Community life in the app: "An enrichment for all age groups"

Reading time: 5 minutes – Published: February 13, 2025

Using the hashtag #donkeyshare, we give parishioners the opportunity to share their experiences with the church app. This time it's Saskia Klompmaker's turn, the initiator of the church app in the Evangelical Old Reformed Church in Nordhorn.
She noticed that there were many different means of communication in her community and that it was easy to lose track.
“Since we started using the church app, we have been able to reach many more people in the community.

Events are perceived more consciously, there are more discussions about them and higher participation."

Interview partner: Saskia Klompmaker
Pastor: Evangelical Old Reformed Church Community of Nordhorn

Dominik: Hello Saskia, thank you for taking the time for this interview.
Please introduce yourself and your community.

Saskia: I am Saskia Klompmaker, pastor here in the parish in Nordhorn, in the western tip of Germany. Our parish is in a rural area, but still has an urban structure. We currently have around 1,000 members, from young to old, and therefore offer a very diverse program.

Dominik: What challenges have you faced in your community, especially in terms of communication?

Saskia: Our biggest challenge was that every group, every club and every circle had its own communication channels. As a full-time employee, I had to manage several email accounts, use WhatsApp and be reachable via social media. This multitude of channels was extremely time-consuming and confusing.

Dominik: So how did you find out about Donkey Mobile?

Saskia: I saw many different providers at church conferences, but never found a solution that really suited our congregation. Since our church historically comes from the Old Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, I thought there might be a suitable solution there. So I did some research and came across Donkey Mobile. It was a very conscious search for a tool that connects everyone in the congregation.

Dominik: What ultimately convinced you that Donkey Mobile is the right solution for you?

Saskia: When I first visited the website, I quickly realized what the app could do. I didn't have to search for long or struggle through complicated explanations - it was immediately understandable. And that's exactly what we needed: a simple but powerful solution for our community.

Dominik: How did your community react to the idea of an app?

Saskia: The first reaction was: "Another app?!" But when we explained in more detail what advantages it offers, it quickly became clear that it is a great opportunity for us. All generations were open to it. The young people were immediately enthusiastic, but the older members also recognized that the app is a perfect fit for our community and our times.

Dominik: Were there any challenges in introducing the app, especially with the older generation?

Saskia: We had actually planned various strategies to specifically support the seniors - but we hardly needed them! The older members were incredibly motivated and constantly asked when it would finally start. They installed the app themselves and got on well straight away.

Dominik: What changes have you noticed through the app?

Saskia: We now reach many more people in the community.

Events are more consciously perceived, there are more discussions about them and higher participation. Our digital parish register in the app is used a lot in particular - many look to see who is part of it or search for names that they cannot immediately identify. At the same time, everything remains voluntary: no one has to, but everyone can. And if something has to be changed at short notice, one click is enough to inform the whole parish. The communication channels have become much more direct and simpler as a result.

Dominik: Thank you for the interview, Saskia! We are very pleased that we can support you and your community with Donkey Mobile.