Located in the heart of beautiful Fairport, NY, the Evangelical Church of Fairport is a church with deep roots and a history that dates back decades.
Not only that, but this smaller congregation has members that have been loyal to the church for 30+ years. “ I started attending in 1984, when I met my husband. We got married in 1989, and since then, I've been involved with the church. I began working there about 16 years ago,” says Theresa Ferguson, the church administrator..
Realizing the need for a more dynamic and efficient method of connecting with their congregation and managing ministries, the church turned to Tithely as a software solution. "We needed a more streamlined way of communicating and managing our various ministries," Theresa explains.
One challenge that the church had been facing was pastoring community members who are suffering with a limited staff and resources. "We saw an increasing need for a ministry dedicated to helping people through their grief,” Theresa says. “But we lacked a structured approach, and our lead pastor can only do so much (though his efforts were nothing short of heroic).”
In response to this, the church launched the Mourning Saints Ministry, a supportive space for congregation members dealing with loss. Theresa recounts her own mother's experience after losing her son. "My mother found great solace in a grief ministry, and we wanted to replicate that healing environment for our community," she shares.
Implementing Tithely’s Elvanto software was pivotal to the organization and accessibility of the Mourning Saints Ministry. Elvanto offered a single platform to manage services, roster volunteers, and keep track of church members' needs.
One way that Elvanto has helped the church to engage is with their custom fields feature.
“We developed custom fields that allow us to follow up with people on the anniversary of the death of a loved one,” explains Theresa.
Coupled with the Tithely App, the church could easily reach out to members, provide information, and organize events.
"We've found that the Tithely App makes our ministries more accessible to our members,” explains Theresa. “They can easily keep track of our events, get updates, and feel connected even when they're unable to physically attend.”
Beyond the ministry-specific aid, Tithely has been beneficial to the church's operations on a broader scale. The easy-to-update Church App has significantly improved the church's communication and connection with its members.
Plus, it has a “beautiful look and feel,” according to Theresa.
In conclusion, Tithely's robust suite of offerings has been more than a software solution for the Evangelical Church of Fairport. It’s an empowering tool that has enabled them to launch and manage a meaningful ministry like Mourning Saints.
And the customer support? “Honestly, the support team is fantastic,” says Theresa. “Bethany is always ready to help and ensure we're making the most of their tools."
With the partnership of Tithely and Elvanto, the Evangelical Church of Fairport successfully launched a supportive ministry that helps church members navigate the complex journey of grief. Not only that, but they help them to run a Church App that’s beautiful to look at and easy to use.
