First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo

Religious Serviceskazoofcc.org

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo is a progressive, Open and Affirming UCC congregation in downtown Kalamazoo offering weekly worship, music ministries, wedding ceremonies, children's faith formation, and facility rentals, supported by donations and serving local families and community non-profits.

Company typePrivate
Founded1835
HeadquartersKalamazoo, Michigan, United States
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo does

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo is a 501(c)(3)-style religious non-profit and member congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), operating from a historic building at 345 West Michigan Avenue in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Its core offering is a weekly Sunday worship service at 10:00 a.m., positioned as an Open and Affirming progressive Christian community that emphasizes inclusivity (including explicit LGBTQ+ welcome), children's participation, and a strong music ministry anchored by a Wicks Opus 6419 sanctuary organ and Steinway B grand piano. Supporting products include wedding ceremonies (priced from $925 for active members to $1,750 for non-UCC members), a facility-use program (sanctuary seating 350+, chapel seating 100, dining room, Garden Atrium, and multiple meeting rooms), faith formation and children's worship arts (W.o.W.), a handbell choir, and choral scholar placements with Western Michigan University.

The church is supported by a small paid staff of roughly 10-15, including a Lead Pastor (Rev. Mary Austin), Associate Pastor (Rev. Sarah Schmidt-Lee, on staff since 2015 full-time since January 2017), Director of Music (Dave Carew), Director of Children's Worship Arts (Kimberly Licavoli), Director of Parish Care (Dianne Roberts), Organist/Pianist (Kory Heitzig), Bell Choir Director (Jamie Sue Knight), Church Secretary (Polly Blowers), and child care staff; lay leadership is governed by an elected Moderator (Christopher Schram for 2026). Revenue is generated primarily through donations and recurring tithes from the congregation, supplemented by wedding service fees and rental fees from non-aligned for-profit groups; building use is provided free to non-profit organizations as a stated policy.

The church's go-to-market is community-led: physical presence and word-of-mouth within the Kalamazoo progressive Christian community, supplemented by a Facebook page, Instagram, YouTube livestreaming of services, an e-Spire weekly email newsletter, and a website with events calendar. It maintains a diversified ecosystem of on-site community partners — KDCCC (childcare), Children's Nature Playscape, Queer Chorus Kalamazoo, Early Music Michigan, Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes (volunteer), Phoenix Community Church UCC (facility sharing), and the WMU choral scholar program — which both deepens its civic role and increases weekday facility utilization. No AI, proprietary software, apps, SDKs, APIs, patents, or external funding rounds are associated with the organization.

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo firmographics

Firmographics

Name: First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo
Legal name: First Congregational Church
Website: https://kazoofcc.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1835
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo is a progressive, Open and Affirming UCC congregation in downtown Kalamazoo offering weekly worship, music ministries, wedding ceremonies, children's faith formation, and facility rentals, supported by donations and serving local families and community non-profits.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo industry classification

Industry

Product category: Religious Services
NAICS: Religious Organizations (8131)
SIC: Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
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

Progressive christian worship
Religious community services
Faith formation programs
Wedding ceremony hosting
Building space rental

Where First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Kalamazoo, Michigan
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Donations and Tithes: Voluntary contributions from congregation members during weekly worship services and online giving options
Building Rental: Free use for non-profit organizations; rental fees for other groups. Spaces include sanctuary (350+ seats), chapel (100 seats), dining room (150-200), garden atrium, and various meeting rooms
Wedding Services: Fees ranging from $925 (active members) to $1,750 (non-UCC members), including facilities, administrative fees, custodian and organist payment

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
One time/ perpetual license	One time	Active Member Wedding - $925 total
One time/ perpetual license	One time	Inactive Member or UCC Member - $1,375 total
One time/ perpetual license	One time	Non-UCC Member Wedding - $1,750 total

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo product offering

Product offering

Core offering

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo operates as a progressive Christian UCC congregation providing weekly Sunday worship services, faith formation programs for all ages, music ministries (choirs, handbells, children's worship arts), wedding ceremonies, and pastoral care. The historic downtown building also serves as a community resource, with meeting, rehearsal, and event spaces available free to non-profits and for a fee to other groups.

