HOST A MEETUP

Anyone can Host a Meetup

It’s easy to start a meetup. You can host one by yourself, with a friend, or even as a Community Group. Simply fill out the Hosting form with the details of your meet-up. Our team will be in touch, and it will soon be listed for others to join.

Here’s How to Start

Hosting a Meetup is as easy as following these four steps:

  • The most successful Meetups will be ideas that you’re excited about. They are clear, comfortable, and, most of all, fun. After you’ve submitted your Meetup plans (click link at the bottom of this page), you’ll work with the Meetups Team to confirm the details for your launch day and complete a quick background check.

  • Now you’ll invite your Trinity friends to jump in with you. If you’re part of a Community Group, consider asking them to host the Meetup with you and invite their friends. Your Meetup will also be publicly communicated on the Meetups webpage and signup page on the Church Center App.

  • You’ll remind your RSVPs of the event details a couple of days before the Meetup, collect any necessary information, and remind them what to bring.

  • Send an email to thank people for attending, collect photos and videos, and hear about their experience. This is a great point to invite new friends you’ve made to visit Trinity or invite them to join your Community Group.

Once your Meetup has been approved and publicly shared on the Meetups page, follow the steps below to ensure your event is successful.

  • Invite People – Don’t forget to personally invite some of your friends to your meet-up. Give them a call, use social media, or shoot them a text. If you’re part of a Community Group, invite them to host the Meetup with you and ask them to invite their friends. Meetups can be a great place to create connection in your Community Group and encourage newcomers to join your group as well. Your Meetup will also be publicly communicated on the Meetups Event Page, the Church Center app, and periodically in a Sunday announcement.

    Make a Plan – If your Meetup relies on being outside, good weather conditions, or a reservation, make sure to figure out the details before it’s too late. If necessary, make an agenda for the day of and communicate it to your RSVPs.

    Check your Email – All of your RSVPs will be sent directly to you by email. It’s a good idea to reply to any RSVPs welcoming them as soon as possible. If your Meetup has a max number of registrants, your event will say when it’s full on the signups page—email the Meetups Team as soon as possible if you want to add spots or close registration prior to your event.

    Digital Waivers – If your Meetup involves any potential physical dangers (hikes, swimming, traveling as a group, etc), the Meetups Team will add a Meetups Digital Waiver to registration. If anyone does not agree to the waiver, they will not be able to attend your event.

  • • Check-in with your RSVPS - Not everyone is a planner like you. Be sure to send out an email and/or a personal text to remind everyone when and where to meet as well as what they need to bring. If your meet-up is recurring, personally contact newcomers and don't be afraid to ask regular attenders to help with the details.

    • Need to Cancel? - If you are uncomfortable with the number of people who RSVP, or if weather or plans change, you have the freedom to cancel your meetup at any point. Just make sure you let your RSVPs know ahead of time, and email meetups@trinityws.com if you need to remove your meet-up post from the website/app.

    • Choose a Chat Method - If your meet-up will be recurring, consider creating a Planning Center, Facebook group, WhatsApp or for ongoing communication with your regular attenders. Tell people about it at your meetup and in your follow-up email.

  • • Arrive Early - Make sure to arrive early to welcome and orient people when they show up.

    • Double-Check the Waivers - If your meet-up requires a waiver, be sure everyone who signed up has signed and agreed to the waiver, especially if someone brings guests who didn't RSVP beforehand.

    • Stay Safe - Remember, this is your event. Encourage responsibility among everyone involved so that everyone stays safe and comfortable.

    • Get to Know Stories - You don't just go to church together, you are the church. Be intentional with your conversations and get to know the stories of others.

    • Capture the Moments - Remember to take photos and/or videos of your meet-up for sharing afterward.

    • Talk about the Future - If your meet-up is going to be recurring, let people know the next time you're going to meet or tell them when you will have the next event planned and how you will communicate with them.

  • • Share the Story - Send any photos or videos to info@trinityws.com you'd like to and share the story of your Meetup with the rest of Trinity. Include a couple sentences that describe how it went.

    • Follow Up - After your meet-up, reach out to the people who attended:

    • Start by thanking them for coming!

    • Ask them to send any photos/videos they would like to share with the rest of Trinity along with a couple sentences describing your Meetup.

    • Ask how their experience was and if they have any ideas they'd like to share for meeting in the future. If your meet-up is recurring, tell them how you'll be communicating in the future if it's not over email (Facebook Group, WhatsApp, GroupMe, etc).

    • Maintain your Meet-up listing: We want to ensure that meet-ups stay fresh and have a high level of engagement from both hosts and participants, so we require all recurring Meetups to be renewed on our quarterly schedule. This gives our hosts an easy exit if they feel the Meetup has reached a natural end, or if their availability changes. It also helps us be sure that no one signs up for a meet-up that has fizzled out already.

This is your event, but we want to help support you in having a successful meet-up. Got questions? Contact us below.