St. Johns UMC

What St. Johns UMC does

St. John's United Methodist Church is a religious nonprofit congregation of the United Methodist Church located at 1200 Old Pecos Trail in Santa Fe, New Mexico, commonly known locally as "The Pumpkin Church." The church operates a portfolio of ministries centered on weekly Sunday worship, adult education (Sunday Seminar, Nephesh, Community classes), youth programs (in partnership with Zia UMC and Los Alamos First UMC for grades 6–12), music ministries (Chancel Choir of 25+, Jubilate Bell Choir of 12), 12-step recovery hosting (NA, AA, Al-Anon, ACOA), and outreach programs including Blessing Bags, the Faith Coalition, the New Mexico Ramp Project, and the Pumpkin Patch fundraiser.

The organization's flagship outreach is the Bag 'n Hand Pantry, an all-volunteer food distribution ministry founded in 2002 by Associate Pastor Brad Bennett. The pantry partners with The Food Depot of Santa Fe as a USDA commodities distribution site and is described as one of the largest USDA food pantries in northern New Mexico, currently serving 270+ households weekly (approximately 915 individuals) through a drive-through morning distribution and an indoor afternoon distribution every Tuesday. The ministry has expanded through interfaith partnerships (St. Bede's Episcopal, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Temple Beth Shalom) and is funded by member tithes, the St. John's UMC Foundation (two annual grant cycles in March and June), community donations, the Santa Fe Community Foundation, and a Thanksgiving Pumpkin Patch fundraiser (since the early 1990s, in partnership with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, Inc. and Navajo farmers near Farmington, NM, with the church receiving 40% of sales).

The technology stack is minimal: WordPress powers both the main site (sjumcsantafe.org) and the dedicated pantry site (bagnhand.sjumcsantafe.org, with bilingual English/Spanish content); SignUpGenius is used for volunteer scheduling; PayPal/credit card processing handles online giving. There is no proprietary platform, mobile application, or AI capability. The organization employs 14 staff and is led by Pastor Matt Bridges. No revenue figures, funding rounds, or financial statements are publicly disclosed.

Name

St. Johns UMC

Legal name

St. John’s United Methodist Church

Website

https://sjumcsantafe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. John's United Methodist Church is a Santa Fe, New Mexico congregation operating weekly worship, education, youth, and music ministries alongside the Bag 'n Hand Pantry, one of the largest USDA food pantries in northern New Mexico, serving 270+ households weekly through interfaith and community partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Community Food Services (62421), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Food pantry assistance
• Youth ministry programs
• Faith-based community outreach
• Twelve-step recovery support

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Members pledge annual contributions to the General Operating Fund, which supports worship, children's and youth programs, Bible studies, small groups, pastoral care, mission trips, community service, and building/operational expenses. Giving is described as an act of worship expressing gratitude for God's faithfulness.
2. St. John's UMC Foundation Grants: The Foundation provides grant funding for ministry areas including Program and Education, Property, Operations, and Outreach and Missions. The Foundation also funds outreach programs such as Blessing Bags and supports the Bag 'n Hand Pantry. Grant cycles open twice per year.
3. Thanksgiving Pumpkin Patch: Since the early 1990s, St. John's has sold pumpkins through a partnership with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, Inc. and Navajo farmers near Farmington, NM. The church receives 40% of pumpkin sales; buyers often leave tips that go directly to the church.
4. Community and Grant Donations: The Bag 'n Hand Pantry receives financial donations from St. John's congregation and Foundation, the broader Santa Fe community, and multiple grants that support its community outreach mission.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St. John's United Methodist Church is a religious congregation offering Sunday worship services, religious education for adults and children, music ministries, youth programming, 12-step recovery hosting, and a range of outreach ministries. Its primary outreach is the Bag 'n Hand Pantry, a volunteer-run food assistance program that partners with The Food Depot of Santa Fe to distribute fresh produce and groceries to 270+ households weekly, and is one of the largest USDA commodities food pantries in northern New Mexico.

