Old Ship Church

What Old Ship Church does

Old Ship Church (legally First Parish in Hingham, Unitarian Universalist) is a private, nonprofit Unitarian Universalist congregation founded in 1635 by Puritan settlers of Hingham, Massachusetts. The organization is housed in the Old Ship Meeting House, a National Historic Landmark built in 1681 and the only remaining 17th-century Puritan meeting house in the United States. It serves approximately 250 members and friends of all ages, offering weekly Sunday worship services (in-person and via Zoom), a choir and music program, lifelong religious education, life passage ceremonies (weddings, memorials, child dedications), pastoral care, and an active social justice ministry spanning anti-racism, climate justice, anti-hunger, and veterans' support in partnership with organizations such as Father Bill's Shelter, Anderson Veterans Home, Hingham Food Pantry, and South Shore Friends of the Homeless.

The operating model is donation- and event-driven rather than commercial. Roughly three quarters of the operating budget comes from annual member pledges, with the remainder generated by facility rentals (weddings, concerts, lectures), fundraising events (Merrie Market holiday bazaar, Spring Plant Sale, Candlelight Concert Series), tour donations, and three segregated endowment funds covering building maintenance, social outreach, and operating expenses. Day-to-day operations are supported by a lean team of approximately five staff plus a Board of Trustees, sextons, and lay leadership; the settled ministry transitioned in 2022 when Rev. Kenneth Read-Brown retired after 35 years, with Rev. Carie Johnsen joining as contract minister in August 2024.

Technology is intentionally minimal and standard for the sector: Zoom for hybrid worship, BreezeChMS for member directory and online giving, Constant Contact for newsletters, and a WordPress-based website. No proprietary technology, mobile app, or AI capability is in evidence. Distribution is regional, centered on Hingham and the South Shore of Massachusetts, with reach extended virtually through Zoom and through the 50-plus-year-old free Candlelight Concert Series that draws visitors to the historic building.

Name

Old Ship Church

Legal name

First Parish in Hingham

Website

https://oldshipchurch.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Old Ship Church (First Parish in Hingham) is a Unitarian Universalist congregation of approximately 250 members in Hingham, Massachusetts, offering worship, religious education, social justice programs, and community events from a 1681 National Historic Landmark Meeting House.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Religious education programs
• Community outreach ministry
• Historic venue rentals
• Congregational life services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hingham

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, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Member Pledges and Donations: The primary revenue stream comes from annual pledges made by congregation members. The church conducts annual stewardship campaigns and encourages members to pledge financially consistent with their commitment to the community. Three quarters of the operating budget income comes from annual pledges.
2. Facility Rentals: The Old Ship Meeting House is available for weddings, lectures, concerts and other occasions to residents of Hingham and others, subject to availability and minister approval. The church also offers space for memorial services, child dedications, and other community events.
3. Special Events and Fundraisers: Annual fundraising events including the Merrie Market holiday bazaar and cafe, Spring Plant Sale, and Candlelight Concert Series. These events generate revenue while building community.
4. Legacy Giving and Endowments: The church maintains three segregated endowment funds for building maintenance, social outreach programs, and operating expenses. Legacy giving program allows members to leave bequests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Old Ship Church is a Unitarian Universalist congregation providing weekly religious worship services, religious education for all ages, lifecycle ceremonies (weddings, memorials, child dedications), pastoral care, and active social justice and community outreach programs. It operates from the 1681 Old Ship Meeting House, the only remaining 17th-century Puritan meeting house in the United States and a National Historic Landmark. The church also rents the Meeting House for weddings, concerts, and lectures, and runs annual fundraisers and concert series open to the broader community.

