Our Saviour Lutheran Church

What Our Saviour Lutheran Church does

Our Saviour's Lutheran Church is a nonprofit religious organization operating as a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community, headquartered at 815 S. Washington St. in Naperville, Illinois with a second campus (Celebration Campus) at 919 S. Washington St. Founded in 1960 and legally known as Our Saviour's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Naperville (Federal Tax ID 36-2684454), the church serves a multigenerational congregation including families with children, adults, seniors, refugees/immigrants, and a network of international community partners in Mozambique, Slovakia, Haiti, Uganda, and Palestine. Weekly operations center on four worship services (Saturday 5pm, Sunday 9am Traditional, Sunday 10am Contemporary at Celebration Campus, Sunday 11am Blended), all centered on weekly Communion, with pastoral care, weddings, funerals, baptisms, and a columbarium as additional core services.

The organization's core offerings span twelve named ministry areas: Children, Youth & Family Ministries (Sunday School, Surge Confirmation, Ignition youth group, Vacation Bible School), Music Ministry (Sanctuary Choir, Celebration Campus Worship Team, Bach Ringers Handbell Ensemble, Cantata Choir), Adult Ministries, Small Groups, Wellness and Recreation (yoga, pickleball, running club), Prayer and Care Ministry, Our Saviour's Library (3,200+ items, online catalog since 2010 with WebOPAC remote access added 2020), Caring for Creation, and a wholly-owned preschool subsidiary called Celebration Children's Center Pre-K. Underlying technology is commodity SaaS only — Realm for online giving and member management, YouTube for live streaming, Constant Contact for email, Resource Mate for library cataloging, and standard audio/visual equipment for worship — with no proprietary platform, AI capability, or API surface.

Revenue is generated through a donation-based model with no pricing for any service (all worship and ministry programs are free), drawing on seven distinct streams: traditional tithes/offerings collected during services, online giving via Realm, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (up to $100,000 annually per donor age 70.5+), Thrivent Choice Dollars designations, stock and mutual fund gifts, memorial and honorarium gifts, and a $300,000 endowment fund that distributed $11,200 in 2025. Annual fundraising events such as the MEGA Garage Sale generate additional mission-directed revenue (e.g., $58,343 gross in 2026). Distribution occurs through two physical campuses, online streaming, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletters, and 15+ mission partnerships including Loaves & Fishes (since 1984), Bridge Communities, World Relief Chicagoland, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Feed My Starving Children, ELCA World Hunger, and international partners in Mozambique, Slovakia, and Haiti.

Name

Our Saviour Lutheran Church

Legal name

Our Saviour's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Naperville

Website

https://oursaviours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Our Saviour's Lutheran Church is a Naperville, Illinois-based ELCA and Reconciling in Christ congregation operating two campuses that deliver weekly worship, faith formation, wellness programs, music ministry, and a preschool, funded by donations and a $300,000 endowment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Community Food Services (624210)

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 Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Faith formation programs
• Community outreach missions
• Children youth ministries
• Congregational care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Naperville

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Traditional Sunday school and worship service donations collected during services
2. Online Giving: Secure online donations through Realm platform for general operating, designated missions, and specific causes
3. Thrivent Choice Dollars: Designations from Thrivent Financial members who direct Choice Dollars to the church
4. IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions: Tax-free distributions from IRAs for members age 70.5 or older, up to $100,000 annually
5. Endowment Fund: Long-term endowment fund currently at $300,000 with $11,200 distributed in 2025 to support missions, seminary students, capital projects, and stewardship training
6. Stock Gifts: Gifts of appreciated stock and mutual funds, allowing donors to avoid capital gains taxes while receiving full fair-market value deduction
7. Memorial and Honorarium Gifts: Gifts made in memory of loved ones or in honor of living individuals, directed to designated purposes

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Our Saviour's Lutheran Church operates two Naperville, IL campuses that deliver weekly worship services in traditional, blended, and contemporary styles, alongside an extensive ministry portfolio including children/youth/family programs, music ensembles, adult faith formation, small groups, wellness and recreation, prayer and pastoral care, a lending library, and a Pre-K preschool. The church channels congregational donations and volunteer effort through more than 15 local and international mission partners addressing food insecurity, refugee resettlement, education, and global hunger. It is donation-funded, ELCA-affiliated, and Reconciling in Christ (RIC) designated, serving members of all ages from preschool through seniors.

