1st Presbyterian Church of Wilmette

What 1st Presbyterian Church of Wilmette does

First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette (FPCW) is a Christian congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Chicago Presbytery, headquartered at 600 Ninth Street in Wilmette, Illinois. The church delivers weekly Sunday worship services at 10:00 AM in its main sanctuary, supplementary 8:00 AM summer services at Gillson Park, and YouTube livestream broadcasts for remote participants. It serves local community members, children, youth, and families through faith formation programs (Children's Chapel, Midweek Meetup, Tower Senior High Fellowship), music ensembles (Chancel Choir, Chancel Bell Choir, Youth Bell Choir, Beach Band), small group ministries, and wedding, baptism, and funeral services.

The organization operates as a private nonprofit funded entirely through voluntary member donations and tithes, with online giving processed through Pushpay including stock donations via Fidelity Investments. There is no product pricing structure; distribution is dual-channel through in-person attendance and self-serve online access. Roughly five paid staff support operations — Senior Pastor Rev. Jeff Lehn, Associate Pastor Rev. Kara Smith-Laubenstein (installed January 2023, M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary), Director of Worship & Music Peggy Massello, Director of Children & Family Ministries Lindley Traynor, and Usher Coordinator Kevin McJoynt — supplemented by congregational volunteers and committee governance.

FPCW maintains an active mission partner portfolio including YWCA Evanston/North Shore, Family Promise, Connections for the Homeless (via Operation Sandwich), Sarah's Circle, C24/7, New Life Baptist Church (annual pulpit exchange), Sukkat Shalom (Braver Angels workshop), and the international Seraj Library Project. In 2022 the church added a Racial Justice Committee, which in 2025 was renamed and broadened to the Social Justice Committee to extend advocacy beyond racial issues. Underlying technology is conventional — website (fpcw.org), YouTube livestream, Pushpay, and email newsletter — with no proprietary platform, API, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

Name

1st Presbyterian Church of Wilmette

Legal name

First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette

Website

https://fpcw.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette is a PC(USA)-affiliated Christian congregation in Wilmette, Illinois providing weekly worship services, faith formation programs for children and youth, music ministries, community missions, and social justice initiatives to local families and the wider North Shore community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Worship services
• Faith formation
• Religious education
• Community outreach
• Music ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette provides weekly Christian worship services in-person at its Wilmette sanctuary and via YouTube livestream, supplemented by age-tiered children's and youth faith formation programs, a multi-ensemble music ministry, mission and social justice initiatives, and small group fellowship. Pastoral services such as weddings, baptisms, and funerals, along with pastoral counseling, round out the ministry portfolio.

