Communion App The Church Communication Platform
What is the Communion App?
What are the main features?
The Communion App currently has several features, all specifically designed around our mission to deepen church community through communication. These features work together to form three main sections within the application: Posts, Messages, and a Directory.
Posts
The Posts section is where most of the church communication takes place. Posts are church-wide messages that provide the means of allowing the entire church to be notified about an assortment of things. They are often used in the following forms:
Announcements about upcoming events
Larger prayer requests by members
Requesting items or assistance from other members
Encouragement / exhortation to the church as a whole
Updates regarding the lives of individual members, particularly church planters.
Each post has a section that allows the members of the church to engage in response to the message. As it has been most often used in practice, this normally results in members replying in encouragement and assistance.
One of the features that is particular to the application is the specific post-type of a prayer request. If the post is sent as a prayer request, then it presents each member with a specific button that allows them the ability to send a private notification to the one who posted the request to let them know that they are praying for the request. This was designed to enable members to receive and share encouragement while at the same time avoiding the discouragement that can result from comparing the community support one member receives against the support another receives, as is often the case with the Facebook “like” button.
Messages
The Messages section is where direct messages can be sent to individuals or a group of individuals within the church. It functions similarly to a simple chat system, but it allows users the ability to communicate in smaller groups within the church, selecting church members via a directory.
Directory
The Directory section of the app is designed to allow users the ability to obtain the contact information for every member in the church. It also displays a photograph of every member who provides it so that people can match a face with each name. The directory contains information for each user, such as their name, address, phone numbers, and email address. With a simple tap, users can get turn-by-turn directions to a given members house, give them a call over the phone, send them a text message, or send them an email.
What Our Users Have to Say
I am a stay-at-home mom, and the Communion app has been a huge blessing for me to stay connected to the church body during the week. Since it is on my phone, it is easy for me to check it throughout the day and pray, for example, as a church member is admitted to the hospital, or give thanks for God’s provision. It also provides a place for members to ask for help, whether it be with moving, baby clothes, or a ministry with which they want others to join. And unlike a popular social media outlet like Facebook, when I go on Communion, I only see posts from our church. I don’t have to wade through ads for clothes or restaurants or get distracted and lose track of time looking at my friends’ photos. That is another thing I really appreciate.
I think this app has been a tool God has used in our body to help us love one another better as we are more aware of one another’s needs, sorrows, and joys, and I would highly recommend it.
Amanda Keller
Member - Cornerstone Community Church
Sidney Kelley
Member - Cornerstone Community Church
Chris Ortiz
Member - Cornerstone Community Church
As a pastor, the Communion app helps me keep our congregation informed about important news relevant to the church and to do so with ease. For us, it is a far better option than social media apps because we are able to limit participation to our members only with the assurance that the information we share is kept secure within our membership.
It has also been a great tool for keeping our members connected to each other Monday to Saturday. A member will share a prayer request and almost immediately will see responses of other members who are praying. Or someone might share a particular need that is met almost immediately by someone else in the church. As a communication tool, the Communion app enables the love that we have for one another to be expressed in specific, concrete ways throughout the week.
Aaron O'Kelley
Pastor - Cornerstone Community Church
The Communion app was my lifeline during my first year teaching which was one of the most stressful times in my life. Because of the Communion app, I was able to stay in contact with my faith family as soon as a prayer need presented itself. Through the app, I was able to immediately share when I was overwhelmed with work and school. I felt the prayers of my faith family quickly, and that was always an encouragement. Communion also allows for the church to share in praises and answered prayers which always allows me to share in the joys of others.
Kelley Ann Jones
Member - Cornerstone Community Church
What makes the Communion App special?
One of the main goals of this application is to create a communication platform that is specifically designed to target the needs of churches. There are many other avenues for communication that exist, but our hope is to create a safe environment that is tailor-made to fit the needs and wants of the Church. In lieu of that mission, there are several steps that have been take in order to meet the needs of the church.
One of the distinctives of the app is that each member is added to the system by an administrator, rather than when a given user signs themselves up. After the user has been added, they will immediately begin to be a part of the system, receiving church-wide posts and private messages via email communication. Our hope is that this may reduce the struggles of getting each member to sign themselves up. Each user will then have the opportunity to set up a password in order to gain access to the actual iOS, Android, and web applications. At that point, they will then be able to make their own posts, send their own notifications, and change their notification preferences.
One of the biggest blessings of the app is the ability to use push notifications to the blessing of the church. Push notifications allow each member to get an instant notification on their phone regarding a new post or message. I know many members that would say that this is one of the most important features to them. I personally remember the blessing of receiving a notification one night from a member asking for prayer as their new daughter was being flown in a helicopter to a medical center in Memphis. Having the instant notification allowed me and many others the ability to pray for them at that moment and to stand beside them by sending them words of encouragement.
Pricing
Small Church
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0-99 Members
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Email Support
**Pricing will increase to $99 per month after 1 year.
Average Church
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0 - 499 Members
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48 Hour Email Support
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All Features
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Regular Updates
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Cancel Anytime
Big Church
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0-500 Members
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24 Hour Phone Support
**Pricing will increase to $599 per month after 1 year.