Walnut Hill Community Church

What Walnut Hill Community Church does

Walnut Hill Community Church is a multi-campus Protestant (evangelical) church operating four physical campuses across Connecticut — Bethel (the founding and largest campus), New Milford, Valley in Derby, and Waterbury — plus a dedicated online campus. Founded in 1981 and now in its 45th year of ministry under Lead Pastor Shawn Winters, the church serves individuals and families across all life stages through a comprehensive programming portfolio that includes kids' ministry, youth ministry (grades 6-12), young adults, men's and women's ministry, a 65+ program (Thrive 65), marriage ministry, special needs ministry, and a broad care ministry encompassing Celebrate Recovery, DivorceCare, GriefShare, mental health support, and pastoral counseling. The organization is ECFA-accredited and holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

The church's technology stack consists of standard third-party SaaS tools rather than proprietary systems: Realm (church management, online giving, member portal, mobile app), Church Online (live streaming and on-demand services at walnuthillcc.online.church), Constant Contact (email newsletter), Text in Church (SMS communications), Square (online store), TicketWeb (event ticketing), GoMethod (trip/retreat organization), Google Calendar/iCal (event exports), and Ramsey+ (financial education membership benefit). There is no proprietary software, no API offering, no mobile app developed in-house, and no AI/ML capabilities referenced.

Walnut Hill's business model is donations-based: tithes and offerings are collected through Sunday in-person services, online giving via Realm, the Realm Connect mobile app, and mail. A subset of programs charge nominal fees (e.g., Kids Camp at $30/camper with scholarships available), and select ticketed events generate ancillary revenue. The most material non-tithing revenue-adjacent activity is the Walnut Hill Community Food Pantry, established in 2016 in partnership with Connecticut Food Bank, which serves 1,550+ families monthly across two distribution locations in Bethel and Derby, supported by 45+ community partners and 665+ volunteers, and has distributed over 3.9 million pounds of food to more than 7,600 families over its ten-year history.

Name

Walnut Hill Community Church

Legal name

Walnut Hill Community Church

Website

https://walnuthillcc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Walnut Hill Community Church is a 45-year-old multi-campus Protestant church in Connecticut operating four physical campuses and an online campus, offering comprehensive life-stage ministry programs, care services, and a community food pantry serving over 1,550 families monthly, funded primarily through voluntary tithes and offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Worship programs
• Christian ministry
• Community outreach
• Faith-based programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Members and attendees give financially through Sunday services (in-person offering), online giving via Realm platform, mobile app (Realm Connect), or by mail. Giving is positioned as worship response and supports church operations, local missions, and global ministry work.
2. Food Pantry Donations: The church receives financial contributions designated for the food pantry ministry, which operates with support from corporate partners like Union Savings Bank and Ives Bank. These funds enable food distribution to food-insecure families in the Greater Danbury area.
3. Special Event Fees: Some programs charge nominal fees: Kids Camp $30/camper. Scholarships are available for families who cannot afford fees. Event ticket sales (e.g., Lysa TerKeurst tour) generate revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Walnut Hill Community Church is a multi-campus Protestant church providing weekly in-person and online worship services along with a comprehensive portfolio of faith-based ministry programs including children's, youth, adult, senior, and special needs ministries; community groups; pastoral care and support services; marriage ministry; local and global missions; and a community food pantry. Programs are delivered free of charge across four physical campuses in Connecticut and one online campus, supported by voluntary donations.

Product overview

Walnut Hill Community Church is a multi-campus Protestant church operating four physical campuses (Bethel, New Milford, Valley in Derby, and Waterbury) plus an online campus. The church offers a comprehensive suite of ministry programs centered on in-person and online worship services, with a broad portfolio of interconnected programs including Kids Ministry, Youth Ministry, Community Groups, Care Ministry (encompassing Celebrate Recovery, GriefShare, DivorceCare, mental health support), Special Needs Ministry, Thrive 65+ senior programming, Marriage Ministry, Men's and Women's ministries, Young Adults Ministry, Baptism and Membership Classes, and a Prayer Ministry. The church also operates community-facing programs including a Food Pantry serving over 1,550 families monthly, Church In Action mission programs, and Ramsey+ Financial Peace as a free member benefit. Additional services include online giving through Realm, event registration, and the Kids Camp summer program. The church is structured as a traditional church with no SaaS product offerings, technology platform, or API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Worship Services
• Online Campus
• Kids Ministry
• Youth Ministry
• Community Groups
• Care Ministry
• Special Needs Ministry
• Thrive 65+ Senior Ministry
• Community Food Pantry
• Marriage Ministry
• Church In Action Missions
• Men's Ministry
• Women's Ministry
• Young Adults Ministry
• Baptism & Membership Classes
• Kids Camp
• Celebrate Recovery

