St. John's Lutheran Church

What St. John's Lutheran Church does

St. John's Lutheran Church is an ELCA congregation of the Pacifica Synod located in Palm Desert, California, serving the Coachella Valley community continuously since 1960. Its functional mission is religious worship, Christian education, and human-service outreach, delivered through traditional and contemporary Sunday services, midweek Bible study (in person and on Zoom), Sunday school, confirmation and youth ministry, and music programs spanning chancel choir, contemporary band, and children's choirs. The congregation also operates a weekly food distribution program in partnership with FIND (Food In Need of Distribution), a collaboration that has run from the church campus since 1995 and is co-recognized by local municipal officials.

The church's underlying "platform" is a volunteer-staffed ministry operation supported by a Breeze church-management system that handles membership records, online giving, and connect-card workflows. Distribution of content occurs through a website, weekly email bulletins, a sermon podcast, and YouTube live streaming of services, enabling asynchronous engagement for members who are traveling, homebound, or geographically distant from Palm Desert. The organization is governed by a Church Council, employs 11-50 staff including ordained pastors (Pastor Karen Hetrick, Pastor Emily Baynton) and a Communications Director, and is supported by an extensive volunteer base.

St. John's is a 501(c)(3) non-profit; revenue is derived from member pledges, online and in-person donations, and limited program-related support. There is no commercial pricing model — participation in worship, education, and food distribution is offered without charge to recipients. The primary "customer" segments are congregants (donors and recipients of programming), community members benefiting from outreach (food distribution clients, community partners such as Coachella Valley Rescue Mission), and the broader ELCA network through which the church is affiliated.

Name

St. John's Lutheran Church

Legal name

St. John's Lutheran Church

Website

https://stjohnslutheran.church

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Desert, California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: The church generates revenue through voluntary contributions from congregation members during worship services, including traditional offerings and digital giving options through their Breezechms online giving platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St. John's Lutheran Church is a non-profit religious congregation that delivers Lutheran Christian worship services (traditional hymns at 9:15 am and contemporary worship at 11:15 am), Christian education across all ages, pastoral care, music and arts ministry, and community outreach programs including monthly food distribution. Services are provided free of charge to congregation members and the wider Coachella Valley community, funded by voluntary tithes and offerings. Content is also distributed digitally via YouTube livestream, podcast, and Zoom for remote participants.

Product overview

St. John's Lutheran Church offers a comprehensive suite of worship and ministry services centered around its dual Sunday worship services (Traditional at 9:15 am and Contemporary at 11:15 am), both available in-person and via livestream. The church operates multiple musical programs including the Celebration Singers choir, Festival Singers ecumenical choir, Festival Ringers bell choir, and the St. John's Worship Band. Educational offerings span all ages: Sunday School for K-5th grade, Youth Bible Study for 6th-12th grade, and a three-year Confirmation program. Additional ministries include the FIND Food Distribution program, Caring Ministries (prayer chain, visitation, cancer support, grief ministry), Christian Education (weekly Zoom Bible study, Women's Bible study, Read the Bible in a Year program), and an Audio & Video team for live streaming. The church distributes sermons through the 'Grace Abounds' podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship at 9:15 am featuring traditional hymns from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) hymnal and special music from the Celebration Singers Choir, including liturgy, scripture reading, prayers, and communion. Available to congregation members, visitors, and the broader community.
• Contemporary Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship at 11:15 am featuring contemporary Christian songs led by the St. John's Worship Band and a Children's Sermon, including communion, scripture reading, and prayers. Open to all who wish to attend.
• Online/Livestream Worship Live streaming of both Traditional (9:15 am) and Contemporary (11:15 am) Sunday worship services via YouTube, with archived past services available from 2018-2025. Enables remote participation for shut-ins, travelers, and the wider community.
• Grace Abounds Sermon Podcast Podcast distribution of sermons available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, featuring reflections by Pastor Jen and Pastor Emily. Provides on-demand access to preaching content.
• Sunday School (K-5th Grade) Religious education program for children K-5th grade held Sundays 10:15-11:15 am, featuring Bible studies, music, crafts, and games led by dedicated teachers. Targeted at families with elementary-age children.
• Youth Bible Study (6th-12th Grade) Bible study program for middle and high school youth (6th-12th grade) providing a safe space to learn and grow in Christ, including monthly activities, community service, and food & fun nights. For teens seeking faith community.
• Confirmation Program Three-year confirmation program for students in grades 6, 7, and 8 based on the 'Colaborate' Confirmation curriculum from Sparkhouse, with fellowship, fun, learning, and conversation with Pastor Emily. For students preparing for confirmation in the Lutheran tradition.
• Celebration Singers Choir Sunday worship choir providing music at the 9:15 am Traditional Service every other Sunday, with rehearsals on Thursdays at 4 pm; open to youth and adults. For congregation members interested in choral participation.
• Festival Singers Ecumenical Choir Ecumenical community choir including members from several Coachella Valley faith communities, with rehearsals on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm; open to all voice parts. Cross-denominational choral program.
• Festival Ringers (Bell Choir) Community bell choir for special events including members from several faith communities, under the direction of Lori Teneycke. For handbell musicians across the region.
• St. John's Worship Band In-house worship band consisting of professional musicians (Sarah Hagar - vocals, Patrick Karst - piano/keys, Mikael Jacobson - bass guitar, Jim Watson - drums) led by Director of Worship & Music Sarah Hagar, leading Contemporary Worship Services. For worshippers preferring modern music.
• Summer Choir Informal summer choir program offering singing opportunities during 3 worship services; no auditions necessary, casual dress; led by Choir Director Jon McGihon. For casual singers seeking short-term participation.
• Audio & Video Team Volunteer AV team providing training for PowerPoint, live streaming, camera, and sound booth operations; coordinated by Elizabeth Diaz. For volunteers interested in production ministry.
• FIND Food Distribution Program Monthly food distribution program on the 3rd Saturday of every month (7-8 am) serving those in need in the community since 1995; first-come, first-served. For Coachella Valley residents experiencing food insecurity.
• Thursday Zoom Bible Study Weekly online Bible study via Zoom every Thursday at 1:30 pm discussing upcoming Sunday scripture readings; open to all participants. For remote learners and adult education seekers.
• Women's Bible Study (Ruth Circle) Monthly women's Bible study held on the 1st Saturday (8-9:30 am) in Fellowship Hall, currently featuring 'Sharing our Favorite Expressions of Faith' series. For women seeking scriptural study and fellowship.
• Read the Bible in a Year Program Guided Bible reading plan starting in the New Testament and moving to the Old Testament, with 3-4 chapters per reading day; includes recommended BibleProject.com video resources. For members undertaking annual scripture reading.
• Caring Ministries Spiritual, physical, and emotional support programs including Prayer Chain, Visitation Team, Cancer Support Ministry (through Stephen Ministry), and Grief Book Ministry. For congregation members and community members in need of pastoral care.
• Online Giving Platform Online tithing and giving platform through Breeze Church Management Software enabling members to contribute financially to the church. For congregation members wishing to donate digitally.
• ELCA Social Statements Study Program Educational program covering ELCA Social Statements including Church in Society, Caring for Creation, For Peace in God's World, Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Immigration, Abortion, Caring for Health, and Women and Justice. For members studying Lutheran social teaching.

