General Information:

- What's so special about ChurchText?
- Is ChurchText available to all churches?
- Is ChurchText easy to use?
- What sort of messages are sent?
- How far ahead can I schedule a ChurchText message?
- Can I cancel scheduled messages?
- In what countries is ChurchText available?

Getting Started:

- How is ChurchText set up?
- I'm a parishioner – how can I get ChurchText in my parish?
- I'm a parish secretary/priest – how can I make ChurchText available to our parishioners?
- What happens once we get a ChurchText account?

Distribution Lists:

- How many lists can I create?
- When I create a list, can I use it immediately?
- I want to send a message to several distribution lists, but I want people to get the message only once, even if they are on each of the lists. What should I do?
- What's the difference between “private” lists and “non-private” lists?
- Can I close a list to new members?

Text Credits:

- How long are text credits valid?
- Are text credits refundable?
- Can I send long messages using ChurchText?
- I sent a message of 160 characters , but have been charged 2 text credits. Why?

Some Tips:

- Some Tips

Technical Stuff:

- Technical Stuff

What's so special about ChurchText?

ChurchText has many features specifically designed to meet the needs of faith communities:

• As churches rarely have contact lists of members, and as parishioners often prefer to remain anonymous, ChurchText allows members to join contact lists by texting the appropriate code from their mobile phones to our 5-digit number, 82280 (UK only, at present).
  
  
• ChurchText is structured to allow the various levels in your church organisation to communicate directly with their members . For example, in a typical arrangement, parishioners may be contacted by their parish, their pastoral area (a group of parishes), their diocese, and the national organisation. You can also set up private groups that are only accessible to you (for example: choir groups, parents of Sunday School children, readers, etc).
  
  
• Text credits can also be managed as required within the organisation. Typically, a diocese buys a pool of text credits to be used by all of their participating parishes and groups.
  
  

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Is ChurchText available to all churches?

Yes, ChurchText may be used by any religion or faith-community.

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Is ChurchText easy to use?

It's as easy as sending an email, and it's all explained in our step-by-step guide. Simply write your message, and select the list(s) to send it to – you can add any additional numbers manually – and either send it immediately or schedule it for a future date and time.

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What sort of messages are sent?

That's entirely up to you. Some examples are shown below:

• Services during the week: Monday 9am Mass; Wednesday 9am Mass; Friday Mass is cancelled; Sunday Mass 10am.
  
  
• Mass tomorrow morning (Fri) will be at 11am instead of 10am - sorry for any inconvenience.
  
  
• Please remember our Church Fete tomorrow at 3pm in the park - fun for all the family!
  
  
• Reminder: Meeting of parents of First Holy Communion children tonight (Thurs) at 7pm in the hall.
  
  

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How far ahead can I schedule a ChurchText message?

You can schedule a message up to 30 days ahead, or you can send it immediately.

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Can I cancel scheduled messages?

Yes, messages can be cancelled any time before sending, and the credits are immediately added back to your pool of credits.

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In what countries is ChurchText available?

ChurchText can send SMS text messages to mobile phones in any country. At present, the facility for parishioners to sign up by sending a message to our short-code number (82280) is only available in the United Kingdom, but will be extended to other countries in the near future. Please contact us if you're interested in using this facility in countries outside of the United Kingdom.





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How is ChurchText set up?

In a typical engagement, a diocese will buy a pool of text credits to be used by its participating parishes and groups. In some cases, the diocese may request a contribution from participating parishes, and parishes may in turn request contributions from participating parishioners.

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I'm a parishioner – how can I get ChurchText in my parish?

Contact your parish priest or secretary, explain that you feel ChurchText would be a valuable service, and ask them to make it available.

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I'm a parish secretary/priest – how can I make ChurchText available to our parishioners?

The most efficient method is to contact your Diocesan Communications Officer and ask him/her to make ChurchText available to parishes in your diocese. You can also contact ChurchText directly at:





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What happens once we get a ChurchText account?

ChurchText will provide you with:

• a username and password for logging in;
  
  
• a distribution list called "main" already set up;
  
  
• the codes that parishioners will use to join and leave the “main” distribution list directly from their mobile phones;
  
  
• promotional material for your newsletter and website, introducing the service and showing your codes.
  
  

After that, you just promote the service within your parish, and send messages as easily as sending an email.

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How many lists can I create?

You can create as many lists as you want, e.g. “choir”, “readers”, etc.

For temporary groups, such as parents of children for First Holy Communion, it's often useful to create a list specific to the particular year, e.g. “fhc08”.

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When I create a list, can I use it immediately?

Yes, lists are instantly live on the system, so you can immediately add the sign-up details on your website, newsletters, and posters.

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I want to send a message to several distribution lists, but I want people to get the message only once, even if they are on each of the lists. What should I do?

Just click all the lists you want, adding any additional numbers manually, and ChurchText will automatically remove any duplicate numbers when sending.

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What's the difference between “private” lists and “non-private” lists?

Private lists can only receive messages from your account. Non-private lists can also receive messages from other specified accounts, typically higher levels in the organisation such as Pastoral Area accounts, and Diocese accounts. The automatically-created “main” list is usually set as non-private, especially in parish accounts being funded by the diocese.

When you create a list, you can designate it as private or non-private. You may also change this setting at any time by clicking the Edit button on the Manage Lists page. (In some accounts, the settings for the “main” list may not be changed).

See here for more details.

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Can I close a list to new members?

Yes. When you create a list, you can designate it as short-code enabled or short-code disabled. If short-code access is enabled, anyone can join the list by texting the appropriate code to our short-code number (82280). By disabling this facility, you prevent any new members from joining. Members may leave a list at any time by texting the appropriate leaving code, regardless of this setting.

You may also change this setting at any time by clicking the Edit button on the Manage Lists page. (In some accounts, the settings for the “main” list may not be changed).

See here for more details.

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How long are text credits valid?

Credits are valid for one year from the date of purchase.

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Are text credits refundable?

No, once text credits are purchased, they may not be refunded. (Credits relating to scheduled messages which are subsequently cancelled will be added back to your pool of credits).

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Can I send long messages using ChurchText?

Yes, messages up to 160 characters use one text credit per recipient, while longer messages are billed in multiples of 153 characters. (E.g. messages of 161-306 characters use two credits per recipient, 307-459 characters use three credits).

Modern mobile phones display multi-credit messages as a single long message.

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I sent a message of 160 characters , but have been charged 2 text credits. Why?

Some special characters are counted as two characters by the SMS network, so this may be enough to require an additional credit if your message is at or near the 160 character threshold. Please check the number of credits required after you click the Preview Before Sending button, as this shows the actual number of credits that you will be charged.

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Some Tips

It's usually a good idea to start the message with the name of the organisation sending it, e.g. the parish name. ChurchText automatically seeds the message with the organisation name when you start to write a message, but you can over-write this if you choose.

You can use the Return/Enter key to insert line-breaks into a message; this helps make the message more readable.

You can copy (Ctrl-C) a message you've already sent (from the View Sent Messages page), and paste (Ctrl-V) it into the message box to create the structure for a new message, then just amend the details as necessary. (You will need to re-add any line-breaks using the Return/Enter key, as these are not copied over).

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Technical Stuff

ChurchText is optimised for use with Internet Explorer (Version 6.0 and later), Firefox, Netscape, Opera and Safari.

Cookies must be enabled.

For optimum results, Javascript should also be enabled.

ChurchText does not require a broadband internet connection – dial-up is sufficient.

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