First United Methodist Church of Dothan

What First United Methodist Church of Dothan does

First United Methodist Church of Dothan is a non-profit religious organization affiliated with the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, serving approximately 3,000 members from its main campus at 1380 W Main St, Dothan, Alabama, and a secondary Rosemary House location for dementia caregiver support. The church operates three weekly worship formats (Sanctuary traditional, Bridge contemporary, and Chapel communion), live streams services globally, and runs a portfolio of 14+ ministry programs organized around four pillars: Welcome, Worship, Disciple, and Serve.

The organization runs multiple education and care subsidiaries, including Wesleyan Day School (preschool), the Early Childhood Development Center (ages 6 weeks to 3 years), The Shepherd School (Orton-Gillingham dyslexia intervention), Church Party Ministry (50+ year special-needs program), and Respite Care for older adults with memory loss. Operational technology is limited to a website, online giving portal, Sermon-Send sermon library, and YouTube live streaming — all standard, non-proprietary tools.

Revenue is generated through voluntary tithes and offerings, annual pledge commitments, childcare and preschool tuition ($90-$160/week depending on program), per-meal Wednesday Night Supper fees, annual gym memberships ($45-$135), and memorials. The church operates under a connectional denominational structure led by Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. David R. Saliba, with governance through the Alabama-West Florida Conference under Bishop L. Jonathan Holston. No private equity, venture capital, or public ownership applies; the entity is a 501(c)(3)-style religious nonprofit.

Name

First United Methodist Church of Dothan

Legal name

First United Methodist Church

Website

https://fumcdothan.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

First United Methodist Church of Dothan is a non-profit United Methodist congregation in Dothan, Alabama, serving approximately 3,000 members with worship services, early childhood education, specialized schools, senior care ministries, and community outreach programs across its Main Street campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Child Care Services (6244), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAA

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

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

SECONDARYBPAGAJAG

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling)

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

SECONDARYEDACAAAN

Faith-Based Childcare Centers

Education/Early Childhood Education/Daycare & Childcare Centers

SECONDARYEDACABAF

Faith-Based Preschools

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

SECONDARYBPAGAJAE

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International)

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

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Christian education programs
• Early childhood education
• Community outreach ministry
• Youth discipleship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dothan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary contributions from congregation members during worship services and online, based on biblical teaching of tithing (10% of income) as expressed in stewardship communications
2. Pledge Commitments: Annual pledge card commitments from members for planned giving in the coming year (e.g., 2026 stewardship campaign)
3. Childcare and Preschool Tuition: Weekly tuition fees for Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), Wesleyan Day School, and Extended Day Care programs serving children from 6 weeks through kindergarten age
4. Weekday Children's Ministry Tuition: Weekly tuition for full-time daycare and preschool programs, including lunch and snacks
5. Wednesday Night Supper: Meals served on Wednesday evenings with per-person pricing for adults and children, with family maximum cap
6. Christian Life Center Membership: Annual gym and fitness center memberships with separate pricing for members and non-members, single and family plans
7. Memorials and Honorariums: Donations made in memory or honor of individuals, processed through the church office

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

First United Methodist Church of Dothan provides worship services, faith-based education, and community outreach to approximately 3,000 members in the Dothan, Alabama area. Its core offerings include multiple worship styles (Sanctuary traditional, Bridge contemporary, Chapel communion), age-segmented discipleship ministries (children, youth, adult, senior), preschool and early childhood education (Wesleyan Day School, ECDC, Weekday Children's Ministry), specialized education for students with dyslexia (The Shepherd School), caregiver respite programs, recreation facilities (Christian Life Center), and emergency financial assistance through In Christ's Name Ministry.

