa.

The congregation operates with three full-time paid staff (Pastor Marc Schlegel-Preheim, Ministry & Fellowship Coordinator Gretta Rempel Fisher, and Administrative Assistant Mary Forney) and treats all members as ministers who share liturgical and service responsibilities. Its product surface consists of Sunday worship at 9:30 AM, Christian education for ages 2 through grade 12 and adults, small groups, a 2,000+-item FMC Peace Library, local and global mission programs, building-sharing arrangements with Home Ties Day Care and Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte, and online YouTube streaming with sermon archives dating to 2011. The technology stack is minimal: a website, a Facebook group, YouTube, and an online library catalog (RM Webopac), with no AI, mobile app, or proprietary platform.

The church's revenue model is donation-based, supplemented by a football parking program that monetizes the church's proximity to Kinnick Stadium ($30/space/day on a first-come basis or $280/space for the season) and a smaller weekday commuter parking offering that funds lot maintenance. Football parking proceeds are directed to local missions, youth service projects, and academic scholarships; tithes and offerings fund the operating budget. The church distributes its services through in-person worship, online YouTube streaming, and shared building space, and reaches new participants through community referrals, university connections, and an active Facebook presence. There is no external ownership, no venture funding, and no disclosed revenue figures.

First Mennonite Church firmographics

Firmographics

Name: First Mennonite Church
Legal name: First Mennonite Church of Iowa City
Website: https://firstmennoniteiowacity.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1840
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 51–100 employees
Short description: First Mennonite Church of Iowa City is a historic Anabaptist congregation serving ~50+ active families, University of Iowa students, and local community members through Sunday worship, Christian education, peace and justice ministry, and a football parking program that funds scholarships and local missions.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

First Mennonite Church industry classification

Industry

Product category: Religious Services / House of Worship
NAICS: Religious Organizations (813110), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
akta.pro primary industry: Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)
akta.pro secondary industries: Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

Religious worship services
Christian education programs
Community mission outreach
Faith formation ministries
Religious nonprofit organization

Where First Mennonite Church is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Iowa City
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

First Mennonite Church business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary contributions from congregation members during worship services
Football Parking Revenue: Parking lot rental near University of Iowa Kinnick Stadium during home football games. Non-reserved spots $30/day; season reservations $280/space. Funds used for local missions, youth service projects, and academic scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Non-reserved game day parking
Unit Pricing	Multi-year contract	Season reserved parking

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

First Mennonite Church product offering

Product offering

Core offering

First Mennonite Church is a historic Anabaptist (Mennonite) congregation that provides weekly Sunday worship services (9:30 AM), Christian education programs for all ages, small groups for spiritual formation, and a 2,000+ resource peace library. The church also runs local and global mission outreach programs, online worship streaming via YouTube, and football parking lot rentals near the University of Iowa that fund scholarships and community missions.

Product overview

First Mennonite Church offers a portfolio of religious and community services centered around worship, Christian education, and mission work. The church provides Sunday worship services (9:30 AM), Christian education programs for all ages, small groups for spiritual formation, and a peace-focused library. Community engagement includes local missions (shelters, food banks, worker justice), global missions (Mennonite Mission Network, MCC, CPT), and football parking services that fund scholarships. The church also shares its building with Home Ties Day Care and Torre Fuerte Spanish-language congregation. Services are available both in-person and via YouTube streaming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Sunday Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship services held at 9:30 AM at 405 Myrtle Ave, Iowa City, featuring congregational singing, scripture reading, children's time, and sermons reflecting Anabaptist values. Includes monthly communion and is the central congregational gathering.
Christian Education Programs Faith formation programs for all ages, including Kids and Youth classes for ages 2 through grade 12, Adult Bible study groups (Koinonia, Sinape, Remnant, Ichthus, Taste & See), and Mennonite Youth Fellowship (MYF) for high school students. Sessions held during the 10:45 AM Faith Formation hour on Sundays with summer hiatus.
FMC Peace Library On-site library containing over 2,000 books, audio books on CD, music CDs, and fiction/non-fiction DVD titles. Supports Christian Education, Bible study, and personal enrichment with themes including Mennonite/Anabaptist history, peace theology, and Christian spirituality. Includes an online catalog system.
Small Groups Spiritual community groups including Peace Knitters (charity knitting group), Enneagram class, and various semester-based interest groups for fellowship, study, service, and prayer. Designed to deepen congregational engagement beyond Sunday services.
Local Missions (Across the Street) Community outreach programs supporting Home Ties Day Care (rent-free space), Iowa City Shelter House, CommUnity, Habitat for Humanity, Table to Table, Center for Worker Justice, Pleasantview Home, and other local social service organizations through annual financial commitments and volunteers.
Global Missions (Around the World) International mission partnerships with Mennonite Mission Network, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), and the IVEP program. Includes global service opportunities and partners in Nepal, Lithuania, Ecuador, Laos, Vietnam, Egypt, Haiti, India, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Switzerland, and Malaysia.
Football Parking Services University of Iowa Hawkeye football game day parking in the church lot near Kinnick Stadium. Offers reserved season parking at $280 per space and day-of non-reserved parking at $30 per space on a first-come-first-served basis. Revenue supports local missions, youth service projects, and academic scholarships.
Weekday Parking Services Weekday commuter parking available in the church lot near the University of Iowa campus. Proceeds support snow removal, mowing, and lot maintenance costs.
Online Worship Recordings YouTube-based streaming and archive of Sunday worship services, special services, funerals, and weddings. Services are available from 2011 through present, with 2022-present accessible via the church's YouTube channel.
Building Sharing Programs Shared facility use program hosting Home Ties Child Care Center and Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte (a Spanish-language Mennonite church meeting Sundays at 5:30 PM and Thursdays at 6 PM) rent-free or shared-cost in the church building.

