MULBERRY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

What MULBERRY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH does

Mulberry Street United Methodist Church (MSUMC) is a historic United Methodist congregation located at 719 Mulberry Street in downtown Macon, Georgia, founded in 1826 and preparing to celebrate its bicentennial in 2026. Designated the 'Mother Church of Georgia Methodism', it hosted the first meeting of the Georgia Conference in 1831 and operates within the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. The church offers a traditional sanctuary worship service Sundays at 11:00 am (with a separate monthly Wednesday Worship & Prayer service), complemented by online livestreaming via YouTube and Facebook, age-based ministries for children, youth, and adults, and a community garden. Its core community impact engine is Macon Outreach, a church-founded ministry operating since 1971 that serves over 54,000 hot meals per year and emergency groceries to 7,000+ families, alongside co-location of the Macon Volunteer Clinic in a church-owned building.

The product portfolio spans Traditional Worship, Online/Livestream Worship, Kidz for Christ (children through 5th grade), Youth Ministry (6th-12th grade), Adult Ministries (Sunday School, small groups, book club, United Women in Faith, YAMs, men's group), Macon Outreach, endowment scholarships (Heard, Walker, Rosser Class), facility rentals and weddings, the weekly 'Mulberry Weekly' email newsletter, and a year-long Bicentennial celebration. The underlying technology stack is modest and consumer-grade: a website, Realm Connect (church management, online giving, event registration), Constant Contact for email marketing, and YouTube/Facebook for livestream. No public API, mobile app, or proprietary AI capability is exposed.

The business model is non-profit and donation-driven. Primary revenue is voluntary tithes and offerings from the congregation (treated as recurring contributions), supplemented by endowment-funded scholarships (one-time awards), facility rental fees for weddings and events, and nominal ancillary sales (English Tea event tickets at $50 per person, a $15 cookbook). Leadership is a small staff of approximately 10 including Senior Pastor Rev. Jack Varnell (appointed September 2024), Associate Pastor Rev. Payton Stone, Director of Music, Director of Family Ministries, Church Administrator, communications and hospitality staff, organist, custodian, and wedding director. The church is governed independently under UMC polity and holds no external investor, private equity, or venture capital ownership.

Name

MULBERRY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Legal name

Mulberry Street United Methodist Church

Website

https://mulberrymethodist.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1826

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mulberry Street United Methodist Church is a historic 1826 Methodist congregation in downtown Macon, Georgia, offering traditional worship, livestreamed services, age-based ministries, and community outreach via Macon Outreach, funded primarily by member tithes and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Worship services
• Religious organization
• Community outreach
• Faith formation
• Pastoral care

Headquarters

HQ city

Macon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary financial contributions from congregation members including tithes, offerings, and donations supporting church operations and mission work.
2. Endowment Scholarships: Scholarship funds established by donors including J. Milton Heard, Jr., Rosser Class, and Nelle P. Walker Scholarships that benefit students pursuing Methodist ministry or higher education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mulberry Street United Methodist Church provides traditional Christian worship services, age-based faith formation programs (children, youth, adults), pastoral care, and community outreach services such as Macon Outreach. It also offers facility rentals for weddings and events, scholarship programs for Methodist ministry and youth, and a weekly digital newsletter to support its congregation and the wider Macon community.

