Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA

What Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA does

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA (UUCA) is a religious nonprofit congregation founded in 1948, organized under Virginia law and member-governed through an elected Board of Trustees. It is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and serves individuals and families in the Arlington, Virginia / Washington DC metropolitan area who seek an inclusive, progressive spiritual community. Its core offering is a Sunday worship service held at 10:15 AM in the Rev. James J. Reeb Center sanctuary, delivered both in-person and via YouTube livestream, supplemented by a comprehensive lifespan programming portfolio spanning children's and teen religious education (Spirit Play, UU Identity, OWL), adult education (Faith360, Covenant Groups, Buddhist Fellowship), music and performing arts (Sanctuary Singers, Polymnia Handbell Choir, Chalice Theatre), social-justice advocacy (18+ partner organizations, Share the Plate giving), pastoral care, and facility rentals. Headcount is approximately 15 staff including a Senior Minister, Minister of Social Justice and Community Development, Director of Music, Director of Lifespan Faith Development, Church Administrator, Communications Manager, Facility Manager, Events & Rentals Coordinator, AV Engineer, and two custodians.

UUCA's technology stack consists entirely of standard, non-proprietary SaaS tools: ShelbyNext for donation and pledge processing, Mailchimp/Constant Contact for the weekly Connections newsletter, Eventbrite for event registration, YouTube and Vimeo for video hosting, Zoom for virtual programming, Square for payment processing, CalendarWiz for calendar feeds, SignUpGenius for volunteer scheduling, and Auctria for the annual Services Auction. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capability, no native mobile application, and no disclosed API. The sanctuary, designed by architect Charles M. Goodman and completed in 1963, is on the National Register of Historic Places and forms part of the campus's intangible brand asset alongside the church's civil-rights heritage, exemplified by the 2023 dedication of the Worship Center to Rev. James J. Reeb.

UUCA's revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no commercial pricing. Member pledges submitted through the annual giving campaign (launched March 1, recurring from July 1) form the primary funding mechanism, supplemented by Share the Plate collections (70% of which is passed through to rotating nonprofit partners), the annual Services Auction, facility rentals for weddings and events, and the Building Kidz Preschool classroom lease. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is community-led: growth depends on word-of-mouth, visitor attendance at Sunday services, New to UU orientation classes, small-group participation, and event-driven engagement (MLK Weekend, Pride Sunday, Death Cafe, QA2 Gathering, First Friday celebrations). Distribution is hybrid — in-person at the 4444 Arlington Boulevard campus and digitally via livestream, newsletter, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube).

Name

Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA

Legal name

Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington

Website

https://uucava.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UUCA is a 1948-founded Unitarian Universalist congregation in Arlington, VA serving the Washington DC metro area with inclusive Sunday worship, lifespan religious education, music and arts, social-justice advocacy, pastoral care, and facility rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Religious congregation services
• Worship and spiritual programs
• Lifespan religious education
• Social justice ministry
• Community event rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

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. Share the Plate (Sunday Offerings): Four Sundays per month, UUCA donates 70% of the Sunday morning worship service collection to designated recipient groups. Members and friends contribute thousands of dollars annually through these offerings.
2. Annual Giving Campaign: Annual pledge campaign launched March 1st where members submit annual pledge statements or set up recurring monthly donations to support church operations, staff, facilities, and programs for the church year beginning July 1.
3. Donations and Pledges: Members make financial pledges aligned with their means to support church operations and sustainability. Monthly recurring giving is encouraged.
4. Services Auction: Annual fundraising event where congregation members donate services, items, and experiences for auction. The auction is the congregation's largest fundraising event.
5. Facility Rentals: UUCA rents out their facilities including large and small meeting spaces for weddings, memorials, special events, conferences, camps, and workshops.
6. Special Appeals and Giving Tuesday: Occasional fundraising campaigns for specific needs such as technology upgrades (iPads for religious education classrooms) or emergency relief.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UUCA operates an inclusive Unitarian Universalist congregation offering weekly Sunday worship services (in-person and livestreamed), lifespan religious education from infants through adults, social justice ministry and action groups, music and performing arts programs, pastoral care, small-group ministry, and event-space rentals. All spiritual programming is provided free of charge to congregants and visitors, with the organization funded through voluntary member pledges, donations, fundraising events, and facility rentals.