Product overview

First United Methodist Church of Dothan offers a comprehensive portfolio of church ministries and digital services organized around four core values: Welcome, Worship, Disciple, and Serve. The church provides in-person and digital worship experiences (Sanctuary, Bridge, and Chapel services with live streaming), age-based ministry programs (Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Adult Discipleship, and 55 Forward Senior Ministry), specialized education services (The Shepherd School for dyslexia, Wesleyan Day School preschool, Weekday Children's Ministry daycare), support ministries (Respite Care for seniors, Church Party for special needs children), outreach programs (In Christ's Name, The Harbor partnership), and online giving through ShelbyNext. The church operates various facilities including a Christian Life Center with gym and fitness equipment, and publishes Connections Magazine weekly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wesleyan Day School: Christ-centered preschool ministry serving children ages 3 through Kindergarten
• Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC)
• The Shepherd School
• Promise
• The Bridge
• Rosemary House
• The Harbor

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of families assisted by In Christ's Name Ministry since 1988
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Harbor (Dothan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUMC Dothan partners with The Harbor ministry through Harbor Serve Day events where church members serve breakfast, complete forms, pray with participants, organize supplies, and participate in street ministry. Pastor David Saliba serves on The Harbor Board of Directors. The church also partners with The Harbor for Christmas events providing gifts and dinner for families.
• Embrace Alabama Kids / Settlement Boy's HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough Embrace Alabama Kids, FUMC Dothan supports 'The Settlement' UMCH Dothan Group Home, which serves boys who cannot be with their family due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
• Rise Against HungerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUMC Dothan partners with Rise Against Hunger by hosting volunteer food packing events twice a year to help fight food insecurity worldwide.
• Respite Ministry BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUMC Dothan's Respite Ministry operates with its own Board of Directors, separate from the church governance, providing dementia care support and caregiver resources.
• SARCOAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUMC Dothan serves as a packing host site for SARCOA's annual Santa for Senior community project that provides basic items for everyday living to local seniors during the holiday season.
• United Methodist Church (Global)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUMC Dothan is part of the United Methodist Church connection, governed by the Alabama-West Florida Conference under Bishop L. Jonathan Holston, connected to the global Methodist denomination through the General Conference.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dawson Memorial Baptist Church: Major Baptist congregation in Birmingham, AL, with comprehensive family ministry, recreation center, and education programs. Closely comparable in footprint and programming scope despite denomination.
• Asbury United Methodist Church: Large United Methodist Church in Birmingham, AL, with similar multi-generational ministry programming, preschool operations, and community outreach. Directly comparable as a sister UMC congregation in Alabama.
• Frazer United Methodist Church: Large United Methodist Church in Montgomery, AL, within the same Alabama-West Florida Conference. Operates a comparable multi-ministry model with extensive children's, youth, and family programming, making it the most directly comparable peer for FUMC Dothan.
• Church of the Highlands: One of the largest churches in Alabama, also headquartered in Birmingham. Although non-denominational, it offers a comparable breadth of ministries, programs, and digital reach into the same regional Alabama demographic as FUMC Dothan.
• Shades Mountain Baptist Church: Large multi-campus Baptist church in Hoover/Birmingham, AL, with comparable family ministry, recreation, and Christian education offerings serving a similar Alabama demographic.
• Canterbury United Methodist Church: Large UMC congregation in Birmingham, AL, with multiple worship styles, preschool/daycare operations, and youth programs. Highly comparable operational model to FUMC Dothan.
• St. James United Methodist Church: Large downtown Birmingham UMC congregation with comparable worship format variety (traditional, contemporary, chapel) and extensive program portfolio similar to FUMC Dothan's structure.

Emerging players

• Good Shepherd School: Specialized education program for students with learning differences including dyslexia. Comparable to FUMC Dothan's Shepherd School as a niche provider of language-based learning interventions.

Others

• McAfee School of Theology: United Methodist-affiliated seminary at Samford University that trains UMC clergy, including the senior pastor of FUMC Dothan. Connected ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
• Embrace Alabama Kids: United Methodist-affiliated organization operating group homes for children in Alabama, including the Settlement Boys Home that FUMC Dothan supports. Strategic partner and ecosystem participant within the same UMC missional network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/fumcdothan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-united-methodist-church-dothan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 United Methodist Church of Dothan