Product overview

St. John's United Methodist Church operates as a spiritual community of service offering worship services, food assistance, youth programs, adult education, music ministries, and various outreach programs. The primary product is the Bag 'n Hand Pantry, one of the largest USDA food pantries in northern New Mexico, which distributes fresh produce and groceries to food-insecure community members twice weekly. Additional offerings include youth programs, multiple adult education classes, Chancel and Bell choirs, 12-step recovery programs, and outreach initiatives including Blessing Bags, Pumpkin Patch sales, Faith Coalition, and the NM Ramp Project. The church uses WordPress for its web presence and offers online giving through PayPal/credit card processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bag 'n Hand Pantry Volunteer-operated food pantry and outreach ministry partnering with The Food Depot of Santa Fe to distribute fresh produce, canned goods, bread, and pet food to food-insecure community members in Santa Fe every Tuesday morning (drive-through 11 am-12:30 pm) and afternoon (indoor 5-6:30 pm).
• Sunday Worship Services Weekly Sunday morning worship services at 9:30 am featuring hymns, prayers, scriptures, and a sermon, with nursery care (9:30-11 am), fellowship time (10:30 am), Sunday School (10:45 am), and livestreaming via Facebook and YouTube; a Wednesday Soul Break contemplative service is also offered seasonally.
• Youth Programs Youth fellowship for grades 6-12 meeting Sundays 5-7 pm in partnership with Zia UMC and Los Alamos First UMC, providing spiritual community, fellowship, service, and leadership development for teenagers.
• Adult Education Classes Multiple adult Sunday School classes including Community Class (Parlor), Sunday Seminar (Bell Room), and Nephesh Class (Choir Room with Zoom option), plus a Wednesday Women's Bible Study, covering biblical, spiritual, political, and faith topics.
• Chancel Choir A choir of 25+ singers providing musical leadership in worship services, rehearsing Wednesdays 7-8 pm, with Karen Parsons serving as organist and accompanist.
• Jubilate Bell Choir A 12-member handbell choir meeting Wednesdays 6-7 pm in the bell room, presenting special music for Easter and Christmas.
• 12-Step Recovery Programs Weekly recovery meetings hosted on-site including Narcotics Anonymous (daily), Alcoholics Anonymous (various groups), and Adult Children of Alcoholics, plus an Al-Anon Women's Group, serving community members in recovery from addiction.
• Pumpkin Patch Annual Thanksgiving pumpkin sales fundraiser run since the early 1990s in partnership with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, Inc. and Navajo farmers near Farmington, NM, with 40% of sales going to the church and supporting church programs and the Bag 'n Hand Pantry.
• Blessing Bags Ziploc bags containing socks, snacks, and water bottles distributed to those in immediate need and available at the church office, with startup funds from the St. John's UMC Foundation.
• Faith Coalition Interfaith coalition supporting immigrant families in Santa Fe in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, Westminster Presbyterian Church, and The Open Circle, through donations of school supplies, backpacks, and children's items.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 212 households and 915 individuals per week
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• St. Bede's Episcopal ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Sandy Szabat, Bag 'n Hand Pantry coordinator, recruited St. Bede's Episcopal Church as one of three local congregations to participate in the Bag 'n Hand ministry. The church provided food donations to supplement The Food Depot commodities.
• Unitarian Universalist CongregationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Recruited by Sandy Szabat to participate in the Bag 'n Hand ministry. The congregation provided food donations to supplement The Food Depot commodities distributed by the pantry.
• Temple Beth ShalomminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Recruited by Sandy Szabat to participate in the Bag 'n Hand ministry as part of an inter-faith outreach effort. The congregation provided food donations to supplement The Food Depot commodities.
• Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990Since the early 1990s, St. John's has partnered with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, Inc., a for-profit company, to sell pumpkins each Thanksgiving season. Navajos near Farmington, NM raise the pumpkins. The church receives 40% of pumpkin sales; customers often leave tips. The Pumpkin Patch fundraiser supports church programs and the Bag 'n Hand Pantry.
• The Food Depot of Santa FecoreOthersThe Food Depot of Santa Fe is the primary food supply partner for the Bag 'n Hand Pantry. It provides USDA government commodities and purchased foods each week, which are supplemented by food donated by the four participating congregations and financial donations used to purchase additional items. The Food Depot also supplies the Bag 'n Hand Pantry with commodities as a partner agency. The pantry is one of the largest USDA commodities food pantries in northern New Mexico.
• Zia United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's Youth partners with Zia UMC Youth Group in a youth ministry outreach partnership. The combined youth group is open to grades 6–12 and meets Sundays from 5–7 pm. Additionally, on the 3rd Monday of each month, men from St. John's and Zia UMC meet for a social dinner at Pantry Dos restaurant in Santa Fe to discuss life and faith.
• Los Alamos First United Methodist Church Youth GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's Youth partners with the Los Alamos First UMC Youth Group, expanding the youth ministry network beyond Santa Fe. The combined youth group meets Sundays 5–7 pm.
• First Presbyterian Church of Santa FeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembers of First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe initiated the Faith Coalition after the 2024 election, focusing on compassion, justice, and community care. St. John's UMC joined alongside Westminster Presbyterian Church and The Open Circle to share experiences supporting immigrant families in Santa Fe.
• Westminster Presbyterian ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Faith Coalition alongside First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, The Open Circle, and St. John's UMC. The coalition supports immigrant families in Santa Fe through donations of school supplies, backpacks, and children's items.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National network of food banks and pantries, of which The Food Depot of Santa Fe (St. John's supply partner) is an affiliate. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same food assistance category operating at national scale.
• Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico: New Mexico's largest food bank, operating across the state. Comparable as a much larger regional food assistance organization with similar mission, donor model, and food pantry partner agency network.

Direct peers

• First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe: Santa Fe Presbyterian congregation that initiated the Faith Coalition supporting immigrant families alongside St. John's UMC. Comparable as a faith-based community services partner in the same region with shared outreach programming.
• The Food Depot of Santa Fe: Santa Fe's primary regional food bank, supplying USDA commodities to partner agencies including St. John's Bag 'n Hand Pantry. Directly comparable as a regional food assistance organization serving Santa Fe's food-insecure population with a similar volunteer-driven operating model.
• Interfaith Community Shelter (Santa Fe): Santa Fe interfaith coalition providing shelter and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness. Comparable as a faith-based multi-congregation coalition delivering community services with overlapping donor and volunteer pools in the same geography.
• St. Bede's Episcopal Church (Santa Fe): Santa Fe Episcopal congregation that has participated in the Bag 'n Hand food ministry since 2003, providing food donations alongside St. John's UMC. Directly comparable as a faith-based organization running food assistance and community ministry programs in the same city.
• Kitchen Angels: New Mexico-based nonprofit preparing and delivering meals to homebound individuals and families facing serious illness, with Santa Fe-area service. Comparable as a community food assistance organization serving vulnerable populations in the same region.
• Catholic Charities of Santa Fe: Faith-based social services organization serving Santa Fe and northern New Mexico with food, housing, immigration, and family support programs. Comparable as a faith-based multi-service community organization operating in the same region with overlapping outreach missions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiuTBJgMaRAlUch2BIX70Zw
• Facebookfacebook.com/sjumcsantafe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-johns-umc

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 St. Johns UMC