Product overview

Our Saviour's Lutheran Church is a faith community offering a comprehensive portfolio of religious and community services across two campuses in Naperville, Illinois. The organization operates as a unified ministry ecosystem centered on worship services (traditional, blended, and contemporary), religious education (Children, Youth & Family Ministries, Adult Ministries), music programs (choirs and worship teams), small groups, wellness programs, prayer and care services, and outreach missions. The church also maintains an online giving platform and endowment fund for donations. As an ELCA congregation and Reconciling in Christ community, the church serves members from children through seniors with programs spanning spiritual formation, community building, social justice, and global humanitarian aid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Worship Services Weekly worship services offered in multiple styles — traditional, blended, and contemporary — across two campus locations in Naperville, Illinois, with services on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. (Traditional), 10 a.m. (Contemporary at Celebration Campus), and 11 a.m. (Blended), all centered around weekly Communion.
• Children, Youth & Family Ministries Religious education and fellowship programs for children ages 3 through high school, including Sunday School, Surge Confirmation, Ignition youth group, Vacation Bible School, and Children's Choir, serving families seeking Christian formation in Naperville.
• Music Ministry Music programs including the Sanctuary Choir, Celebration Campus Worship Team, 11 a.m. Ensemble, Women's Chorale, Children's Choir, Bach Ringers Handbell Ensemble, and Cantata Choir, supporting worship services and concerts for the congregation and broader community.
• Adult Ministries Faith formation programs for adults including Dialogues in Faith, Senior Lunch, Women's Ministry, CARE Moms, Radiant Ministry, and Small Groups, supporting adult members seeking spiritual growth and fellowship.
• Small Groups Community groups including Caregiver's Journey, Active Adults, Banned Book Club, Bible Journaling, Moms in Faith Group, Old Testament Bible Study, and Room for Both (LGBTQIA2S+ community), offered to congregants and community members for fellowship and study.
• Wellness and Recreation Health and wellness programs including weekly Ruach yoga, Common Ground healing prayer service, Thrive gentle exercise group, Games Group, Cycling & Movement Connections, Pickleball, and Running Club, designed for members and community participants.
• Prayer and Care Ministry Pastoral care programs including Tender Moments prayer requests, prayer chain, prayer wall, prayer ministers, prayer shawls, hospital and home visitation, and meal train support, available to members and their families.
• Caring for Creation Environmental stewardship program focused on reduce, reuse, and recycle initiatives and a local farmer's market guide, promoting creation-care practices among congregants.
• Our Saviour's Library Library resource established in 1960 offering books, DVDs, and periodicals for all ages, with over 3,200 items and an online catalog accessible remotely, serving members and visitors.
• Celebration Children's Center Pre-K Preschool program for young children (Pre-K) operated at the church's Celebration Campus location at 919 S. Washington St., Naperville.
• Online Giving Platform Secure online donation system for tithes, offerings, and mission support through the Realm platform, accepting recurring and one-time contributions from members and supporters.
• Global and Local Missions Outreach programs including Baby Care, Bridge Communities, Bright Stars of Bethlehem, Educating Africa's Children, ELCA World Hunger, Feed My Starving Children, Haiti Scholars, Holy Family Ministries, Loaves & Fishes, Lutheran Social Services of IL, MEGA Garage Sale, Mozambique, Refugee Ministry, SamaraCare, and Slovakia Ministry, channeling donations and volunteer effort to community and global humanitarian partners.
• Life Events Services Pastoral services coordinating baptisms, weddings, funerals, and columbarium visitation, available to members and the wider community on request.
• Endowment Fund Long-term investment fund currently at $300,000 that distributes income to support congregation missions, seminary students, capital projects, and stewardship training, accepting contributions from members and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 57,000 people across Illinois through Lutheran Social Services partnership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Reconciling in Christ (RIC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024OSLC voted in June 2024 to become a Reconciling in Christ designated congregation, affirming commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion. ReconcilingWorks hosts the RIC program; OSLC may make voluntary contributions to support other churches on their RIC journey.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSLC is a congregation of the ELCA Churchwide organization. This affiliation provides theological framework, connection to broader Lutheran denomination, and access to ELCA World Hunger program and global mission network.
• Loaves & FishescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCornerstone partner since 1984; OSLC provides volunteers, financial donations, Packs4Kids Summer Nutrition, and conducts product drives for this local food pantry serving Naperville and DuPage County.
• Bridge CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to sponsor families at risk of homelessness through weekly mentorship and economic support for two years to guide families to self-sufficiency. OSLC Ignition students participate in Sleep Out Saturday to raise awareness and funds.
• World Relief ChicagolandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for refugee resettlement support; OSLC Refugee Ministry helps set up and furnish apartments, provides household essentials, and offers volunteer tutoring, English language tutoring, friendship partnerships, and mentoring.
• SamaraCare CounselingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSLC was one of three founding congregations of the Interfaith Family Life Agency in 1971 (later SamaraCare). Now serves six Chicago metro counties providing counseling, autism services, psychiatric care, and mental health education.
• Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSLC accepts donations for LSSI, the largest statewide social service provider serving 57,000 people in Illinois with programs including foster care, mental health services, alcohol/drug treatment, senior care, and reentry programs.
• Feed My Starving ChildrenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSLC hosts the annual Feed the Need mobile-pack event at Benedictine University, packing meals for children worldwide. OSLC community packed nearly 52,000 meals in recent event.
• Vida Humana / Lutheran Church in MozambiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2012+ supporting healthcare (IPAP food program), education (Aka Power School with 350+ students), and hunger initiatives in Chimoio, Mozambique. OSLC is the ONLY ELCA organization supporting this mission.
• Center for Christian Education (CCE) in Martin, SlovakiamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner25+ year partnership supporting post-communist Slovakia education. OSLC hosts student exchanges (Slovak students visited July 2025 for month-long cultural exchange), and OSLC youth will travel to Slovakia in summer 2026.
• Haiti Scholars / Centre D'Etudes LumieremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing educational scholarships for neediest children ages 3-11 at the school in Mariani, Haiti. OSLC supports with donations and mission trips.
• Bright Stars of Bethlehem / Dar al-Kalima UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRaises awareness and support for Dar al-Kalima University, the first and only university of arts and culture in Palestine. OSLC hosts events including art exhibits, culinary benefits, and jazz concerts.
• ELCA World HungermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSLC participates in ELCA World Hunger initiative supporting sustainable solutions including health clinics, microloans, water wells, animal husbandry, community meals, and advocacy.
• Educating Africa's Children / Dusek Child Care and Primary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by OSLC member Robin Dusek; supports Dusek Child Care and Primary School in Ibanda, Uganda. Current expansion includes teacher housing and three-story student building.
• Lutheran World ReliefminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaby Care ministry assembles 500+ care kits annually for distribution through Lutheran World Relief. Also works with local partners Bugaboo Consign, Rhea Lane Consignment, and Family Shelter Resale.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): The national denominational body to which OSLC belongs. As the parent organization, ELCA provides theological framework, ELCA World Hunger programming, and global mission infrastructure that Our Saviour's leverages.
• Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS): The largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S., theologically distinct from ELCA but operating with parallel congregational models, parochial schools, and mission structures across the same Midwestern geography.

Others

• Compassion International: Large faith-based child sponsorship and humanitarian organization. Adjacent rather than directly competitive; OSLC partners with similar global aid missions through its ELCA network.
• Habitat for Humanity (Metro Chicago): Faith-adjacent nonprofit operating housing and volunteer-mobilization programs in the same DuPage County market as several of OSLC's mission partners (e.g., Bridge Communities). Comparable community-engagement model.

Direct peers

• St. John Lutheran Church (Naperville, IL): Lutheran congregation operating in the same city as Our Saviour's. Same local market and overlapping faith-community positioning make this a same-city peer for member attraction and donor share.
• St. Mark's Lutheran Church (Aurora, IL): ELCA-affiliated Lutheran congregation in nearby Aurora, IL, explicitly named as Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Brian Wise's prior call. Same denomination, same western Chicago suburban context, and a directly comparable program structure make it the closest peer.
• Trinity Lutheran Church (Downers Grove, IL): ELCA congregation in Downers Grove, IL - a neighboring DuPage County suburb. Directly comparable on denomination, congregational scale, and multi-worship-style programming.
• Bethel Lutheran Church (Elgin, IL): ELCA-affiliated Lutheran congregation in the broader Chicago western suburbs with comparable ministry programming and congregational scale.
• Hope Lutheran Church (Wheaton, IL): ELCA congregation serving Wheaton - a DuPage County suburb adjacent to Naperville. Comparable in denomination, demographic profile, scale of programming, and proximity of congregation base.

Emerging players

• Wheatland Presbyterian Church (Naperville, IL): Mainline Protestant congregation serving the same Naperville demographic. Competes for the same pool of suburban, family-oriented worshippers and donors with progressive theological positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/OurSavioursLutheranChurchNapervilleIL
• Facebookfacebook.com/OurSavioursLutheran
• Instagraminstagram.com/oursavioursnaperville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/our-saviour-lutheran-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Our Saviour Lutheran Church