About Us
Faith at Your Fingertips
At Joy Church App, we believe that the heart of the church beats in the unity and connectivity of its members.
Our Story
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it forced our churches into silence, and our communities felt the weight of disconnection. It was during this challenging time that the need for a new kind of church community tool became clear.
In Alberta, grants were given to local nonprofits to help them continue their services without in-person gatherings. As churches started to look for a Church Management System (ChMS) that met their needs, they found that while options like Breeze and Wild Apricot were good, they were lacking in some key areas crucial for church operations.
That’s where our company, Genstate, came in. Known for our successful Venture Safe app, which managed COVID-19 testing for the film and TV industry in Alberta, we had the track record for creating reliable and effective software. So, when a local Orthodox Church received a grant, they chose to work with us to develop a platform that would not only keep their community together but also make managing their affairs easier.
We focused on what makes a church truly special—the community and shared faith—and built a platform that brought the experience of church into people's homes. The result was the Joy Church App, a tool that has become a vital part of keeping church members connected.
As we move forward, we're holding on to our core principle: to keep your church community always within reach, just a click away, no matter what else may change.
Commitment to You
With a suite of intuitive features from attendance tracking to donation management, and from event scheduling to refugee sponsorship programs, we're committed to providing comprehensive solutions. Our tools are crafted to ensure that church leaders can focus on what truly matters—serving their community and spreading their message of faith.
Vision
We envision a world where every church can effortlessly extend its reach, care, and services through the power of digital connection. The Joy Church App stands as a testament to this vision, embodying the spirit of innovation to facilitate growth, learning, and community support within the ecclesiastical realm.
Features
Our features are designed with the understanding that every church is unique. That's why we offer customizable branding, services, reports, and more—to ensure that our app reflects the individual spirit and needs of your congregation. From the Ge'ez calendar integration for liturgical precision to our multilingual support covering 40 languages, we are here to serve the global church community.
Continuous Improvement
We're committed to making the Joy Church App better every day. We listen to what you need and continuously update the app with new features suggested by our users. Our goal is to ensure the app remains a helpful, evolving tool for your church's administration and community, reflecting the latest in technology and the feedback from our community.
Case Study
Ge'ez Calendar
A large portion of a client's congregation was feeling left out because they followed a different calendar. No other software/applications for integrated Ge'ez calendars existed, so we built one from scratch.
Creating a Ge'ez calendar was a technical hurdle. Addressing the challenge led to innovations which Genstate shared with the broader developer community.
Background:
A local church with a significant number of congregants from the Eritrean community faced a unique challenge. Their members, many of whom were refugees, followed the Ge'Ez calendar—a vital cultural anchor and a cornerstone of their spiritual practices. The Ge'ez calendar has 13 months. 12 months have 30 days and the 13th month has 5 or 6 days, depending on whether it is a leap year. Because of the fundamental difference between it and the more widely used Gregorian calendar, no existing Church Management Software (ChMS) offered functionality for the Ge'ez calendar.​
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Click here to read more about the Ge'ez calendar.
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The Challenge:
The Eritrean congregants needed a way to observe important religious dates and community events according to the Ge'ez calendar, which was not supported by any available ChMS solutions. This gap left the Eritrean members feeling disconnected from the church’s scheduled activities and less engaged with the community.
The Solution:
Understanding the importance of inclusivity and the specific needs of the Eritrean community, we at Joy Church App took on the challenge to bridge this gap. Our team worked closely with the local church to understand the intricacies of the Ge'ez calendar. Through a collaborative approach, we built the functionality from the ground up, ensuring that the Ge'ez calendar was seamlessly integrated into our app.
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The Outcome:
The integration of the Ge'ez calendar into the Joy Church App meant that for the first time, Eritrean members could follow church events in accordance with their cultural and religious calendar. This feature not only enhanced the feeling of inclusion but also increased the active participation of the Eritrean community within the church. It stands as a testament to our commitment to serving the diverse needs of all congregants, celebrating cultural diversity, and fostering a welcoming environment for all members.
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The Impact:
This tailored solution highlighted our dedication to responsive innovation and cultural sensitivity. By acknowledging and acting upon the unique needs of the Eritrean community, Joy Church App not only facilitated a deeper connection within the church community but also set a new standard for inclusivity in church management software.