Product overview

Old Ship Church is a Unitarian Universalist congregation offering religious and community services centered around its historic 1681 Meeting House. The organization provides Sunday worship services, historic building tours, life passage ceremonies (weddings, memorials), and a robust music program including the choir and Candlelight Concert Series. Religious education spans all ages through children's programs and adult learning opportunities. Community engagement includes social justice initiatives, food insecurity programs, and pastoral care. Major annual events include the Merrie Market bazaar and Spring Plant Sale. The church operates from two locations: the Meeting House at 90 Main Street and the Parish Office at 14 Main Street in Hingham, Massachusetts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services
• Old Ship Meeting House Tours
• Wedding and Memorial Services
• Candlelight Concert Series
• Choir and Music Program
• Religious Education Programs
• Community Outreach and Serving Others
• Merrie Market
• Spring Plant Sale
• Pastoral Care Services
• Meeting House Facility Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• Provides approximately 150 meals per session to Father Bill's Shelter through cooking teams
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Massachusetts Interfaith Power and LightminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Old Ship became a supporting member of Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light, an organization mobilizing faith communities on climate action and environmental stewardship.
• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOld Ship Church is a member congregation of the UUA, aligning with the association's principles, Shared UU Values, and network of congregations. The church participates in UUA programs including Welcoming Congregation and Green Sanctuary accreditations.
• 350 Massachusetts (South Shore Node)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOld Ship participates in and leads the South Shore Node of 350 Massachusetts as part of its climate justice work under the Green Sanctuary program.
• UU Urban MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOld Ship continues to partner with the UU Urban Ministry, particularly with programs in Roxbury focused on racial justice and community service.
• UU Service CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partners with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee on social justice initiatives and advocacy.
• Father Bill's ShelterminorOthersSix cooking teams provide full dinner meals for approximately 150 people served by the shelter four times per year.
• Anderson Veterans HomeminorOthersPart of interfaith effort providing lunches twice weekly (Tuesday and Friday) to veterans. Old Ship provides lunches during October.
• Hingham Food PantryminorOthersFood collection during Sunday services and designated food drives to support food-insecure community members.
• South Shore Friends of the HomelessminorOthersPrepares and serves holiday dinner for those in shelters, and participates in holiday gift program adopting approximately 110 gifts for 35-40 individuals.
• Friends of the Old Ship Meeting HousecoreOthersSeparate non-profit organization that works closely with First Parish to preserve the Meeting House as a National Historic Landmark and promote community connection to the historic building.
• Hingham Hull Religious Leaders AssociationminorOthersSponsors the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Eve Service with clergy and religious leaders from 14+ congregations in Hull and Hingham.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Old North Church: Iconic historic Boston house of worship and National Historic Landmark generating significant tourism and facility rental revenue; broadly comparable in leveraging historic-asset status for community programming and earned income.
• Unitarian Universalist Association: National denominational body of which Old Ship is a member congregation; comparable as the umbrella organization providing accreditation programs (Welcoming Congregation, Green Sanctuary) referenced in Old Ship's positioning.

Direct peers

• First Unitarian Church of Portland: Mid-sized UU congregation with progressive social justice identity, music programs, and facility rentals; a comparable operating model in a different regional market.
• Arlington Street Church: A historic Unitarian Universalist congregation in Boston offering progressive worship, social justice programming, and a comparable community-led model; direct denominational peer and closest geographic comparable for Old Ship.
• First Church in Boston: One of the oldest Unitarian congregations in North America, sharing Old Ship's blend of historic preservation, liberal theology, and downtown/regional community engagement.
• First Parish Concord: Historic Massachusetts UU congregation with a similar New England suburban profile, progressive programming, music ministry, and community service partnerships.
• First Parish in Cambridge: Long-standing UU congregation in Cambridge with a similar mix of historic sanctuary, progressive identity, social justice ministry, and diversified programming including concerts and rentals.
• King's Chapel: Historic Unitarian congregation in Boston housed in a landmark building; comparable to Old Ship in combining heritage tourism, facility rentals, and a progressive UU identity.
• First Unitarian Society of Chicago: Architecturally significant UU congregation with strong social justice, music, and education programming; comparable in combining a distinctive physical asset with progressive denominational identity.

Regional players

• Trinity Church Boston: Historic Boston house of worship that, like Old Ship, monetizes a National Historic Landmark building through concerts, tours, and community use; comparable as a heritage-driven venue operator in the same regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Pinterestpinterest.com/oldshipchurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/old-ship-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Old Ship Church