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,600+ families served with 3.9 million pounds of food distributed over 10 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Union Savings Bank / Union Savings Bank FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Union Savings Bank staff have been volunteering at the Walnut Hill food pantry since 2016 through United Way, supporting Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry distributions. The bank provides consistent financial sponsorship and volunteer support including blood pressure screenings, baby food drives, and client service at distributions.
• Ives Bank (formerly Savings Bank of Danbury) / Savings Bank of Danbury FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommitted multi-year supporters of the Walnut Hill food pantry through financial contributions and employee volunteer programs. Staff volunteers participate in monthly food distributions, building community connections with food-insecure families.
• Valley YMCA (Valley YMCA and Woodruff Family YMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly volunteer partnership at the Valley Campus food pantry distributions. YMCA provides consistent volunteer groups to assist with food distribution to Derby community families since the COVID pandemic response began.
• Connecticut Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrigin of the Walnut Hill food pantry began with Connecticut Food Bank mobile truck distributions in January 2016. The food bank provides food inventory and distribution infrastructure that enabled the church to launch its pantry ministry.
• United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitially coordinated food pantry distributions at Walnut Hill's Bethel campus parking lot. United Way connected the church to the Connecticut Food Bank and managed early distributions before Walnut Hill took over full pantry operations in fall 2019.
• Acts 4 MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterbury Campus actively involved in serving the surrounding community through partnership with Acts 4 Ministry, supporting neighborhood outreach and community care initiatives.
• Young LivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry serving teen moms in Greater Danbury area. Young Lives meets twice monthly at church facilities with support from Walnut Hill volunteers for childcare, food preparation, mentoring, and special interest presentations.
• Hope Line (Hope Pregnancy Resource Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free confidential pregnancy services for women and families. Walnut Hill partners with Hope Line for the Pathway to Sexual Healing support group (Wednesdays at Bethel Campus) and volunteers support their mission.
• Joni and Friends New EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Young Adult Bible Study serving adults (18+) impacted by special needs. Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays via Zoom, providing fellowship, worship, and Bible study for special needs community members across New England.
• Irving School (Derby)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerValley Campus hosts afterschool program in partnership with Irving School in Derby, providing educational support and community engagement for neighborhood children.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• North Point Community Church: Large multi-campus evangelical church in the Atlanta metro area founded by Andy Stanley. Directly comparable as a multi-site evangelical congregation with community programming, small groups, and special-needs/family ministries at similar scale.
• Gateway Church: Large multi-campus evangelical church in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Comparable as a multi-site congregation with online campus, family/youth ministries, and community outreach programming.
• Elevation Church: Multi-site evangelical church led by Steven Furtick, based in Charlotte, NC. Comparable as a fast-growing multi-campus church with online streaming, contemporary worship, and youth/family programming.
• Woodlands Church: Multi-site evangelical church in the Houston area. Comparable as a multi-campus congregation with family ministries, community outreach, and online streaming.
• Watermark Church: Large evangelical church in Plano, TX with comprehensive care and recovery ministries (similar to Walnut Hill's Celebrate Recovery and DivorceCare). Comparable as a single-site-but-expanding evangelical church with strong community services and small-group model.
• Life.Church: Multi-site evangelical church known for pioneering online church experiences (Church Online Platform, which Walnut Hill also uses). Comparable multi-campus model with strong digital streaming and family ministry focus.
• McLean Bible Church: Multi-site evangelical church in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Comparable as a multi-campus congregation with care ministries, global missions, and digital streaming presence.
• The Summit Church: Multi-campus evangelical church in the Raleigh-Durham, NC area led by J.D. Greear. Comparable as a multi-site church with global missions focus and comprehensive family/youth programming.
• Saddleback Church: Multi-campus Southern Baptist church founded by Rick Warren. Comparable multi-site model with comprehensive care ministries, recovery programs (Celebrate Recovery originated here), and global missions emphasis.

Regional players

• Black Rock Church: Large evangelical church in Fairfield, CT, located within the same Greater Connecticut region as Walnut Hill. Comparable as a regional congregational peer with multi-service programming and community outreach in an overlapping geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9a7RxIZX1sNv_fdE972RPw
• Facebookfacebook.com/WalnutHillCommunityChurch
• Instagraminstagram.com/walnuthillcc
• Xx.com/walnuthill
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/walnut-hill-community-church

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Walnut Hill Community Church