Project Status
Kirchenwerk is live with pilot church Herzfabrik and under active development. The public SaaS launch is being prepared.
The Problem: Administration and Community Separated
Most churches in Germany manage their members in Excel spreadsheets, coordinate events through WhatsApp groups, and distribute sermons via email lists. This isn’t a theoretical problem - we experienced it firsthand with Herzfabrik. With two locations and 150+ members, the chaos becomes tangible.
The existing solutions on the German market are either pure administration tools (ChurchTools) or pure community apps (Communi). Nobody combines both. That was the starting point for Kirchenwerk: A platform that unites administration and community in a single system.
The Solution: Everything in One Platform
Kirchenwerk is a multi-tenant SaaS system for churches. Member management, events, podcasts, small groups, communication, and finances - centrally managed, accessible via web dashboard, mobile app, and website.
The Tech Stack: Real-time, TypeScript, Serverless
With Kirchenwerk, we deliberately chose a modern stack that combines development speed with long-term maintainability. The result is a system that feels like a native app - in real-time, on every device.
Frontend: React + TypeScript + Vite
The dashboard is a single-page application with React and TypeScript. Vite provides fast build times and hot module replacement during development. The UI is built with Tailwind CSS - deliberately without a component library to maintain full control over the design.
Each location has its own dashboard with role-based navigation. Pastors see everything, volunteers only the modules they have access to. Permissions are synchronized in real-time - a role change takes effect immediately.
Stack: React, TypeScript, Vite, Tailwind CSS
Backend: Convex (Serverless Real-time)
Instead of a traditional REST API with Express or FastAPI, we use Convex - a serverless database with a built-in backend. The decisive advantage: Real-time sync without WebSocket boilerplate. Database changes are automatically pushed to all connected clients.
In practice: When a pastor creates an event, the volunteer at the other location sees the change immediately - no refresh, no polling. The entire API is written in TypeScript, from the database schema to the frontend call. No mapping, no serialization, no runtime errors.
Convex also handles auth (OAuth with Google and Microsoft 365), file storage for media, and cron jobs for automated tasks like Spotify podcast sync.
Features: Real-time Sync, TypeScript E2E, Auth, File Storage, Cron Jobs, HTTP Actions
Monetization: Stripe SaaS Integration
Kirchenwerk is designed as a SaaS with three subscription tiers. The Stripe integration covers the complete lifecycle: checkout, subscription management, upgrades/downgrades, cancellations, and webhook processing.
Subscription tiers determine the feature scope: Starter (up to 100 members, 1 location, EUR 29/month), Professional (up to 500 members, 3 locations, EUR 79/month), and Enterprise (unlimited, EUR 199/month). Each feature is a module that can be enabled or disabled per plan.
Integration: Stripe Checkout, Webhooks, Subscription Management, Plan-based Feature Gates
Mobile App: React Native + Expo
For community members, there’s a native app for iOS and Android, built with Expo and React Native. The app shows upcoming events, location information, and small groups - all via the Kirchenwerk HTTP API.
State management runs on Zustand, data fetching with TanStack React Query. Navigation uses React Navigation with bottom tabs and native stack.
Stack: Expo, React Native, Zustand, TanStack Query, React Navigation
The Ecosystem: CRM + Website + App
Kirchenwerk is more than a CRM. It’s an ecosystem of three components communicating through a shared API:
Kirchenwerk CRM
Central administration. Members, events, podcasts, and communication are managed here.
Sulu Website
Public presence. A custom Symfony bundle synchronizes CRM data with the website.
Mobile App
Member access. Events, locations, and groups - directly on the smartphone.
The CRM Integration Bundle for the Sulu website provides Twig functions (crm_upcoming_events(), crm_locations(), crm_small_groups()) that let editors embed CRM data directly into pages. A caching layer with configurable TTL ensures performance, while a fallback mechanism maintains availability during CRM maintenance.
Features That Make the Difference
Podcast Management
Multi-podcast support with automatic Spotify sync. Series, categories, and metadata are managed in the CRM. RSS feeds and iCal integration included.
Media Management
File upload with versioning, image optimization via Sharp, and WebDAV import. Media can be assigned to services, events, and members.
Modular RBAC
Every feature is a module with its own permissions. Configurable per location. Pastors, volunteers, and members see exactly what they need.
Calendar Integration
iCal sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar. Church events directly in the personal calendar - automatically updated.
Status: Live with Pilot Church
Kirchenwerk is in production use.
- ✓ Web dashboard with role-based access
- ✓ Member, event, and location management
- ✓ Podcast management with Spotify sync
- ✓ Stripe integration for subscriptions
- ✓ Mobile app (iOS & Android)
- ✓ Sulu website with CRM integration
- ✓ iCal/CalDAV sync with Google, Outlook, and Apple Calendar
Next steps: Onboarding additional pilot churches, expanding analytics features, and preparing the public SaaS launch.
Conclusion: SaaS for an Underserved Market
Kirchenwerk demonstrates that niche software benefits from modern tech stacks. Real-time sync, end-to-end TypeScript, and serverless backend aren’t buzzwords - they solve real problems in church administration. And with the ecosystem of CRM, website, and app, a platform emerges that covers a church’s entire digital presence.
Interested in a SaaS platform or church management system? Contact us - we look forward to exciting projects.