St. John's, Lafayette Square

What St. John's, Lafayette Square does

St. John's, Lafayette Square is a historic Episcopal parish church located across from the White House at 16th and H Streets NW in Washington, DC. Operating continuously since the early 19th century, the parish functions as both a place of worship for the DC metropolitan community and a national landmark known as 'the Church of the Presidents,' with documented ties to American political history and presidential visits. The parish serves a diversified congregation including DC residents, government-affiliated visitors, tourists, and young adults, delivering Sunday worship services (8:00am Holy Eucharist and 10:30am Choral Eucharist), seasonal liturgical services, baptisms, weddings, confirmations, and funerals.

The parish operates a layered programming portfolio spanning worship, music (choirs, organ, Choral Evensong, Chorister Program), age-segmented Christian education for children, youth, adults, and young adults (via the Latrobe Young Adult Fellowship), community outreach ministries (Grace's Table community meals, Engaging Communities & Outreach), and a planned-giving program structured around the 1816 Society. Its technology stack is built on the third-party Realm parish management platform (ACS Technologies), which supports event registration, member communication, pastoral care coordination, online pledging, and donations via web and mobile, complemented by YouTube-based livestreaming of Sunday services to reach a remote audience.

The financial model is donation-driven and voluntary, relying on tithes and offerings, annual pledges to the Annual Fund, planned/legacy giving through the 1816 Society, and ancillary income from facility rentals for events and ceremonies. As a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and a constituent member of The Episcopal Church, the organization operates under hierarchical religious governance rather than commercial ownership. The organization employs approximately 8 staff and relies on volunteer clergy support typical of Episcopal parishes.

Name

St. John's, Lafayette Square

Legal name

St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square

Website

https://stjohns-dc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

St. John's, Lafayette Square is a historic Episcopal parish church across from the White House in Washington, DC, serving DC residents, visitors, and young adults through worship, music, education, and outreach programs funded by donations and facility rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Episcopal worship services
• Church facility rental
• Christian formation programs
• Parish music ministry
• Community outreach ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary contributions from parish members including one-time donations and annual pledges to the Annual Fund.
2. Planned Giving: Legacy giving programs including the 1816 Society for deferred gifts and estate planning.
3. Facility Rental: Rental of church facilities for events, meetings, and ceremonies through the Facility Rental program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

St. John's, Lafayette Square is an Episcopal parish church that provides weekly worship services, professional choral music programs, Christian education and spiritual formation, community outreach initiatives, and event facility rentals. It serves as a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, operating from its historic location across from the White House in downtown Washington, DC, and reaches both local congregants and a broader online audience via livestreamed services.

Product overview

St. John's, Lafayette Square is an Episcopal church in Washington, DC offering a unified ministry of worship, music, education, and community service. The church provides in-person and livestreamed worship services (Holy Eucharist and Choral Eucharist), music programs (choirs, organ, Choral Evensong), spiritual formation for all ages, outreach ministries, and facility rentals. The parish also operates an online community platform via Realm for member engagement, event registration, and pastoral coordination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekly Worship Services Sunday and weekday Episcopal worship services held in the historic church at 16th and H Streets NW, Washington, DC. Open to congregants, visitors, and tourists; livestreamed on YouTube for remote participation.
• Parish Choir and Music Programs Professional choral music programs including the Choir of Men and Boys, the Choir of Men and Girls, and a professional choir, providing liturgical music for worship services and public concerts.
• Christian Education and Spiritual Formation Educational and formation programs for children, youth, and adults covering Christian doctrine, scripture study, and spiritual growth, offered to parish members and visitors.
• Community Outreach Ministries Parish-led outreach programs serving the broader Washington, DC community, including service initiatives and partnerships with local organizations.
• Parish Hall and Meeting Room Rentals Rental of the Parish Hall and meeting rooms for weddings, receptions, civic, diplomatic, and community events at the parish's historic location across from the White House.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Episcopal Diocese of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, participating in the broader denomination's governance, resources, and mission initiatives.
• The Episcopal Church (TEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's is affiliated with The Episcopal Church (TEC), the national denomination headquartered in New York, participating in shared liturgical resources, theological education, and churchwide initiatives.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trinity Church Wall Street: Historic Episcopal parish in lower Manhattan with a 300+ year heritage, large music program, real estate holdings, and grantmaking activities. Comparable as a high-profile historic Episcopal parish with diversified revenue streams beyond pledges.
• Washington National Cathedral: Episcopal cathedral in Washington DC serving as a national place of worship, hosting worship, music, education, and high-profile civic events. Directly comparable as a flagship Episcopal institution in the same city with overlapping visitor, donor, and programming profiles.
• St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue: Prominent Episcopal parish in midtown Manhattan known for its distinguished music program and traditional liturgy. Comparable to St. John's as a flagship Episcopal parish with a strong choral/Evensong tradition and historic urban setting.
• National Cathedral (The Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation): Already listed as Washington National Cathedral; the operating foundation supports the cathedral's worship, education, music, and visitor programs. Comparable as a heritage Episcopal institution in DC with significant visitor and donor engagement.
• St. Paul's Chapel (Trinity Wall Street): Historic Episcopal chapel in lower Manhattan operated by Trinity Wall Street, serving visitors and a regular congregation with daily worship and music. Comparable as a small-staffed historic Episcopal place of worship serving both locals and visitors.
• St. Bartholomew's Church, New York: Historic Episcopal parish in midtown Manhattan with a renowned music program, community outreach, and heritage architecture. Comparable to St. John's as a flagship urban Episcopal parish with strong music and outreach ministries.
• Christ Church Georgetown: Historic Episcopal parish in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington DC. Directly comparable as an Episcopal parish in the same metropolitan area offering worship, formation, outreach, and music programming.

Regional players

• St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill: Episcopal parish on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, near St. John's geographically. Comparable as an Episcopal parish in DC serving a similar urban, politically-engaged constituency with comparable programming and congregational structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-john-lafayette-square

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about St. John's, Lafayette Square