Product overview

Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (UUCA) is a religious congregation offering a comprehensive portfolio of spiritual, educational, and community programs. The core offering is Sunday Worship Services held at 10:15 AM, livestreamed via YouTube. Supporting programs include Children and Teen Religious Education (infants through high school), Music and Arts Programs (Sanctuary Singers, handbell choir, Chalice Theatre), Social Justice Programs (action groups, Share the Plate giving, advocacy), and Adult Education (Faith360, Covenant Groups, Buddhist Fellowship). The church provides Event Spaces for rentals and operates pastoral care services. Communications are facilitated through the Connections Newsletter via Mailchimp. The congregation emphasizes community connection, social justice activism, and inclusive spiritual exploration across all programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly Sunday services held at 10:15 AM in the UUCA sanctuary, featuring music, readings, reflections, and sermons. Services are livestreamed online and available on demand through YouTube. Open to all members, visitors, and the wider community.
• Children and Teen Religious Education

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary, minor and historical.

• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUCA is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, the central organization for UU congregations in the United States. UUA provides theological resources, advocacy support, professional development for ministers, and connects member churches in shared mission. UUCA's Welcoming Congregation designation is granted by UUA.
• Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUCA partners with IMCW to offer Monday evening Meditation and Dharma Talk sessions held at UUCA and simultaneously on Zoom. IMCW provides the facilitator and Zoom infrastructure while UUCA provides the physical/virtual space.
• Share the Plate RecipientssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerQuarterly, UUCA donates 70% of Sunday collection to community partners including PathForward, Culpepper Garden, AFAC, Equality Virginia, PFLAG, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Little Friends for Peace, ALIVE!, and Alianzas. These partnerships advance shared social justice values.
• League of Women VotersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeague of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City provides annual voter registration training at UUCA, enabling congregants to volunteer as registered voter registrars in Virginia.
• Social Justice Action Groups PartnerssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUUCA's Social Justice Ministry Team coordinates with 18+ partner organizations including NAACP, VOICE, UU the Vote, Moms Demand Action, UUs for Justice in Palestine, Protecting Reproductive Rights, and others for advocacy and action on shared justice issues.
• All Souls Church, Unitarian (Washington, DC)historicalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical connection: All Souls Church in DC was instrumental in founding UUCA. Arlington Fellowship was organized as a constituent body of All Souls Church in 1945, and Rev. Gil Phillips was released as assistant minister of All Souls to become UUCA's first minister.
• Building Kidz PreschoolsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuilding Kidz Preschool has signed a lease to use some UUCA classroom spaces, creating a partnership for early childhood education within the church facility.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation: Another Bethesda-area UU congregation competing with UUCA in the same DMV market, offering similar Sunday services, religious education, and progressive social justice ministry. Direct peer with overlapping geographic catchment.
• First Unitarian Universalist Church of Washington DC: Washington DC UU congregation offering Sunday services, religious education, and social justice programming in the same DMV market. Direct peer competing for progressive, inclusive members.
• All Souls Church, Unitarian (Washington, DC): Historic Washington DC Unitarian congregation that was UUCA's founding parent body in 1945. Operates in the same DMV geography with the same Unitarian Universalist theology, progressive values, lifespan religious education, and social justice programming, making it UUCA's closest direct peer.
• Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church: Bethesda, Maryland UU congregation serving the same DMV progressive-religion market as UUCA, with comparable lifespan religious education, social justice programming, and Welcoming Congregation positioning. Direct competitor for Arlington-adjacent DMV members.
• Mount Vernon Unitarian Church: Alexandria, Virginia UU congregation geographically adjacent to UUCA in the Northern Virginia/DC corridor. Closest in-county progressive UU alternative, directly competing for Arlington-area members.
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring: Silver Spring, Maryland UU congregation serving the same DC metro progressive community as UUCA, with similar programming structure (Sunday services, RE, social justice, music ministry). Direct regional peer.

Regional players

• Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church (Unitarian Universalist): Charlottesville, Virginia UU congregation named after Thomas Jefferson. Same UU denomination and progressive theology as UUCA but located outside the DMV market, making it a regional rather than direct peer.
• First Parish in Cambridge (Unitarian Universalist): Long-established Cambridge, Massachusetts UU congregation (Henry David Thoreau's church) with similar progressive values and lifespan programming, but operating in the Boston rather than DC market. Regional peer for UU movement comparison.
• Unitarian Church of All Souls (New York): Manhattan UU congregation serving an urban progressive religious community similar in ethos to UUCA's. Functions as a regional peer illustrating how larger UU congregations operate at higher scale in major metro markets.

Others

• Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA): National denominational body of which UUCA is a member congregation. Not a peer in the service-delivery sense, but provides theological resources, the Welcoming Congregation designation, and OWL curriculum that shape UUCA's programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UUCAVideos/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnitarianUniversalistChurchArlingtonVirginia
• Instagraminstagram.com/uucarlington
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitarian-universalist-church-of-arlington-va

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA