Abiding Savior Academy

What Abiding Savior Academy does

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and School (operating as Abiding Savior Academy in some references) is a non-profit Lutheran congregation and preschool located at 9700 W Newberry Road, Gainesville, Florida. Founded in 1989 as a church plant from First Lutheran Church, the organization began Sunday worship services in 1991 and expanded into Christian education in 1995 with the opening of a four-classroom preschool. It is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), subscribing unreservedly to the Book of Concord and Augsburg Confession. The organization employs 40+ staff across pastoral leadership, finance and administration, preschool instruction, music ministry, youth ministry, and administrative support, and is led by Senior Pastor Rev. Graham Glover, installed on August 7, 2022.

The organization's service portfolio combines three revenue-generating functions under one campus: (1) Sunday Divine Services (8:30 and 11:00 AM) and ancillary Bible study and fellowship programming for congregants; (2) a faith-based preschool for children ages 2 through Pre-K, offered across 2-day, 3-day, and 5-day attendance tiers and Morning, Three-Quarter Day, and Full Day schedule options, with extended care and lunch bunch add-ons; and (3) community events and facility rentals, anchored by the annual Pumpkin Patch fundraiser (the main youth fundraiser since 2016), Oktoberfest, Trunk or Treat, Songfest, and Gator Football Tailgates. Music ministry — Chancel Choir, Praise Ensemble, Chime Choir, and brass/wind/strings ensembles — is centered on the 1996 Scholz Memorial Pipe Organ (12 ranks, 811 pipes), which was hybridized with an Allen digital organ in 2025.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring preschool tuition (10 monthly installments, $322-$1,235 per family), voluntary member donations processed through the Tithely online giving platform (transitioned August 2024), one-time event revenue (primarily Pumpkin Patch), and ancillary facility rental income. Customer segments are two primary personae: families with young children seeking faith-based early childhood education, and church congregants and community members seeking Christ-centered worship and fellowship. Technology is a commodity SaaS stack: Procare for school management (check-in, tuition billing, parent communication), Tithely for giving and content management, Google Forms for enrollment, and YouTube/Vimeo for media distribution. The preschool is regulated under Florida State License #C08AL0212.

Name

Abiding Savior Academy

Legal name

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and School

Website

https://abidingsavior.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and School is a non-profit LCMS congregation and licensed preschool in Gainesville, Florida, offering Lutheran worship services, faith-based early childhood education (ages 2 through Pre-K), youth and music ministries, and community events to local families and congregants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Faith-Based Education Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Childcare Centers (EDACAAAN), Faith-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAH)

Keywords

• Faith-based preschool education
• Lutheran worship services
• Youth ministry programs
• Religious education services
• Community outreach missions

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Preschool Tuition: Monthly tuition payments from preschool families for programs serving children ages 2 through Pre-Kindergarten. Tuition varies by program (2-day, 3-day, or 5-day attendance) and schedule option (Morning, Three-Quarter Day, Full Day). Payment divided into 10 equal monthly installments (July-May). Additional fees for early care, lunch bunch, and extended care.
2. Donations and Tithes: Voluntary contributions from church members and attendees through online giving, text giving, and in-person offerings. Online giving platform transitioned to Tithely as of August 2024. Altar flower sponsorships available at $40 per Sunday.
3. Event Revenue: Fundraising through annual events including Pumpkin Patch (youth fundraiser since 2016), Oktoberfest, and community events. Revenue supports youth programs and church operations.
4. Facility Rental: Rooms available for rental including Fellowship Hall, Building 3 Library, Youth Room, Octagon Room, Sunday School Room, and Choir/Sanctuary Room for community events and gatherings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and School operates a faith-based preschool for children ages 2 through Pre-K and provides Lutheran worship services, youth ministry, music ministry, adult fellowship, and community outreach programs from its Gainesville, Florida campus. The preschool delivers developmentally appropriate curriculum in religion, art, music, movement, early literacy, math, science, handwriting, and technology within a Christ-centered environment, while the church holds two Sunday Divine Services, Bible studies, fellowship groups, and signature community events such as the annual Pumpkin Patch.

Product overview

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and School operates as a combined church and preschool institution offering worship services, Christian education, and community programs. The core offerings include Divine Worship Services (Sunday services at 8:30 and 11:00 AM), Abiding Savior Lutheran Preschool (ages 2 through Pre-K), Youth Ministry, Children's Ministry, Music Ministry (featuring Chancel Choir, Praise Ensemble, and pipe organ), Adult Fellowship activities, and Outreach/Missions programs. The preschool offers tiered programs (2-day, 3-day, 5-day) with schedule options (Morning, Three-Quarter Day, Full Day) across age groups from 2s through Pre-Kindergarten. Major annual events include the Pumpkin Patch fundraiser and community service initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Abiding Savior Lutheran Preschool A faith-based preschool program for children ages 2 through Pre-Kindergarten offering developmentally appropriate curriculum in religion, art, music, movement, early literacy, math, science, handwriting, and technology in a Christ-centered environment, with low student-to-teacher ratios and weekly chapel with the Pastor.
• Divine Worship Services Sunday Divine Services held at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, with Bible Study and Breakfast at 9:45–10:00 AM, delivering liturgical Lutheran worship with Word and Sacraments to congregants and visitors.
• Youth Ministry Weekly youth nights, retreats, service projects, and youth-led fundraising events (including the Pumpkin Patch) serving middle and high school students with faith formation and fellowship activities, with participation in the triennial LCMS National Youth Gathering.
• Music Ministry A music ministry featuring the Chancel Choir, Praise Ensemble, Chime Choir, Brass/Wind Ensemble, and Strings groups, anchored by the custom Scholz Memorial Pipe Organ (12 ranks, 811 pipes, 2 manuals) and the 2025 Allen digital organ hybrid, supporting worship services and annual events like Songfest.
• Children's Ministry Sunday morning Children's Music and Movement classes, Sunday afternoon Children's Fellowship, and Tots Music Class for preschoolers with a parent, designed to engage young children in faith-centered music and fellowship.
• Adult Fellowship Social and fellowship activities for adult community building including Gator Football Tailgates (hosted with First Lutheran Church in Gainesville) and the Beer Group for craft beer enthusiasts, plus other adult social activities.
• Outreach and Missions Community service and outreach programs including School Supply Drive, Fall Food Drive, Star Tree Christmas program, annual Meals of Hope food packing event with Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, and international mission partnership with United Servants Abroad in Peru (since June 2024).
• Annual Pumpkin Patch A major youth-led fundraiser operating daily throughout October since 2016, featuring family-friendly activities including a bounce house and train rides; the event raises funds for the youth group and hosts companion events including Oktoberfest and Trunk or Treat.
• Preschool Programs by Age Level Age-tiered preschool classes including Preschool 2s (sensory and pretend play), Preschool 3s (foundational skills building), and Pre-Kindergarten (Florida Early Learning Standards with early reading, writing, math, and social development), all taught from a Christ-centered perspective.
• Online Giving Online donation platform enabling one-time or recurring giving for church tithes and offerings, powered by Tithely, with supplementary in-person and text giving options.
• Worship Media Archive Podcast and video archive of Divine Services, Sermons, Preschool Chapel, and Songfest recordings available on YouTube, browsable by date or series.
• Facility Rental Facility rental of church rooms including Fellowship Hall, Building 3 Library, Youth Room, Octagon Room, Sunday School Room, and Choir/Sanctuary Room for community events, gatherings, and approved functions via application.

Quantifiable outcome

• Preschool enrollment application fee: $275 non-refundable ($220 for church members)
• +2 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

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• United Servants AbroadminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024In June 2024, ASLC partnered with United Servants Abroad in Peru for an exploratory trip to witness God's work in local communities, partner with missionary Tom Hough (whose family has served in Peru since the 1950s), and explore opportunities for ongoing mission involvement. This was an exciting step in sharing the Gospel and building relationships abroad.
• Lutheran Church Missouri SynodcoreOthersAbiding Savior is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). The church subscribes unreservedly to the Book of Concord and Augsburg Confession. LCMS provides doctrinal guidance, youth gatherings (every 3 years), and connection to the larger Lutheran denomination.
• Bread of the Mighty Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeals of Hope is an annual food-packing event benefiting Bread of the Mighty, a local organization fighting hunger by providing nutritious meals to families in need. ASLC volunteers pack thousands of meals for local distribution addressing food gaps for students during school breaks and summer months.
• First Lutheran Church, GainesvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAbiding Savior began as a church plant from First Lutheran Church in 1989. Current partnership includes Gator Football Tailgate events hosted at First Lutheran's location (1081 NW 5th Ave), demonstrating ongoing inter-church fellowship and collaboration.
• LCMS National Youth GatheringminorOthersEvery three years, LCMS youth gather for worship, service, and life-changing connection at the National Youth Gathering. Youth from Abiding Savior participate in this nationwide Lutheran youth event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Guidepost Montessori: Large national chain of Montessori-based early childhood education programs. Comparable as a broader private preschool operator with similar tiered programming and tuition-based revenue model, though secular.
• Primrose Schools: Large national franchise network of private preschools and early childhood education centers. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the tuition-based preschool market, though secular and operating at significantly greater scale.
• Cadence Education: Large operator of private preschools and early childhood education centers across the U.S. Comparable as a broader scaled incumbent in tuition-based preschool, though operating without the faith-based differentiation.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Major publicly-traded provider of early childhood education and care with employer-sponsored and standalone centers. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the licensed preschool/childcare market.

Direct peers

• St. John's Lutheran School: LCMS Lutheran school offering faith-based preschool and elementary education. Comparable as a denominational peer combining church and school operations with preschool programming.
• Faith Lutheran School: LCMS-affiliated Lutheran school with early childhood through grade 8 faith-based programming. Comparable integrated church-school model targeting families seeking Christ-centered education.
• Concordia Lutheran Schools: LCMS-affiliated K-8 Lutheran school system offering faith-based education including early childhood programs. Comparable as another LCMS-operated combined church-school model with preschool through upper-grade programming.
• Trinity Lutheran School: LCMS-affiliated Lutheran school offering faith-based early childhood and K-8 education. Comparable as a denominational Lutheran school combining preschool and congregational programs under one organizational umbrella.
• First Lutheran Church and School, Gainesville: Abiding Savior's parent plant congregation, also an LCMS Lutheran church with a school in Gainesville, FL. Operates the same integrated church-school model with comparable preschool and worship programming, making it the most directly comparable peer.

Others

• Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) School Ministries: Denominational parent organization overseeing the network of LCMS-affiliated Lutheran schools. Comparable as the ecosystem enabler that provides doctrinal resources, National Youth Gatherings, and shared infrastructure supporting schools like Abiding Savior.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AbidingSaviorLutheranChurch352/playlists
• Facebookfacebook.com/Abidingsaviorgainesville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abiding-savior-lutheran-church

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Abiding Savior Academy