Product overview

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo is a progressive Christian church offering a range of spiritual and community services. The core offering is weekly Sunday worship services (10am) with traditional practices and modern inclusive values. Supporting services include music ministries (choirs, handbells, children's arts), wedding ceremony hosting, children's worship programs, community event spaces for rental, and a weekly newsletter. The church operates as a member of the United Church of Christ (UCC) denomination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Worship Services

Companies that use First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo

Customer profile

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Kalamazoo Drop-in Child Care Center (KDCCC)coreOthersChild care organization housed in church space. Parents can check in children at Welcome Desk. KDCCC holds its own board meetings and parents' roundtables at the church facility. Long-standing partnership supporting families in the community.
Children's Nature PlayscapecoreOthersChildren's nature education organization collaborating with the church to support outdoor learning and play experiences for Kalamazoo children. Referenced as a complementary resource for families.
Western Michigan University - Music DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership providing paid Choral Scholar positions for WMU vocal performance students. The church hosts three Choral Scholars (Ava Poggione, Donte Scaglione, Jaidyn Spears in 2025) who provide musical leadership during worship.
Queer Chorus KalamazoominorOthersCommunity chorus ensemble that uses the church Choir Room for weekly rehearsals (Sundays 5-7pm). Church provides rehearsal space in exchange for community engagement.
Early Music MichiganminorOthersEarly music ensemble that uses church space for rehearsals and performances, contributing to the church's mission of supporting diverse music in the community.
Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra (KJSO)minorOthersYouth orchestra organization that holds board meetings and uses church space for performances. The church provides venue access for their activities.
Kalamazoo Loaves & FishesminorOthersFood security organization. Church members volunteer for 'Loaves and Fishes Day' service events at the organization's location, demonstrating community service commitment.
Phoenix Community Church UCCminorOthersArea UCC congregation that holds their worship service in the church's Mary-Martha Room (Sundays 6-7:30pm), sharing facility resources with another progressive Christian community.
United Church of Christ (UCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenominational affiliation providing theological identity, connection to wider UCC network, and access to shared resources. Church is a member of Michigan UCC state conference. UCC is described as progressive, dynamic denomination offering Christ's extravagant hospitality.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

All Souls Community Church: Progressive, Open and Affirming Christian community with similar emphasis on curiosity over certainty, inclusive communion, music-forward worship, and community event hosting model.
Mayflower Congregational Church: Mid-sized UCC congregation with comparable governance structure (congregational polity), progressive theology, music ministry emphasis, and community-building programming model.
First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo: Local mainline Protestant congregation in downtown Kalamazoo serving a similar progressive, family-oriented demographic with comparable worship, music, and community programming offerings.
University Congregational Church: Progressive UCC congregation with strong music tradition, Open and Affirming identity, university partnerships, and community-organization facility-sharing comparable to FCC Kalamazoo's model.
Pilgrim Congregational Church: UCC-affiliated progressive congregation with similar Open and Affirming designation, traditional-yet-modern worship, strong music ministry, and community-partnership-driven programming model.
First Congregational Church of Grand Rapids: Another UCC Congregational church in West Michigan with similar historical roots, progressive theology, music ministry, and community-outreach programming serving an overlapping Michigan demographic.
Phoenix Community Church UCC: Another UCC congregation that literally shares facility space at First Congregational Church (uses the Mary-Martha Room Sundays 6-7:30pm) — same denomination, progressive theology, and Kalamazoo footprint, making it the closest comparable peer.
People's Church (Kalamazoo): Open and Affirming progressive Christian congregation in Kalamazoo with comparable theology, inclusive LGBTQ+ welcome, community programming, and music-forward worship style.
Church of the Open Door UCC: Progressive UCC congregation with Open and Affirming designation, community-building emphasis, and comparable membership-driven nonprofit operating model within the UCC denomination.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Kalamazoo): Another progressive mainline Christian congregation in Kalamazoo offering similar Sunday worship, music ministry, children's programming, and community outreach to overlapping demographics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo

What does First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo do?

Is First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo a public or private company?

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo founded?

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo was founded in 1835. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo based?

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, in the North America region.

How does First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Tithes are the primary driver. The others are building Rental and wedding Services.

Who are First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are All Souls Community Church, Mayflower Congregational Church, First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo, University Congregational Church, Pilgrim Congregational Church, First Congregational Church of Grand Rapids, Phoenix Community Church UCC, People's Church (Kalamazoo), Church of the Open Door UCC and St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Kalamazoo).

Does First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo have an API?

No public API is recorded for First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo.

What industry is First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo in?

First Congregational Church of Kalamazoo's product category is Religious Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAA, Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAL, Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8600.