Product overview

Mulberry Street United Methodist Church is a historic congregation offering a comprehensive portfolio of worship, educational, and community service programs. The church provides traditional sanctuary worship services (Sundays 11:00 am) with online/livestream access via YouTube and Facebook, age-based ministry programs including Kidz for Christ (children), Youth Ministry, and Adult Ministries (Sunday School, small groups). Community outreach is centered on Macon Outreach, which provides meals and groceries to those in need. Additional services include scholarship programs for seminary students and youth, facility rentals for weddings and events, a weekly newsletter, and special Bicentennial celebrations marking 200 years at Mulberry & First in 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Sanctuary Worship Weekly traditional Christian worship service held Sundays at 11:00 am in the historic sanctuary, featuring Biblical preaching, pipe organ, grand piano, full Ainsworth Choir, and twelve stained glass windows. Open to the general public free of charge.
• Online/Livestream Worship Digital worship experience streamed live via YouTube and Facebook every Sunday at 11:00 am, allowing remote participation in sanctuary worship for those unable to attend in person.
• Kidz for Christ Children's Ministry Children's ministry program for infants through 5th grade offering Godly Play, Sunday School, nursery care, Vacation Bible School, and special activities including Easter Egg Hunt. Provides a safe, welcoming environment for children to experience faith formation.
• Youth Ministry Youth program for 6th through 12th grade featuring Sunday night gatherings, confirmation classes, special events, retreats, and mission trips. Encourages exploration of beliefs, building friendships, and active church engagement.
• Adult Ministries Adult faith formation programs including Sunday School classes, small groups (book club, United Women in Faith, YAMs, men's group), and fellowship events fostering connection and spiritual growth.
• Macon Outreach Community mission program operating from the lower level of the church, providing over 54,000 hot meals annually, emergency groceries for 7,000 families, a clothing closet, and volunteer opportunities.
• Scholarship Programs Three endowment scholarship funds: J. Milton Heard Jr. Scholarship for seminary students, Nelle P. Walker Scholarship for MSUMC youth ($5,000 paid over four years at $1,250 annually), and Rosser Class Scholarship for Methodist Home seniors.
• Facilities Usage and Weddings Event venue rental services offering historic spaces in downtown Macon for weddings, receptions, meetings, and special events with comprehensive planning guidelines coordinated by the Wedding Director and Hospitality Coordinator.
• Worship and Prayer Service Monthly evening prayer service held first Wednesdays at 6:15 pm featuring diverse worship and prayer styles with dinner provided at 5:30 pm. Offers a contemporary complement to the traditional Sunday sanctuary service.
• The Mulberry Weekly Newsletter Weekly email newsletter published Thursdays containing church updates, events, worship information, and community news. Distributed via Constant Contact with a printed version available by request.
• Bicentennial Celebrations (1826-2026) Year-long 200th anniversary celebration featuring special worship services, concerts, history events, the Old City Flower Show, and community gatherings marking the bicentennial of the congregation.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Macon OutreachcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1971Macon Outreach began at MSUMC in 1971. Working cooperatively with other churches, businesses, area services, and volunteers, Macon Outreach serves over 54,000 hot meals each year and 7,000 families with emergency groceries. Located in the church on the lower level including soup kitchen, food pantry, and clothes closet.
• Wesley Glen MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWesley Glen is a private, not-for-profit agency and ministry of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Goal is to increase awareness to strengths and barriers related to people with mental disabilities while providing services in a Christian atmosphere.
• The Methodist HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Methodist Home provides care for children and families in need across South Georgia, including residential care, community foster homes, specialized treatment programs and counseling services. Mulberry supports through donations and the Rosser Scholarship for Methodist Home graduates.
• Macon Volunteer ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMacon Volunteer Clinic provides free primary medical, dental and eye care to uninsured, working adults. In March 2025, opened new location downtown in a building owned by MSUMC.
• Depaul DaybreakminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDay/resource center providing Macon's homeless population with critical services including hygiene, health, education, and job preparation. Mulberry representative Marilyn Armstrong serves as contact.
• South Georgia Annual Conference Disaster ResponseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGAUMC Disaster Response Ministry provides trained teams to respond when disasters occur in the region, working alongside local UMC churches and UMCOR. Mulberry has contributed donations of goods, supplies, and 'flood bucket' cleaning kits.
• 17 Local ChurchesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating churches in the Old City Flower Show event, featuring arrangements from 17 local churches as well as art created by artists from Mulberry.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Highland Park United Methodist Church: Historic mainline UMC in Dallas with traditional worship, robust children's/youth ministries, livestreamed services, large community outreach footprint, and stewardship-driven revenue model — directly comparable in operating model.
• Chapelwood United Methodist Church: Large historic United Methodist congregation in Houston offering traditional and contemporary worship, full age-stratified programming, online giving, and mission/outreach partnerships — similar multi-generational ministry pipeline.
• Travis Park United Methodist Church: Historic downtown United Methodist church with sanctuary worship, livestream, multi-generational programming, and notable outreach to the urban homeless and food-insecure populations — directly comparable operating model.
• Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church: Historic urban UMC with traditional worship, large music program, full age-stratified ministries, and significant downtown community outreach — comparable in heritage, scale, and operating scope.
• Vineville United Methodist Church: Fellow Macon, Georgia United Methodist congregation with traditional worship, age-based ministries, and community outreach — a direct local peer competing for the same Middle Georgia member base.
• Christ Church United Methodist: Historic mainline UMC with traditional worship, strong music program, children's and adult ministries, and active community missions — closely comparable to Mulberry in structure and offerings.
• St. Luke's United Methodist Church: Large United Methodist congregation with traditional and contemporary services, robust children's/youth/adult programs, online giving, and an extensive missions footprint — similar programmatic breadth and digital infrastructure.
• Tattnall Square United Methodist Church: Another Macon-based UMC congregation offering traditional worship, children's/youth programs, and community missions — overlapping service area and denominational affiliation with Mulberry.
• Peachtree Road United Methodist Church: Large historic United Methodist congregation in Atlanta with traditional sanctuary worship, extensive children's/youth/adult programming, livestreamed services, and significant community outreach — a close functional analog to Mulberry at a larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• First United Methodist Church Atlanta: One of the oldest and largest UMC congregations in the Southeast, with historic sanctuary, broad programming, livestreamed worship, and major community outreach — comparable at a much larger and broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mulberrystreetunitedmethod9745
• Facebookfacebook.com/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mulberry-united-methodist-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 MULBERRY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH