Retired Unitarian Universalist Minister

What Retired Unitarian Universalist Minister does

First Unitarian Church of San José (FUCSJ) is a Unitarian Universalist congregation headquartered in a 1891 Romanesque building at 160 N. Third St. in downtown San Jose, California. The organization operates as a religious nonprofit affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and is governed by an elected Board and Operating Ministry Committee under settled minister Rev. Matthew McHale (installed June 2025). It runs weekly Sunday worship services at 11:00 am delivered both in-person and online via Zoom (Meeting ID 991 2292 1439), supplemented by a YouTube sermon archive and phone dial-in for remote and homebound participants.

The congregation's programmatic surface includes religious education for children and youth, Small Group Ministry, pastoral care (including Safeway gift card assistance), a Right Relations Team for conflict resolution, a Welcoming LGBTQIA Group, occasional Jazz Services and Second Saturday Open Mics, All-Church Campouts, and a seven-circuit labyrinth for meditative walking. Social justice is a core pillar, including advocacy on racial, climate, and economic justice, a partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band on land preservation, and rapid-response initiatives such as a 2025 Second Harvest food drive tied to federal SNAP cuts.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through member pledges and donations, supplemented by annual fundraising events (the 2025 Fall Auction raised a record $20,000+), periodic special collections for community organizations, and a multi-year capital campaign that funded a $2 million building renovation completed in 2025. The operating team is small (approximately 9 paid staff), with the remainder of programming and governance delivered by volunteer members. There is no commercial product line, no paid customer relationship, and no pricing model beyond voluntary giving.

Name

Retired Unitarian Universalist Minister

Legal name

First Unitarian Church of San José

Website

https://[email protected]

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The First Unitarian Church of San José is a Unitarian Universalist congregation offering weekly worship (in-person and via Zoom), religious education, pastoral care, and social justice programming to members and visitors in downtown San Jose, funded primarily by member pledges and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAA

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

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Unitarian universalist worship
• Religious community services
• Religious education programs
• Pastoral care ministry
• Social justice advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Pledges: The church is supported primarily through member donations and pledges. Annual giving campaigns fund the operational work of the church. The fiscal year runs June 1 through May 31.
2. Fundraising Events: Fall Auction raised over $20,000 in 2025, a record amount and stretch goal for the congregation.
3. Stock Donations: The church accepts stock donations processed through a Google form, with contact through the Treasurer at [email protected].
4. Special Collections: Periodic special collections for community organizations such as Third Street Community Center and Second Harvest food bank.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

First Unitarian Church of San José is a Unitarian Universalist congregation that provides Sunday worship services (in-person at 11:00 am and online via Zoom), religious education for children and youth, pastoral care, Small Group Ministry, and social justice programs. The church operates from a historic 1891 Romanesque building in downtown San Jose and serves members and visitors through inclusive, values-based faith community programs.

Product overview

First Unitarian Church of San José is a Unitarian Universalist faith community that does not offer commercial technology products or services. The church provides religious worship services (Sunday services at 11:00 am), religious education programs for children and youth, pastoral care, community group ministries, social justice initiatives, and maintains facilities including a sanctuary with a seven-circuit labyrinth for meditative walking. The church conducts various community programs including Small Group Ministry, Right Relations Team mediation services, a Welcoming LGBTQIA Group, and occasional events such as Second Saturday Open Mics and All-Church Campouts. Services are offered both in-person and via Zoom (Meeting ID: 991 2292 1439 / Password: FUCSJ).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship services held at 11:00 am (gathering at 10:45 am) at 160 N. Third St., San Jose, with parallel online attendance via Zoom (ID: 991 2292 1439 / PW: FUCSJ) and phone access at 669-900-6833. Open to all members and visitors.
• Religious Education for Children and Youth Religious education programs for children and youth at the church, including classes and a refurbished youth room. Designed for families participating in the congregation.
• Pastoral Care Pastoral support provided by Rev. Matthew McHale for congregants facing hardship, including practical support such as Safeway gift cards for those in need.
• Small Group Ministry Small group ministry program providing opportunities for spiritual reflection, community building, and personal connection within the congregation.
• Labyrinth Walking Meditation Spiritual practice program using the sanctuary's seven-circuit labyrinth for meditative walking, available to congregants and visitors.
• Welcoming LGBTQIA Group Affirming programming for LGBTQIA individuals and allies, supporting the church's Welcoming Congregation designation by the UUA.
• Right Relations Team Mediation Mediation and conflict resolution services for congregants guided by the Right Relations Covenant, available through [email protected].

