Managing Events

Keep your congregation informed about what's happening at your church. Events automatically appear on your public website in an organized, easy-to-read format.

What are Events?

Events are any activities, services, or gatherings your church hosts:

Sunday worship services
Bible studies and small groups
Special services (Christmas, Easter, Good Friday)
Community outreach events
Youth group meetings
Concerts and special guests
Fundraisers
Volunteer opportunities

Who Can Manage Events?

Can Create/Edit/Delete Events:

Church Owners
Church Admins

Can Only View Events:

Church Members

Accessing Your Events

Log in to your dashboard
Click Events in the left navigation
You'll see all your events, organized by upcoming and past

Creating a New Event

Step-by-Step Process

Click the Create Event button (top right of Events page)
Fill in the event details (see below)
Review your information
Click Create Event
Your event appears immediately on your public website!

Event Information Fields

Event Title (Required) The name of your event as it will appear publicly.

Examples:

"Sunday Morning Worship"
"Youth Group Game Night"
"Community Christmas Service"
"Women's Bible Study"
"Easter Sunrise Service"

Tips:

Be clear and descriptive
Include the day if it's a regular event ("Wednesday Night Prayer")
Maximum 100 characters
Avoid abbreviations that visitors might not understand

Event Description (Required) Details about the event to help people know what to expect.

What to Include:

What happens at the event
Who should attend (everyone, youth, adults, etc.)
What to bring (Bible, lawn chairs, potluck dish)
Any special instructions (parking, childcare available, etc.)
Why someone should attend

Example:

"Join us for our weekly Sunday morning worship service! We gather at 10:00 AM for contemporary worship, followed by a message from Pastor John. Children's ministry is available for ages 0-12. Coffee and fellowship time follows the service. All are welcome!"

Tips:

Write in a friendly, welcoming tone
Answer common questions visitors might have
Keep it concise but informative
Maximum 500 characters
Use short paragraphs for easy reading

Start Date and Time (Required) When your event begins.

How to Enter:

Click the date field to open a calendar
Select the date
Choose the time from the dropdown or type it

Tips:

Use 12-hour format (10:00 AM, not 22:00)
Consider time zones if you have visitors from other areas
Allow setup time before your posted start time
For recurring events, you'll create separate event entries (we're working on recurring event automation!)

End Date and Time (Optional but Recommended) When your event finishes.

When to Include:

Multi-day events (conferences, VBS)
Events with specific end times
Helps people plan their schedules

When to Omit:

Regular services with flexible end times
Open-ended events (drop-in fellowship)

Tips:

End time must be after start time
For Sunday services, consider listing 11:30 AM if you start at 10:00 AM
Better to overestimate than underestimate

Creating Your First Event

Suggested First Event: Your main Sunday service

Example:

Title: "Sunday Morning Worship Service"
Description: "Join us every Sunday at 10:00 AM for inspiring worship, practical Bible teaching, and genuine community. Coffee and donuts served beforehand at 9:30 AM. Kids ministry available for all ages. Casual dress - come as you are!"
Start: [Next Sunday] at 10:00 AM
End: [Next Sunday] at 11:30 AM

Click Create Event and check your public website to see it live!

Viewing Your Events

Events Page Layout

Upcoming Events Section:

Shows all future events
Sorted by date (soonest first)
Includes event title, date, and quick actions

Past Events Section:

Shows events that have already occurred
Sorted by date (most recent first)
Useful for record-keeping

Event Card Information

Each event displays:

Event title in bold
Date and time
Beginning of description
Edit and Delete buttons (if you have permission)

Editing an Event

Need to change event details? Here's how:

Find the event on your Events page
Click the Edit button on the event card
Update any fields you need to change
Click Save Changes

Your updates appear immediately on your public website.

Common Reasons to Edit

Time or date changed
Adding more details to description
Correcting a typo
Updating location information in description
Adding new information (guest speaker name, etc.)

Editing Recurring Events

If you have regular weekly events (like Sunday service), you'll need to:

Edit each occurrence separately, OR
Delete old ones and create a new template for future dates

Note: Automated recurring events are coming soon!

Deleting an Event

If an event is cancelled or was created by mistake:

Find the event on your Events page
Click the Delete button
Confirm you want to delete
The event is removed immediately

Warning: Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. The event disappears from your public website instantly.