Companies that use First Mennonite Church

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

First Mennonite Church technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

First Mennonite Church partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Home Ties Day Care (4Cs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch provides rent-free and utility-free space for Home Ties Day Care, which helps families in crisis by providing quality short-term child care while parents are away.
Iglesia Torre FuertecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish language Mennonite church that shares building space, meeting Sundays at 5:30 PM and Thursdays at 6 PM.
Central Plains Mennonite ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual commitment and conference affiliation for mission partnership and support.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual commitment to MCC and promotion of above-budget requests for special assistance. Church members participate in CPT and IVEP programs.
Mennonite Mission NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual support of Mennonite Mission Network for global mission work.
Iowa City Shelter HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual financial commitment to homeless shelter services.
CommUnity (formerly Crisis Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual financial commitment to community services organization.
Habitat for Humanity (Iowa Valley)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteers provided for local Habitat for Humanity building projects.
Mennonite Disaster ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch volunteers participate in Mennonite Disaster Service projects.
Table to TableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteers support food rescue and distribution organization.
Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual support and active members/reservists from the church participate in CPT.
Hillcrest AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual support for Mennonite school in Kalona, Iowa.
Crooked Creek Christian CampminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual support and volunteer participation for youth camp.
Pleasantview HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual support for retirement home including volunteer activities and benefit sales.
Crowded Closet (Mennonite-affiliated thrift store)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch volunteers support thrift store operations.
Ten Thousand Villages StoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteers support fair-trade store in Iowa City.
Center for Worker JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual financial support for worker advocacy organization.
Iowa Peace CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual financial support for peace education and advocacy.
NAMI and Compeer (Mental Health)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for National Alliance on Mental Illness and Compeer programs.
Ecumenical Free Lunch ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBi-monthly free lunch program operated ecumenically.
Border Hope / Migrant MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWork with ministries to migrant families near southern US border.
Robin Gingerich (Global Mission Partner in Lithuania)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch supports global mission partner serving in Lithuania.
Central Plains Mennonite Conference Ecuador PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference mission partnership in Ecuador that the church participates in.
Mennonite Creation Care NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch is a member of the Mennonite Creation Care Network for environmental stewardship advocacy.
First Mennonite Immigration Task ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch-based task force focused on immigration support and advocacy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

First Mennonite Church competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Emerging players

Crooked Creek Christian Camp: A Mennonite-affiliated youth camp supported by First Mennonite through volunteers and annual giving. Comparable as a regional Mennonite mission organization with overlapping programmatic goals around youth formation.
Hillcrest Academy: Mennonite school in Kalona, Iowa, supported annually by First Mennonite. Comparable as a Mennonite-affiliated mission organization in the immediate region, focused on faith-based education rather than worship.

Broad incumbents

Central Plains Mennonite Conference: Regional Mennonite conference to which First Mennonite belongs and contributes annually. Comparable as a regional Mennonite body, though operating at multi-state conference level.
Mennonite Church USA: The national Mennonite denomination of which First Mennonite is an affiliated congregation. Comparable as the denominational umbrella organization providing identity, conferences, and shared resources.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC): A much larger Mennonite relief and development organization that First Mennonite supports annually and partners with operationally. Comparable as a Mennonite mission-driven entity, though operating at vastly different scale.
Mennonite Mission Network: The mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, which First Mennonite supports annually. Comparable as a Mennonite denominational mission organization, but operating at network/agency scale rather than local congregation scale.
Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT): An Anabaptist peace and justice organization that First Mennonite actively supports and whose reservists include church members. Comparable as a Mennonite-affiliated peace and mission organization.

Direct peers

Hesston Mennonite Church: An Anabaptist Mennonite congregation in Kansas comparable in size, denomination, and community-mission orientation to First Mennonite.
Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte: Spanish-language Mennonite congregation sharing First Mennonite's building on Sundays at 5:30 PM and Thursdays at 6 PM. Directly comparable as a small Mennonite worship community operating in a shared facility model.
Hyde Park Mennonite Fellowship: An Anabaptist Mennonite congregation in Boise, Idaho, where First Mennonite's current pastor previously served. Directly comparable as a Mennonite congregation of similar size and progressive orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

First Mennonite Church financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

First Mennonite Church leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

First Mennonite Church funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

First Mennonite Church M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Mennonite Church

What does First Mennonite Church do?

Is First Mennonite Church a public or private company?

First Mennonite Church is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was First Mennonite Church founded?

First Mennonite Church was founded in 1840. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is First Mennonite Church based?

First Mennonite Church is headquartered in Iowa City, United States, in the North America region.

How does First Mennonite Church make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Tithes and Offerings are the primary driver. The others are football Parking Revenue.

Who are First Mennonite Church's main competitors?

Emerging players on record are Crooked Creek Christian Camp and Hillcrest Academy. Broad incumbents are Central Plains Mennonite Conference, Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Mennonite Mission Network and Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT). Direct peers are Hesston Mennonite Church, Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte and Hyde Park Mennonite Fellowship.

Does First Mennonite Church have an API?

No public API is recorded for First Mennonite Church.

What industry is First Mennonite Church in?

First Mennonite Church's product category is Religious Services / House of Worship. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAA, Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAG, Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling). Its NAICS code is 813110.