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)coreOthersThe church is a member congregation of the UUA, part of the wider Unitarian Universalist denomination. This affiliation provides theological guidance, resources like Sing Out Love virtual hymnal, connection to other UU churches, and participation in General Assembly. The church displays the UUA logo on its website and materials.
• Third Street Community CenterminorOthersFUCSJ takes special collections for the Third Street Community Center, which provides STEM education, peer mentors, and family engagement for downtown San Jose youth. The center was founded in 1997 by Rev. Lindi Ramsden from First Unitarian Church.
• Second Harvest of Silicon ValleyminorOthersIn response to SNAP cuts, FUCSJ organized a food drive for Second Harvest food bank to support community members facing food insecurity.
• Amah Mutsun Tribal BandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUCSJ is working with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to preserve their sacred land of Juristac and ensure their culture continues to thrive. The church recognizes the Tamien and Muwekma Ohlone peoples as the original inhabitants of the land.
• Garden City ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJim Salata's Garden City Construction, which has done historic restoration projects in San Jose, was contracted for the exterior renovation work including roof replacement, wood repairs, drainage, and front door restoration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Mission Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation: Fremont-area UU congregation with a similar liberal-theology, justice-oriented identity. Comparable as a same-denomination peer in the South Bay / East Bay corridor.
• First Unitarian Church of Berkeley: Bay Area UU congregation serving the East Bay with worship, religious education, and justice programs. Directly comparable as a fellow historic UU congregation in the same metropolitan region.
• First Unitarian Church of Oakland: Historic East Bay UU congregation with a long-standing social justice identity and similar small-staff operational model. Comparable in mission, denominational affiliation, and progressive community engagement.
• First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Francisco: A larger Bay Area Unitarian Universalist congregation offering Sunday worship, religious education, and social justice programming. Directly comparable as a fellow UU congregation operating hybrid in-person and online services in the same regional market.
• Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church: Canoga Park (Los Angeles) UU congregation where Rev. Matthew McHale served as settled minister from 2016-2024. Highly comparable as a same-denomination peer with a similar small-staff and progressive identity, and provides continuity context for the minister's leadership style.
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach: Southern California UU congregation where Rev. McHale grew up attending. Directly comparable as a same-denomination UU congregation with a similar progressive community identity.
• Mountain View Unitarian Universalist Church: Peninsula UU congregation offering worship and community programs. Directly comparable as a same-denomination peer serving a nearby Bay Area submarket with similar small-staff structure.

Broad incumbents

• First Congregational Church of San Jose: Downtown San Jose progressive Christian congregation with a long civic history in the same city. Comparable as a fellow historic downtown San Jose liberal congregation competing for the same progressive-faith seeker demographic.
• Trinity Cathedral (Episcopal), San Jose: Established Episcopal cathedral in downtown San Jose offering weekly worship and community programs. Comparable as a fellow historic mainline Christian congregation operating in the same downtown submarket.

Others

• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA): National denominational body to which FUCSJ is affiliated. Comparable as the central denominational infrastructure providing hymnal resources, General Assembly, and theological guidance — enabling FUCSJ's operating model rather than competing with it.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@firstunitarianchurchofsanjose
• Facebookfacebook.com/FUCSJ
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstunitarianchurchofsanjose
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-unitarian-church-of-san-jose

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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