Quantifiable outcome

• FIND food distribution program operating since 1995 - 30+ years of continuous service
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's is a congregation of the ELCA, partnering with thousands of Lutheran congregations across the country. The partnership includes support for Lutheran Disaster Relief and Lutheran Social Services, one of the largest non-profit social service networks in the U.S.
• Pacifica SynodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's is affiliated with the Pacifica Synod, a regional governing body of the ELCA that provides oversight and support to member congregations.
• Lutheran World Relief (LWR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's partners with Lutheran World Relief as part of their ELCA affiliation, supporting international humanitarian and development work.
• FIND (Food In Need of Distribution)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's has been a distribution site for the FIND food assistance program since 1995. The church distributes food on the 3rd Saturday of every month from 7-8 am, serving hundreds of community members in need. The program is funded solely by members and friends of St. John's.
• Coachella Valley Rescue Mission (CVRM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. John's partners annually with CVRM for the God's Work Our Hands summer drive collecting bottled water and toiletries for homeless community members. Items are bagged on God's Work Our Hands Day in September.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• North Point Community Church: Atlanta-area evangelical megachurch founded by Andy Stanley with multiple campuses. Comparable as a multi-site congregation with strong digital content distribution and teaching-focused ministry, though much larger and non-denominational rather than Lutheran.
• Mariners Church: Irvine, California-based evangelical church with a large Orange County congregation. Comparable as a Southern California congregation with contemporary worship, multi-generational ministries, and community outreach programming, though significantly larger.
• Real Life Church: Valencia, California-based evangelical church with multiple Southern California campuses. Comparable as a California congregation with contemporary worship style, livestream presence, and community programming.
• Willow Creek Community Church: South Barrington, Illinois-based evangelical megachurch with a historical emphasis on church planting, discipleship curricula, and digital content. Comparable as a large congregation investing in teaching content and community programming.
• Saddleback Church: Lake Forest, California-based evangelical megachurch with multiple campuses across Southern California. Comparable as a California congregation with extensive community outreach and digital engagement, though Saddleback operates at vastly greater scale than St. John's.

Direct peers

• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church: ELCA-affiliated Lutheran congregations operate under the Gloria Dei name across several U.S. locations. Comparable as a same-denomination Lutheran congregation with weekly worship services, music ministries, and community service programming.
• Hope Lutheran Church: Multiple ELCA-affiliated Lutheran congregations operate under the Hope Lutheran name across U.S. cities. Comparable as a same-denomination Lutheran church offering traditional and contemporary worship, Christian education, and community outreach ministries at small-to-mid scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@StJohnsPalmDesert
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-john-s-lutheran-church-palm-desert

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about St. John's Lutheran Church