Communications

The Communications section enables you to reach members via email or SMS. Whether you're sending a single announcement or a coordinated campaign, the system makes it easy to craft, schedule, and track messages.

Sending a Message

Click "New Message" to compose. You'll select:

• Recipients: Choose to send to specific members, a group, or your entire congregation
• Channel: Send via email, SMS (text), or both
• Subject Line: Required for email; helps recipients understand the message at a glance
• Message Body: Write your content in a rich text editor with formatting options (bold, italic, links, etc.)

Preview your message before sending to catch any errors.

Using Templates

Save time by creating and reusing message templates. Common templates include:

• Event reminders
• Volunteer requests
• Prayer requests
• Announcements
• Welcome messages for new members

Create a new template from any message by clicking "Save as Template." Later, when composing, select a template and customize it for your specific use.

Scheduling Messages

Don't send immediately? Click "Schedule" to set a future date and time. Messages are automatically sent at the scheduled time, perfect for coordinating announcements or reaching members when they're most likely to read them (e.g., Wednesday evening for a Sunday service reminder).

Tracking & Analytics

After sending, view basic metrics:

• Number of messages sent and delivered
• SMS delivery status
• Email read rates (for email)
• Bounce rates or failed deliveries

This helps you understand which channels and times are most effective for your congregation.

Recipient Selection

Send to Individuals: Search for and select specific members by name or email.

Send to Groups: Choose one or more groups (small groups, committees, ministries) and the message goes to all active members of those groups.

Send to Entire Congregation: Blast an announcement to everyone in your database (except inactive members).

Send to Event Registrants: If promoting an event, send to all members who've registered for that event.

SMS Considerations

Text messages have character limits (typically 160 characters per message). The composer shows your character count and will split longer messages into multiple SMS. Keep in mind that longer messages incur higher costs.

Opt-Out & Compliance

Members can manage their communication preferences in their profile, choosing which contact methods they prefer to receive messages on. Always respect these preferences. The system automatically excludes opted-out members from any communication.

Message History

View all messages you've sent in the "Message History" tab, including open rates, delivery status, and recipient lists. Search by date, recipient, or content.

Next Steps: Create a group for a specific ministry and send them a welcome message, or set up event reminders for upcoming services.