The Peoples Church of East Lansing

What The Peoples Church of East Lansing does

The Peoples Church of East Lansing is a multi-denominational Protestant congregation founded in 1907 by four Michigan State University (then Michigan Agricultural College) professors to serve students and the East Lansing community. It operates as an independent nonprofit simultaneously recognized by four founding denominations—Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Methodist Church, United Church of Christ, and American Baptist Church—with each member considered a full member of all four. The church is governed by a 15-member Council of Elders elected from active congregation members, with the Senior Pastor reporting to the council. The church is located at 200 W. Grand River Ave., directly across from the MSU campus.

The church's core offerings include in-person worship services (two Sunday services plus a McCune Chapel early service, with ASL interpretation), online streaming via YouTube, and a comprehensive ministry portfolio spanning adult Bible studies, youth group (PCYG for grades 6–12), children's Christian education, music and fine arts programs (choirs, bell choirs, Fischbach Library), pastoral services (baptism, weddings, funerals, counseling), and community outreach. A wholly owned subsidiary, Peoples Church Preschool, delivers a NAEYC-accredited early childhood education program enrolling approximately 100 children from infants through pre-kindergarten, operating five days per week year-round. The church's technology stack centers on the Realm Connect platform for directory access, pledge tracking, and member communications, supplemented by YouTube streaming and Zoom for remote Bible studies.

The organization's revenue model is diversified across three streams: voluntary tithes and offerings (recurring donations via Realm), preschool tuition, and building/facility rentals for external groups and meetings. Annual operating budget is approximately $2 million at breakeven. The church supports approximately 40 FTE staff split between preschool and church operations, serving roughly 860 members with average worship attendance of 360 across in-person and virtual services. The church maintains a portfolio of community partnerships including Edgewood Village Non-Profit Housing Corporation, All Saints Episcopal Church, Michigan Interfaith Power and Light, City of Lansing Forestry Service, and MSU Community Engaged Learning initiatives.

Name

The Peoples Church of East Lansing

Legal name

The Peoples Church of East Lansing

Website

https://thepeopleschurch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Peoples Church of East Lansing is a 1907-founded, multi-denominational Protestant congregation serving 860 members across East Lansing and MSU, offering worship, preschool, youth and adult ministries, and community outreach on a ~$2M annual budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization / Place of Worship

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Christian education programs
• Early childhood education
• Community outreach services
• Pastoral counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

East Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary donations from congregation members during worship services and through online giving platform (Realm)
2. Preschool Tuition: Nationally accredited preschool program enrolling approximately 100 children operating five days per week throughout the year
3. Building and Facility Rentals: Building used seven days a week for meetings, organizations, and groups including church programming and external rentals

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Peoples Church of East Lansing operates as a multi-denominational Protestant congregation delivering weekly Sunday worship services (in-person and online), Christian education for all ages, pastoral rites (baptism, weddings, funerals), community outreach, and a NAEYC-accredited preschool. Its core revenue-generating activities are recurring member tithes/offerings, preschool tuition for approximately 100 children, and facility rentals, supporting an annual operating budget of approximately $2 million.