Product overview

First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette offers a comprehensive suite of faith-based programs and services centered around weekly worship. The church provides in-person and livestreamed worship services, age-specific children's and youth programs, diverse music offerings including choir and bell programs, mission and social justice initiatives, and community fellowship opportunities. The church utilizes digital tools for online giving, program registration, and virtual worship access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship services held in the Sanctuary at 10:00 AM, with pastoral preaching, music programs including Chancel Choir, and communion services. Summer services also held at Gillson Park at 8:00 AM. Open to all community members and visitors.
• Livestream Worship Services Online worship services streamed via YouTube for those unable to attend in person, with recorded services available for later viewing through the worship archive.
• Weddings Sacred wedding ceremonies officiated by FPCW pastors for members and community members.
• Baptisms Sacramental baptism services performed by FPCW pastors for children and adults within the congregation.
• Funerals & Memorial Services Funeral and memorial services officiated by FPCW pastors for members and their families, including bereavement support.
• Children's Programs Age-appropriate faith formation programs including Midweek Meetup for ages three through sixth grade, Children's Chapel during Sunday services, and summer meetup programs.
• Youth Programs Tower Senior High Fellowship, Middle School Conference preparation, youth summer work trips, and youth-led worship services for adolescent members.
• Music Programs Comprehensive music offerings including Chancel Choir, Chancel Bell Choir, Youth Bell Choir, Beach Band, and special musical performances throughout the year.
• Mission Programs Social justice initiatives, community outreach, and volunteer opportunities supporting mission partners including Family Promise, Connections for the Homeless, Sarah's Circle, and C24/7.
• Small Groups Community groups, fellowship opportunities, and special interest gatherings for connection and faith formation among church members.
• Family Promise Program Hosting program for families experiencing homelessness, providing evening meals, activities, and overnight accommodations on a rotating basis in partnership with Family Promise.
• Operation Sandwich Sandwich-making service project for Connections for the Homeless, creating sack lunches for distribution to homeless individuals.
• Social Justice Committee Racial and social justice advocacy committee that pursues justice through community awareness, educational programs, and partnerships with organizations like YWCA Evanston/North Shore.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YWCA Evanston/North ShorecoreOthersA First Pres Wilmette mission partner. The church participates in the annual Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate, sponsored by the YWCA. The YWCA uses funds raised to promote racial justice and address hatred and violence in the community.
• Family PromisecoreOthersFamily Promise is a mission partner where the church hosts families for evening meals, activities, and overnights on a rotating basis. The church welcomes families and provides volunteer support through its mission committee.
• Connections for the HomelesscoreOthersThe church supports this Evanston-based organization through Operation Sandwich, making sandwiches and sack lunches for distribution to homeless individuals.
• C24/7minorOthersA church mission partner serving the Rogers Park community. The church supports their back-to-school backpack drive to supply students with educational supplies.
• Sarah's CirclecoreOthersA mission partner since 2002 providing full range of services to homeless women in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. The church participates in their annual Walk for Warmth fundraising event.
• New Life Baptist Church (Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe church conducts an annual pulpit exchange with New Life Baptist Church. In 2025, Rev. Robert House from New Life Baptist Church preached at First Pres Wilmette, and the congregation joined for a church lunch. This represents an interfaith and interracial fellowship partnership.
• Presbyterian Church (USA)coreOthersFPCW is affiliated with the PC(USA) denomination. The church participates in Presbytery meetings and stays informed about General Assembly outcomes.
• Chicago PresbyterycoreOthersFPCW belongs to the Chicago Presbytery, connecting the church with other Presbyterian congregations in the region.
• Sukkat ShalomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFPCW co-sponsored a Braver Angels workshop with this congregation, working together on bridging partisan divides and building mutual understanding across political differences.
• Seraj Library ProjectminorOthersAn international mission partner working alongside Palestinian communities to establish libraries as safe, beautiful and vibrant community centers.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Glencoe Union Church: A nearby non-denominational mainline congregation serving the adjacent North Shore suburb of Glencoe with comparable progressive Christian identity and family programming.

Direct peers

• Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago: A large PC(USA) congregation located in downtown Chicago with comparable worship, music, mission, and social justice programming. Highly comparable denomination, governance structure, and North Shore/Chicago service area.
• First Congregational Church of Wilmette: A mainline Protestant congregation located in the same Wilmette community, serving identical geographic and demographic segments with comparable progressive Christian identity and programming.
• Winnetka Presbyterian Church: A neighboring PC(USA) congregation in Winnetka on Chicago's North Shore, serving a similarly affluent demographic with comparable children's, youth, and mission programming.
• North Shore Presbyterian Church: A nearby PC(USA) congregation serving the same Wilmette-adjacent North Shore geography with overlapping member demographics and similar program offerings.
• St. Paul's United Church of Christ (Wilmette): A nearby mainline progressive Christian congregation serving the same Wilmette geography with comparable inclusive theology, children's programming, and community mission focus.

Broad incumbents

• Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago): A large mainline progressive congregation in metropolitan Chicago with comparable social justice focus, music programming, and community mission portfolio.
• Presbyterian Church (USA): The national denomination to which FPCW belongs, providing governance, theological resources, and shared mission infrastructure across more than 9,000 congregations in the United States.

Others

• Chicago Presbytery: The regional governing body of PC(USA) congregations in metropolitan Chicago, providing oversight, shared programming, and resourcing for member churches including FPCW.
• New Life Baptist Church (Chicago): An active interfaith partner of FPCW engaging in annual pulpit exchange; demonstrates cross-denominational collaboration and represents a comparable community-anchored ministry in metropolitan Chicago.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/live/xQxquNKfDJo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1st-presbyterian-church-of-wilmette

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 1st Presbyterian Church of Wilmette