First Scots Presbyterian Chr

What First Scots Presbyterian Chr does

First (Scots) Presbyterian Church is a 295-year-old private nonprofit religious congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and governed by its elected Session of elders, headquartered at 53 Meeting Street in Charleston's Historic District. Founded in 1731 by twelve Scottish families, the congregation worships in its fifth sanctuary building, constructed in 1814 by Scottish master builders John and James Gordon. The church runs traditional Presbyterian Sunday services complemented by a distinctive music program built around an Ontko & Young four-manual pipe organ and a rare John Phillips harpsichord, plus an on-site preschool/kindergarten (founded 1956), a youth ministry, adult Bible studies, Stephen Ministry care, and an extensive local and global mission partnership network. Staffing totals approximately 17–21 paid positions across pastoral, music, kindergarten, administrative, and facilities roles.

The congregation's revenue model is member-funded and diversified across six streams: weekly tithes and offerings, annual member pledges, kindergarten tuition, Wednesday Night Suppers (per-person fees ranging from free for ages 0–5 up to $25 for a single family household), facility rentals for weddings and events, and the 1731 Legacy planned-giving program. Distribution and outreach are delivered primarily through in-person worship, with secondary reach via YouTube and Facebook live streaming, the Realm Connect mobile app for iOS/Android, email newsletters, and denominational networks through the Charleston Atlantic Presbytery. Customer segments include the primary adult congregation, children and youth, preschool/kindergarten families, and various adult fellowship groups across life stages.

The church's competitive positioning rests on intangible heritage assets (historic sanctuary, 295-year brand), credentialed talent (senior pastors and music directors with terminal degrees from Columbia Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and the Royal Academy of Music), and a deeply embedded multi-generational lifecycle programming model. Strategic priorities visible in recent operating decisions include digital engagement expansion (Realm Connect, live streaming), music-program quality (recent hire of a nationally recognized Director of Music in January 2024), and sustained mission partnerships spanning local (Habitat for Humanity, Carolina Youth Development Center) and international (Haiti, Honduras, Rwanda) contexts.

Name

First Scots Presbyterian Chr

Legal name

First (Scots) Presbyterian Church

Website

https://first-scots.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1731

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First (Scots) Presbyterian Church is a 295-year-old PC(USA) congregation in Charleston, SC offering traditional worship, an on-site preschool/kindergarten, music programs, and local/global mission outreach to members, families, and the surrounding Historic District community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services (Presbyterian Church)

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Traditional Presbyterian worship
• Christian education programs
• Preschool kindergarten education
• Pastoral care services
• Local and world missions

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary financial contributions from congregation members during weekly worship services and through online giving platforms. Supports operation, worship, and programs of the church.
2. Annual Pledges: Members make annual financial commitments to support the church budget, enabling session to plan and budget effectively.
3. Kindergarten Tuition: Tuition fees for preschool and kindergarten programs serving children inCharleston's Historic District.
4. Wednesday Night Suppers: Dinner program with per-person fees: $10 for adults (after high school), $6 for children through high school, $6 for full-time college students, free for ages 0-5, $25 for single family household.
5. 1731 Legacy Planned Giving: Planned giving and legacy donations through the church's planned giving program for long-term financial sustainability.
6. Facility Rental: Rental of church facilities for weddings, events, and other purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