Product overview

The Peoples Church of East Lansing is a multi-denominational church offering a unified worship-centered service portfolio. The core offering is in-person and online worship services (Sanctuary and McCune Chapel), supplemented by educational programs (Peoples Church Preschool with NAEYC accreditation, Campus Ministry, Youth Group, Children's Christian Education, Adult Bible Studies), arts programs (Music Ministry with choirs, Fine Arts exhibitions), community outreach, pastoral services, and facility rental. The church operates seven days per week with approximately 860 members and an average worship attendance of 360.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship services at the East Lansing campus. The main Sanctuary service runs at 9:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. during the school year) and McCune Chapel service at 8:30 a.m., with summer services consolidated at 9:30 a.m. Services include traditional Protestant worship with ASL interpretation. Targeted at congregation members and visitors in the Greater Lansing area.
• Online Worship Streaming Live and recorded worship services available on the church's YouTube channel with closed captions for accessibility. Targeted at remote attendees, homebound members, and visitors outside the East Lansing area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average worship attendance of 360 combined in-person and virtual
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michigan Interfaith Power and Light (MIIPL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2026MIIPL Capital Area Chapter member Marc Lyon serves on the Peoples Church Earth Stewardship Committee. Coordinated tree planting event at Union Missionary Baptist Church with record 100 participants.
• City of Lansing Forestry ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2026Partnered with City of Lansing Forestry Service for tree planting event. 15 trees (City Slicker Birch and Oak Leaf Mountain Ash) planted at Union Missionary Baptist Church.
• Union Missionary Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2026Host site for tree planting event organized by multiple community partners. Pastor Kenneth Craig welcomed volunteers to plant trees along southern and western church property edges.
• Michigan State University Alpha SororityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2026Participated in record-setting tree planting event as part of MSU community engaged learning initiatives.
• Edgewood Village Non-Profit Housing CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongtime partnership with Edgewood Village Non-Profit Housing Corporation. Church members tutor residents of all ages, mentor high school students on the path to college, provide donations, help with gardening and sewing projects, and offer transportation to events.
• All Saints Episcopal ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with All Saints Episcopal Church to support Christian Services of Greater Lansing through the Personal Needs Bank, providing supplies for local families.
• Michigan State University Community Engaged LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSU Community Engaged Learning partnered with the church and other organizations for community service events including tree planting initiative.
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding denomination; each member is considered a full member of each of the four founding denominations. Church polity draws from Presbyterian form of organization with ruling elders.
• The United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding denomination; Associate Pastor Rev. Haley Hansen is a provisional elder in the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church.
• The United Church of ChristcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding denomination recognized alongside Presbyterian Church U.S.A., United Methodist Church, and American Baptist Church.
• American Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding denomination; church constitution reflects Baptist preference for ordinance over sacrament and larger baptismal font.
• MSU Faculty (Town and Gown Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly discussion series for seniors in Greater Lansing area connecting with MSU faculty on exciting and timely topics. Limited to first 30 registered participants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University United Methodist Church: Mainline Protestant congregation immediately adjacent to MSU campus with an active campus ministry and progressive identity. Directly competes for the same student, faculty, and Lansing-area member pool with overlapping programmatic offerings.
• First Presbyterian Church of East Lansing: Local Presbyterian (PCUSA) congregation sharing the same East Lansing/MSU catchment. Competes for the same denominational members and progressive-leaning families, and could be a merger or partner candidate given The Peoples Church's PCUSA affiliation.
• St. Paul's Episcopal Church: Historic East Lansing Episcopal parish serving the MSU community with progressive theological posture, worship services, and educational programming. Comparable denominationally, geographically, and demographically to The Peoples Church.

Broad incumbents

• Riverside Church: Iconic progressive interdenominational congregation in New York City with extensive programming, music and arts, community outreach, and university-level adult education. Shares the multi-denominational DNA and broad programmatic model that distinguishes The Peoples Church.
• Marble Collegiate Church: Long-established progressive mainline Protestant congregation in NYC with broad programming, music ministry, and community outreach. Comparable in multi-generational, program-rich operating model.
• All Saints Episcopal Church (Pasadena): Large progressive Episcopal congregation known for inclusivity, robust programming, music and arts ministry, and community outreach. Comparable in theological posture, programmatic breadth, and progressive identity, though at materially larger scale.
• Plymouth Congregational Church (Minneapolis): Progressive UCC-affiliated congregation in Minneapolis with strong music and arts programming, social justice orientation, and community engagement. The previous pastoral home of the current Senior Pastor; comparable theologically and programmatically.

Emerging players

• First Congregational Church of Palo Alto: Progressive UCC-affiliated church with an early childhood education center and university-adjacent population. Comparable in combining progressive theology with a licensed preschool operation.

Others

• Edgewood Village Non-Profit Housing Corporation: Long-time community partner in East Lansing providing tutoring, mentoring, and direct service. A peer in the local faith-based nonprofit ecosystem with overlapping outreach mission and similar reliance on volunteer engagement.

Regional players

• Peoples Church (Fresno, CA): Independent progressive Christian church operating on a similar 'Peoples Church' model with community programming and inclusive theology, but on the West Coast. Comparable identity and community-centric operating posture without geographic overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ThePeoplesChurchofEastLansing
• Facebookfacebook.com/PeoplesChurchEL
• Instagraminstagram.com/ache_thepeopleschurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peoples-church-of-east-lansing

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 The Peoples Church of East Lansing