First Presbyterian Church of Orlando

What First Presbyterian Church of Orlando does

First Presbyterian Church of Orlando (FPCO, "First Pres") is a historic Presbyterian congregation founded in 1875 and headquartered at 106 East Church Street in downtown Orlando, Florida, operating from a multi-building campus that includes the sanctuary, Lee Fellowship Hall, the Edington Ministry Center, and the Clayton Life Center. It is governed as an independent nonprofit under Presbyterian polity, with a Session of Elders providing lay leadership alongside professional clergy; Dr. David Swanson serves as Senior Pastor, supported by an Associate Minister for Congregational Care and a Director of Pastoral Care each with 25+ years of ministry tenure. The church runs a broad, multi-ministry program spanning every life stage — children (SHINE), students, college-age, twenties, women, men, family life, young-at-heart seniors, worship arts, missions, and a private preschool-through-elementary Weekday School on campus — supplemented by a Coalition of Counselors mental-health referral network and pastoral-care programs including Stephen Ministry, GriefShare, and DivorceCare.

The operating model is donation-funded, with voluntary tithes and offerings as the primary revenue stream and three Sunday worship services (8am, 9:45am, 11:15am) supplemented by FPCOnline livestream for remote participation. Digital infrastructure is modest and off-the-shelf: a Squarespace-hosted website with a centralized Dashboard portal, Vimeo-hosted sermon archive, Apple Podcasts distribution (including the Birds & Bees and Nuance Podcast), a TPS DB online registration system for events and small-group signups, and email newsletter distribution. There is no proprietary technology platform; the church's "product" is in-person and remote ministry programming rather than software. Specialized sub-brands include the Gotham Fellowship (a 9-month faith-and-work professional learning community charging $1,600 tuition, using curriculum developed by Katherine Leary Alsdorf and Tim Keller of Redeemer NYC) and Arts Fellowship Orlando (a 6-month program for Christian creatives offering a $5,000 scholarship per fellow, with applications opening fall 2026 for a 2027 cohort). Facility rental for weddings, funerals, and community events generates ancillary revenue. The church recently pivoted from an attractional ministry model to a missional model emphasizing member equipping for service in family, neighborhood, and vocation, and is currently running 150th-anniversary programming through 2025–2026.

Name

First Presbyterian Church of Orlando

Legal name

First Presbyterian Church of Orlando

Website

https://fpco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

First Presbyterian Church of Orlando is a historic, donation-funded Presbyterian congregation (founded 1875) operating from a multi-building downtown Orlando campus, serving members across all life stages through worship, formation classes, counseling, and specialty fellowships including Gotham and Arts Fellowship Orlando.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Worship services
• Pastoral care
• Spiritual formation
• Community ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary contributions from members and attendees during worship services and through online giving platforms. Primary funding source for church operations and ministries.
2. Program Tuition and Fees: Gotham Fellowship charges $1600 tuition for the 9-month professional learning community. Arts Fellowship provides $5,000 scholarships to participants.
3. Facility Rental: Campus facilities available for weddings, funerals, and community events

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

First Presbyterian Church of Orlando operates as a multi-ministry Presbyterian church providing weekly worship services, spiritual formation programs, pastoral care, and community ministries across all life stages. Core offerings include Sunday worship (in-person and livestream), Formation Classes, Small Groups, children's and student ministries, counseling services, grief and divorce support groups, and specialized fellowship programs such as the Gotham Fellowship and Arts Fellowship Orlando.

Product overview

First Presbyterian Church of Orlando operates as a multi-ministry church platform offering a comprehensive suite of spiritual formation, community connection, and pastoral care programs. The core product portfolio includes the Dashboard (centralized online portal), Livestream Worship, Formation Classes, Small Groups, and Prayer Request System for digital engagement. The church provides specialized ministry programs including SHINE (children), Students Ministry, College Ministry, Women's Ministry, Men's Ministry, Family Life, Worship Arts, Young at Heart, and Missions. Distinct sub-brands include the Gotham Fellowship (nine-month professional learning community for cultural renewal), Arts Fellowship Orlando (six-month creative arts program), Orlando Fellows, Weekday School (private Christian school), and Coalition of Counselors (mental health counseling network). Supporting programs include Stephen Ministry, GriefShare, DivorceCare, sermon media archives, and podcast distribution through Vimeo and other channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly worship services held at the Orlando campus with multiple service times including 8am, 9:45am, and 11:15am, providing traditional and contemporary worship experiences for congregants and visitors.
• Livestream Worship Online streaming of worship services (FPCOnline) enabling remote participation for those unable to attend in person.
• Formation Classes Sunday morning educational programs meeting at 10:15am between services for children, students, college-age, and adults focused on spiritual growth and discipleship.
• Small Groups Discipleship-driven community groups meeting in homes for weekly Bible study, prayer, and accountability, with sessions running Fall, Winter, and Spring terms.
• Gotham Fellowship Nine-month professional learning community for adults ages 25-50 in the greater Orlando area exploring how faith relates to work and cultural renewal. Tuition is $1,600 and includes course materials, online portal access, Saturday excursions, and winter retreat.
• Arts Fellowship Orlando Six-month fellowship for mature Christian creatives in the greater Orlando area exploring the intersection of art and faith, providing theological training, mentorship, original work development, and showcase performances. Each fellow receives a $5,000 scholarship.
• Orlando Fellows Cohort-based program dedicated to learning about integration of faith and work while serving in the community.
• Weekday School Private Christian school serving children from preschool through elementary located on the First Pres campus.
• SHINE Children's Ministry Children's ministry program encompassing nursery through elementary-aged children with Sunday programming, summer activities, and volunteer opportunities.
• Students Ministry Youth ministry for middle and high school students including LifeFest retreat, confirmation, and senior Sunday celebrations.
• College Ministry Ministry for college-aged individuals featuring service opportunities, community groups, and integration with local charitable organizations including IfYou Foundation.
• Stephen Ministry Confidential one-to-one peer support and prayer ministry pairing trained Stephen Ministers with individuals experiencing difficulty.
• Coalition of Counselors Network of vetted Christian mental health counselors including Andy Blanchard, Dorcas Cepeda, Sarah Milam, Dan Miller, Rachel Blackston, and Michael Blackston offering individual, couples, and family counseling services.
• GriefShare Eleven-week grief support group meeting Wednesdays providing friendly, caring support for those walking through difficult life experiences.
• DivorceCare Eleven-week video-based recovery support group for people navigating separation or divorce, open to all with registration for workbook access.
• Wedding, Funeral, and Memorial Services Campus facilities available for weddings, funerals, and community events including floral dedications and memorial services.
• Worship Arts Music and worship program including traditional worship, chancel choir, children's and youth choirs, and seasonal performances.
• Family Life Ministry Family-centered ministry featuring retreats including Men's Retreat, Women's Retreat, LifeFest, Marriage Retreat, Generational Bruncheon, and Sunday Supper gatherings.
• Missions Mission and outreach programs including Serve Orlando, Serve Teams, and partnerships with organizations such as Daily Bread and Christian Service Center.
• Congregational Care Care ministry overseeing Deacons, Prayer Ministry, Stephen Ministries, hospital visitations, dying with dignity, and care classes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ shawls shipped to Ukraine through Holy Stitches ministry
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and minor.

