FIRST PARISH CHURCH

What FIRST PARISH CHURCH does

First Parish Church is a United Church of Christ (UCC) affiliated congregation based in Brunswick, Maine, operating as a community-rooted religious nonprofit. Its core functional offering centers on weekly worship services, supported by a multi-staff pastoral and program team of approximately 43 personnel, with programming spanning youth ministries, music ensembles, and structured support groups. The church holds an "Open and Affirming" designation within the UCC, reflecting a progressive theological stance that differentiates it within the local congregational landscape.

The organization's service model is built on in-person participation supplemented by a digital engagement layer: a YouTube livestream channel extends worship access remotely; Mailchimp newsletters drive ongoing communications; the Realm platform manages giving and member administration; and Facebook and Instagram accounts support community outreach. Beyond worship and member services, First Parish Church operates as a civic and social-service node, partnering with Tedford Housing on homelessness and housing support and collaborating with the Frances Perkins Center on educational programming.

Its economic model follows the standard nonprofit parish structure: revenue derives from member pledges, plate offerings, and donations processed through its giving platform, with no disclosed commercial pricing, fee-for-service revenue, or investment-grade financial reporting in the input data. The church is sustained operationally by its clergy, program staff, and volunteer congregation, and strategically orients around deepening community impact in the Brunswick, Maine region rather than scaling through new sites or commercial product lines.

Name

FIRST PARISH CHURCH

Legal name

First Parish Church

Website

https://firstparish.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Parish Church is a United Church of Christ congregation in Brunswick, Maine, serving a local congregation through worship, youth, music, and support programs, with community partnerships in housing and civic education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregational Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

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

• Religious worship services
• Faith community programs
• Christian education programs
• Pastoral care services
• Community outreach ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Brunswick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tithes: Voluntary financial contributions from congregation members including one-time and recurring gifts through the church's online giving platform

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

First Parish Church is a religious congregation that provides weekly Sunday worship services (in-person at 10am and via YouTube livestream), Christian education programs for children, youth, and adults, music ministry programs including the Adult Choir and Summer Singers, pastoral care, recovery and caregiver support groups, Friday morning silent meditation, life-event services such as baptisms, weddings, and memorial services, and community outreach through partnerships such as the Tedford Housing monthly meal program. The congregation operates as an Open and Affirming community welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, supported by voluntary donations from members.

Product overview

First Parish Church is a religious congregation providing worship services and spiritual programs. Their offerings include Sunday worship services (10am with livestream via YouTube), children's, youth, and adult religious education programs, music and choir programs, pastoral care services, community support groups (Caregivers' Support, ACA, AA meetings), meditation and prayer gatherings, and various outreach programs. The church also provides facilities for weddings, baptisms, memorial services, and community events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly in-person worship services held every Sunday at 10am at the Sanctuary (9 Cleaveland Street, Brunswick, ME), with Church School and nursery care provided during the service and a YouTube livestream option for remote attendees. Open to all individuals and families regardless of background.
• Children and Youth Ministry Programs Age-appropriate faith formation programs including Church School, nursery care during Sunday worship, youth groups, and the WAVES high school youth ministry, designed for children from nursery age through high school and the families who support their participation.
• Adult Christian Education Adult Christian Education programs organized by the Adult Christian Education Committee, including learning opportunities and organized trips such as a tour of the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine.
• Music Ministry Music programs including the Adult Choir, Summer Singers rehearsals, and Cantata presentations, led by Music Director Dr. Jane Hagness, supporting congregational worship and special musical events.
• Support Groups Recurring support meetings hosted on the church campus including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Adult Children of Alcoholics and Family Dysfunction (ACA), and a Caregivers' Support Group led by Judy Bauman, serving individuals in recovery and those in caregiving roles.
• Friday Morning Silent Meditation Weekly contemplative silent meditation gathering held Fridays from 8:15-9:15 am, coordinated by Jane Abernethy, open to the congregation and broader community seeking a regular contemplative practice.
• Tedford Housing Meal Program FPC-sponsored monthly meal program at Tedford Housing providing full meals (main dish, salad, vegetable, bread, and dessert) on 3rd Wednesdays and 5th Wednesdays when applicable, with all food items donated by church volunteers and coordinated by Lisa Clark.
• Life-Event Services (Baptisms, Weddings, Memorial Services) Sacraments and life-event services including baptisms, weddings, and memorial services for congregation members and their families, conducted according to United Church of Christ practices.
• Prayer Shawl Ministry A care ministry coordinated by Bonnie Connolly that creates and distributes prayer shawls to individuals in need of comfort, providing tangible spiritual care within and beyond the congregation.
• Pastoral Care and Counseling Pastoral care and counseling services provided by the ministerial team, including pastoral conversations at The Highlands led by Rev. John Allen, supporting members through life challenges, joys, and sorrows.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Frances Perkins CenterminorOthers · 27 July 2026First Parish Church's Adult Christian Education Committee organized a trip to tour the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine. Frances Perkins was the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the church connects to her legacy of faith and social justice.
• United Church of Christ (UCC)coreOthersFirst Parish Church is a member congregation of the United Church of Christ denomination. The church displays the UCC emblem on its website and participates in the broader denomination's mission and values. The church also maintains affiliation with the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ.
• Tedford HousingcoreOthersFPC sponsors monthly meal programs at Tedford Housing, a local housing organization serving those in need. The church provides full meals (main dish, salad, vegetable, bread, and dessert) every month on the 3rd Wednesdays and 5th Wednesdays when applicable. All food items are donated by church volunteers.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church: Progressive, Open and Affirming congregation physically located in Brunswick, Maine. Local direct peer — same town, similar inclusive progressive identity, overlapping community, and competing for the same Brunswick-area members and donors.
• Old South Church in Boston: Historic UCC congregation in Boston with progressive theology, large music ministry, and active social justice programming. Comparable to First Parish as a UCC-affiliated progressive New England congregation with a similar ministry mix.
• First Congregational Church of Greenwich: A flagship, well-resourced Open and Affirming UCC congregation in Connecticut. Directly comparable to First Parish as a UCC-affiliated progressive mainline church combining traditional worship, robust education, music, and social outreach programming.
• St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Brunswick, ME): Historic Episcopal congregation in Brunswick, Maine. Same-town peer with traditional mainline worship, music programming, and community outreach that competes for the same Brunswick-area households.
• First Church in Cambridge, Congregational: Long-established UCC congregation in Cambridge with progressive, intellectually engaged membership and active community outreach. Highly comparable to First Parish along UCC affiliation, New England footprint, and inclusive ethos.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FirstParishChurchBrunswick
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirstParishChurchBrunswick
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstparishbrunswick
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-parish-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 PARISH CHURCH