First (Scots) Presbyterian Church delivers traditional Presbyterian worship services and a portfolio of Christian ministries to its congregation and the Charleston community. Core offerings include Sunday and weekday worship, Christian education for all ages, youth and children's ministries, a choral and instrumental music program anchored by a pipe organ and harpsichord, pastoral and Stephen Ministry care, local and global missions, fellowship programs, and a preschool/kindergarten program operating on the church grounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Presbyterian Worship Services Sunday worship services held at 10 a.m. (summer) and 8:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. (September–May), featuring traditional Presbyterian liturgy centered on Scripture reading and proclamation, accompanied by pipe organ, piano, harpsichord, and multiple choirs. Wednesday communion at 5:00 p.m. in Lilly Chapel. Open to all.
• First (Scots) Presbyterian Preschool and Kindergarten Preschool and kindergarten program founded in 1956, located on church grounds in Charleston's Historic District, providing social, spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual development in a Christian environment for children ages 3 through kindergarten. Tuition-based.
• Youth Ministry Program Youth ministry serving middle and high school students including Sunday Night Youth Group, Confirmation class, retreats, conferences, and mission trips, with programming September through May and summer activities. Supported by a dedicated Youth Ministry Coordinator.
• Adult Sunday School and Bible Studies Adult education offerings including Sunday School classes (Dan Adams Class, Explorer's Class, Wired Word), mid-week Bible studies (Men's Breakfast, Women's groups, Lectio Divina), and Presbyterian Women circles (Unbroken Circle, Seekers, Betty Noble, Women at the Well).
• Music and Choirs Program Comprehensive music program including Kirk Choir (adult), Summer Choir, Kirk Handbell Choir, and children's choirs (Cherub, Alleluia, Kirk Choristers). Features the historic Ontko & Young pipe organ and the museum-quality John Phillips harpsichord.
• Stephen Ministry and Congregational Care Confidential one-on-one Christian care ministry providing trained Stephen Ministers for the bereaved, hospitalized, and those facing life challenges; includes the Cancer Companions program, prayer ministry, meal delivery, and broader pastoral care services.
• Fellowship Programs Fellowship opportunities including Wednesday Night Suppers, Koinonia groups, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Scots on the Go outings, and annual events (Low Country Shrimp Boil, Progressive Dinner, Oyster Roast, Annual Fellowship Picnic, Easter Egg Hunt, Golf Tournament). Wednesday Night Supper pricing: Adults $10, Children $6, Ages 0-5 free, Single family household $25.
• Local Missions Program Local outreach programs partnering with organizations including Habitat for Humanity (Faith Build), Carolina Youth Development Center (serving over 900 children and families locally each year), and campus ministries at The Citadel and College of Charleston.
• World Missions Program International mission partnerships including La Gonave Partnership (Haiti), The LAMB Institute (Honduras), Water Mission, Medical Missions Inc., and PIASS (Rwanda); includes the God's Gift Shop alternative Christmas market supporting Heifer International and One80 Place.
• Live Streaming of Worship Services Online streaming of Sunday worship services via YouTube and Facebook, with live stream archive for viewing past services remotely.
• Online Giving and Stewardship Electronic giving platform enabling members to make tithes, offerings, annual pledges, and 1731 Legacy planned giving online via credit card or bank transfer through the onRealm platform.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Habitat for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch participates in Habitat for Humanity Faith Build projects, including construction volunteering and ReStore volunteer opportunities. Supports affordable housing mission in the Charleston community.
• Carolina Youth Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1790, CYDC provides programs reaching over 900 children, youth and their families locally each year. Church provides volunteer support including indoor organizing and outdoor landscaping projects.
• La Gonave PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on decreasing mother and infant deaths in Haiti through birthing kits with infant blankets and 'onsies', and basic medicines to prevent pneumonia and mosquito-borne illnesses.
• The LAMB InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChrist-centered ministry in Tegucigalpa, Honduras operating an elementary school, youth outreach program, community programs, and residential home for over 60 abused and neglected children.
• Water MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit Christian engineering organization providing sustainable safe water and sanitation solutions for people in developing countries and disaster areas.
• Medical Missions, IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit founded in 1992 to build Presbyterian hospitals, churches, and schools in developing countries. Dr. Salvador and Irma Del Torre serve as doctor-nurse team with experience in Mexico, Haiti, and Africa.
• Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational and theological ministry of the Rwandan Presbyterian Church in Muyumbu, training students in divinity, education, and community development. Church supports scholarships through the Outreach Foundation.
• Charleston Atlantic PresbyterycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that provides denominational oversight, support, and connection for the congregation.
• Outreach FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization facilitating church scholarships to Presbyterian divinity students at PIASS in Rwanda.
• Thornwell Home and School for ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization in Clinton, SC supported by Presbyterian Women circles through donations and outreach activities.
• Heifer InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported through God's Gift Shop alternative Christmas market, allowing congregation to purchase gifts like water buffalo for farmers in Cambodia or Thailand.
• One80 PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharleston organization supported through God's Gift Shop, providing meals for individuals in need.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Second Presbyterian Church: Fellow Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation in Charleston, SC. Most direct comparable — same denomination, same city, similar traditional worship, music programs, and community ministries.
• Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim: Historic Jewish congregation in Charleston, SC, founded in 1749. Comparable historic urban congregation with strong heritage identity and community charitable programs.
• St. Philip's Church: Historic Episcopal church in Charleston, SC (founded 1682). Shares the same historic downtown religious community, comparable 300+ year heritage, and traditional liturgical worship.
• First Presbyterian Church, Nashville: PC(USA) congregation in Nashville, TN with comparable traditional worship, music-program emphasis, and multigenerational programming. Includes a preschool as part of its ministry portfolio.
• Highland Presbyterian Church: PC(USA) congregation in the Charleston, SC area. Operates a weekday preschool as part of its ministry, parallel to First Scots' preschool/kindergarten model.
• Bruton Parish Church: Historic Episcopal church in Colonial Williamsburg, VA, founded in 1674. Comparable historic preservation profile, traditional Anglican worship, and a long-established heritage tourism draw.
• First Presbyterian Church, Spartanburg: PC(USA) congregation in Spartanburg, SC where First Scots' previous Associate Pastor served. Same denomination, comparable traditional worship style, and similar congregational programming.
• Circular Congregational Church: Historic congregation in Charleston, SC (founded 1681). Comparable historic urban church profile, traditional worship, and engagement with Charleston's heritage tourism market.
• St. Michael's Church: Historic church in Charleston, SC (founded 1752). Comparable historic downtown location, traditional worship, and active engagement with heritage tourism and events.
• Church of the Holy Cross: Historic Episcopal church in Charleston, SC (founded 1682). Comparable historic congregation profile, traditional liturgy, and active community ministry programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-HT2QJ1Phf0OBgVs06elWA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/firstscotspresbyterian
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstscots1731
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-scots-presbyterian-chr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about First Scots Presbyterian Chr