Ministry and volunteers

The ministry tools help you plan services, organize your teams, and schedule the volunteers who make each gathering happen. This article covers planning a service, scheduling volunteers, and how volunteers respond and set their own availability.

Planning a service

A service brings together the order of worship, the songs, and the team into one plan.

1. Open Ministry > Services.
2. Click New Service, or select the date.
3. Choose a service template, or start from a blank one.
4. Set the service details, such as time and location.
5. Build the run sheet:
   • Add elements like Welcome, Songs, and Message.
   • Set a duration for each element.
   • Add notes where they help.
6. Assign team members.
7. Add songs from the library.
8. Click Save.

Each service is organized into clear parts:

Scheduling volunteers

Volunteer scheduling lets you fill each position for a service and let people know.

1. Open Ministry > Volunteers.
2. Select the service date.
3. For each position, click Assign, view who's available, choose a volunteer, and save.
4. Click Send Notifications.
5. Volunteers receive an email or text.
6. Track confirmations from the dashboard.

Common volunteer roles include greeters, ushers, worship team, tech and AV, kids ministry, security, and parking.

How volunteers respond

When a volunteer is scheduled, they receive a notification with a link to their assignment. From there they review the details and click Accept or Decline. If they decline, they can suggest a replacement, and the coordinator is notified. This keeps confirmations moving without a string of phone calls.

Setting availability

Volunteers can tell you when they're free so scheduling stays realistic.

1. Open My Schedule.
2. Click Availability.
3. Set general availability, including which days of the week and preferred service times.
4. Add blackout dates by selecting a date and marking it unavailable, with an optional reason.
5. Click Save.

When you schedule, you'll see who's available rather than guessing.

Tips

• Build a service template for your regular gatherings so each week starts from a solid frame.
• Send notifications as soon as assignments are set, and let confirmations come back to you.
• Encourage volunteers to set availability and blackout dates so you schedule around real conflicts.

Common questions

Can volunteers turn down an assignment? Yes. They can accept or decline from the notification, and they can suggest a replacement when they decline.

How do volunteers tell us when they can serve? They set general availability and blackout dates from their own schedule.

Can I reuse a service plan? Yes. Start from a service template instead of building each service from scratch.

Was this helpful, or missing something? Let us know.