When to Delete

Event is cancelled and won't be rescheduled
Created a duplicate by accident
Event information is no longer relevant

When NOT to Delete

Event already happened (keep it in Past Events for records)
Event is postponed (edit the date instead)
Unsure if event will happen (edit to add "Date TBD" in description)

How Events Appear on Your Website

Public Event Display

Visitors to your church website see:

Upcoming Events section on the homepage
Events listed chronologically (soonest first)
Each event shows:
- Title
- Date and time formatted clearly
- Full description
- Any details you provided

Event Filtering

Your public website automatically:

Shows only upcoming events on the main Events page
Hides past events from visitors (but you still see them in your dashboard)
Sorts events by date
Displays event times in an easy-to-read format

Best Practices

Regular Event Updates

Weekly Tasks:

Add next week's events (if not already created)
Review upcoming events for accuracy
Update any details that changed

Monthly Tasks:

Plan events for the next month
Create events for special services
Archive or delete very old past events if needed

Writing Great Event Descriptions

Do:

Use welcoming, inclusive language ("All are welcome!")
Answer common questions (parking, childcare, what to bring)
Include pastor/speaker names if relevant
Mention food if you're serving it
Highlight special guests or worship teams
Make first-time visitors feel comfortable

Don't:

Use insider language or acronyms
Assume people know where things are
Forget to mention important details (cost, registration, etc.)
Write in all caps or use excessive punctuation!!!
Make it too long - be concise

Example Descriptions

Weekly Service:

"Contemporary worship service with live band, relevant biblical teaching, and authentic community. Kids programs available for ages 0-5th grade. Service typically lasts 75 minutes. Coffee and conversation afterward!"

Special Event:

"Join us for our annual Christmas Eve candlelight service. This beautiful evening includes traditional carols, the Christmas story, and candle lighting. Perfect for families and visitors. Service is 60 minutes. Arrive early for good seating!"

Community Event:

"Help us serve our neighborhood! We're providing free groceries to families in need. Volunteers meet at 8:00 AM to sort and pack. Distribution runs 10 AM - 2 PM. Bring work gloves if you have them. All ages welcome!"

Timing Your Event Posts

When to Create Events:

Regular weekly services: Create 1-2 weeks in advance
Special events: Create 4-6 weeks in advance
Major events (Christmas, Easter): Create 2-3 months in advance
Last-minute events: As soon as you know about them

Why Post Early:

Gives people time to plan
Shows up in search engines
Visitors can see what's coming up
Builds anticipation

Mobile Optimization

Remember that many visitors view events on phones:

Keep titles concise
Break descriptions into short paragraphs
Most important info first
Don't worry - our system makes events mobile-friendly automatically

Advanced Event Management

Multiple Services

If you have multiple services (8:30 AM and 11:00 AM):

Option 1: Create separate events

"Sunday Worship Service - 8:30 AM"
"Sunday Worship Service - 11:00 AM"

Option 2: One event with both times in description

Title: "Sunday Worship Services"
Description: "Join us at either 8:30 AM or 11:00 AM..."

Series Events

For multi-week series (like Bible studies):

Create an event for each session
Include series name in title: "Life of Paul Bible Study - Week 3"
Link back to series info in description

Special Considerations

Childcare Available: Always mention in description Registration Required: Include link or instructions in description Cost: Clearly state if there's a fee Capacity Limits: Mention if space is limited Weather-Dependent: Note if event could be cancelled

Troubleshooting

Event Isn't Showing on Website

Causes:

Start date is in the past (only upcoming events show publicly)
Browser cache showing old version

Solutions:

Verify start date is in the future
Hard refresh your browser (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R)
Check in incognito/private browsing mode

Can't Edit or Delete Event

Cause: You don't have permission

Solution:

Check your role with church Owner
Only Owners and Admins can manage events
Members have view-only access

Wrong Date or Time

Cause: Timezone confusion or entry error

Solution:

Click Edit on the event
Update the correct date/time
Double-check AM/PM
Click Save Changes

Description is Cut Off

Cause: Exceeded character limit

Solution:

Edit the event
Shorten description to 500 characters or less
Be more concise
Remove unnecessary words

Tips for Success

Consistent Posting Schedule

Build a habit:

Sunday: Post events for next week
First of month: Post all events for upcoming month
Set calendar reminder to update events

Involve Your Team

Delegate event creation:

Youth pastor creates youth events
Worship leader creates special services
Outreach coordinator creates community events
Ensures nothing is forgotten

Track What Works

Pay attention to:

Which events get the most attendance
What descriptions are clearest
When people ask questions (add that info to future descriptions)

Use Events for Promotion

Your events page is free marketing:

Share your church website URL on social media
Direct visitors to "/events" to see what's happening
Print your website URL on bulletins

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create recurring events automatically? Not yet, but it's coming! For now, create each occurrence as a separate event. Tip: Create one, then copy/paste the description to speed up the process.

What's the limit on number of events? No limit! Create as many as you need.

Can visitors RSVP or register for events? Registration features are coming soon! For now, include registration links in your event description.

Do events sync with my Google Calendar? Not currently, but calendar integration is on our roadmap.

Can I add images to events? Event images are coming in a future update! For now, your hero image and theme set the visual tone.

What if my event is cancelled due to weather? Edit the event title to add "[CANCELLED]" or delete the event entirely. Consider adding a cancellation announcement on your homepage.

Next Steps

Now that you know how to manage events:

Add Sermons - Build your sermon library
Set Up Giving - Accept online donations

Questions? Email [email protected] or check the FAQ.