• HTOCsupportingOthersPartner supporting the Arts Fellowship Orlando program. Logo displayed on Arts Fellowship website as a program partner.
• StockworthsupportingOthersPartner supporting the Arts Fellowship Orlando program. Logo displayed on Arts Fellowship website as a program partner.
• LawsonsupportingOthersPartner supporting the Arts Fellowship Orlando program. Logo displayed on Arts Fellowship website as a program partner.
• SterchisupportingOthersPartner supporting the Arts Fellowship Orlando program. Logo displayed on Arts Fellowship website as a program partner.
• Redeemer Counseling CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecommended counseling partner for church members. Church maintains a Coalition of Counselors list featuring counselors affiliated with or recommended by the church, including Rachel Blackston and Michael Blackston who work at Redeemer Counseling.
• IfYou FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal charity partnered with FPCO College Ministry for service projects. FPCO students served alongside IfYou Foundation to process and distribute food to families. IfYou Foundation has donated 1.2 tons of food to 30,000 local families with estimated $4.5 million impact in Central Florida.
• Dr Phillips Center for the Performing ArtsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Arts Fellowship Summer Showcase performances.
• Center for Faith & Work / City-to-City ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurriculum for Gotham Fellowship was developed by Katherine Leary Alsdorf and Tim Keller of Redeemer in New York City. The Gotham Fellowship aligns with this network of faith and work programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Church of the Resurrection: One of the largest United Methodist churches in the U.S. (Leawood, KS), widely benchmarked for mainline programming scale, multi-site strategy, and congregational care models. Useful reference for upper-bound mainline operations.
• North Point Community Church: Large Atlanta-area church frequently benchmarked for digital engagement, multi-channel distribution, and modern ministry operations. Useful comparison for FPCO's livestream, podcast, and online platform investments.
• Willow Creek Community Church: Historically influential large church with mature small-groups, leadership development, and care ministry infrastructure. Comparable benchmark for organizational depth and adult formation programming.

Direct peers

• St. Luke's United Methodist Church: Large mainline Methodist congregation in Orlando with extensive programming and similar community presence. Comparable for scale of staff, breadth of ministries, and engagement model in the same local market.
• First Presbyterian Church of Winter Park: Same denomination (PCUSA), similar scale, located in nearby Winter Park within the Orlando metro. Closest direct local peer for member demographics, programming depth, and Presbyterian governance model.
• First Presbyterian Church of Nashville: Large historic PCUSA congregation in a comparable urban context, with similar multi-ministry programming and a long institutional history. Comparable benchmark for downtown Presbyterian programming scale.
• First Presbyterian Church of Maitland: Another PCUSA congregation in the greater Orlando area, comparable in denominational identity, governance structure, and regional mission field. Direct local peer for community engagement and member overlap.
• First United Methodist Church of Orlando: Large historic downtown Orlando mainline Protestant church with a comparable multi-ministry footprint and community role. Comparable peer for urban mainline congregation operations and downtown campus utilization.

Regional players

• Redeemer Church NYC: Developer of the Gotham Fellowship curriculum (Katherine Leary Alsdorf and Tim Keller) adopted by FPCO. Operates a similar missional model focused on faith-and-work integration in an urban context; relevant for benchmarking programmatic and theological positioning.
• Idlewild Baptist Church: Large Florida-based church with extensive children's, students, and community programming. Comparable for regional scale and breadth of family ministries, though denominationally distinct.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firstpresorlando

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Presbyterian Church of Orlando