{"entry":{"id":"611da70f-42ca-4bae-9cdf-a5def01fa05b","path":"/support/channels-and-announcements","title":"Channels and Announcements","version":1,"collection":"core-team-docs","collectionLabel":"Core Team Docs","date":"2026-08-20","author":"JP Martinez","summary":"Everything to do with channels and announcements!","topics":["Core team","app setup","support"],"coverImage":"","body":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Channels are for conversations that need more room than a regular 32-person group chat. They can be public or private, and they can either let everyone post or work as an announcement-only space."}]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"Who Can Create a Channel?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Only someone with the "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Manage channels"}]},{"type":"text","text":" church permission can create one."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"If someone needs that access, an authorized staff member can open their profile, tap "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Add Church Permission"}]},{"type":"text","text":", and grant "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Manage channels"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"If you need a channel created for a team, ask your director to make one and they can add you as an admin to the group chat."}]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"When to Use a Channel"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Use a channel when:"}]},{"type":"list","ordered":false,"items":[[{"type":"text","text":"The audience may be larger than 32 people."}],[{"type":"text","text":"People should be able to discover and join the conversation."}],[{"type":"text","text":"A ministry needs an ongoing communication space."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Leaders need a place to send broad updates."}]]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"If it is just a day-of team with 32 people or fewer, use a group chat. If it is an official City Group, go to the city group and make a city group chat."}]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"How to Create a Channel"}]},{"type":"list","ordered":true,"start":1,"items":[[{"type":"text","text":"Open "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Messages"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Tap "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"New Conversation"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Choose "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"New Channel"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Add a name and optional photo."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Choose whether "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public Channel"}]},{"type":"text","text":" should be on."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Invite any starting members."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Tap "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Create"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}]]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"A channel can start with only the owner, and it does not have the regular group-chat member limit."}]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public Channels"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"When "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public Channel"}]},{"type":"text","text":" is on, anyone in the church can discover and join the channel."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Someone can view a public channel before joining, but they must join the channel before they can react."}]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"Private Channels"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"When "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public Channel"}]},{"type":"text","text":" is off, only invited members can access the channel."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"This works better for a defined team, private planning, and typically for a team that will persist."}]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"Announcement Channels"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"An "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Announcement Channel"}]},{"type":"text","text":" allows the conversation owner and admins to send messages and react. Normal active members can still read and react, but their message composer is disabled."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"To turn it on or off:"}]},{"type":"list","ordered":true,"start":1,"items":[[{"type":"text","text":"Open the channel."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Tap the channel name or header."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Open the "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Info"}]},{"type":"text","text":" tab."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Toggle "},{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Announcement Channel"}]},{"type":"text","text":"."}]]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public and Announcement Are Not the Same Setting"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"These settings do two different jobs:"}]},{"type":"list","ordered":false,"items":[[{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public"}]},{"type":"text","text":" decides who can find and join the channel."}],[{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Announcement"}]},{"type":"text","text":" decides who can post in the channel."}]]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"That means a channel can be public, an announcement channel, both, or neither."}]},{"type":"table","headers":[[{"type":"text","text":"Public"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Announcement"}],[{"type":"text","text":"What Happens"}]],"alignments":["left","left","left"],"rows":[[[{"type":"text","text":"On"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Off"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Anyone can discover, join, and participate."}]],[[{"type":"text","text":"On"}],[{"type":"text","text":"On"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Anyone can discover and join, but only the owner and admins can post."}]],[[{"type":"text","text":"Off"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Off"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Only invited members can enter, and those members can participate."}]],[[{"type":"text","text":"Off"}],[{"type":"text","text":"On"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Only invited members can enter, and only the owner and admins can post."}]]]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"The public announcement option is especially useful for broad church updates. People can choose to join, but the conversation stays clean because only leaders can post."}]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"Managing the Channel"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","text":"The owner and admins should keep the channel useful:"}]},{"type":"list","ordered":false,"items":[[{"type":"text","text":"Use a name that makes the purpose obvious."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Add a description or introduction message."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Keep the admin list to people who actually lead the channel."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Decide whether people are supposed to talk or only receive updates."}],[{"type":"text","text":"Do not use announcement mode just because one person sent an annoying message. We have moderation tools for actual problems."}]]},{"type":"heading","depth":2,"children":[{"type":"text","text":"TLDR"}]},{"type":"table","headers":[[{"type":"text","text":"Need"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Setting"}]],"alignments":["left","left"],"rows":[[[{"type":"text","text":"Anyone should be able to find and join"}],[{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public Channel on"}]}]],[[{"type":"text","text":"Only invited people should enter"}],[{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Public Channel off"}]}]],[[{"type":"text","text":"Everyone should be able to talk"}],[{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Announcement Channel off"}]}]],[[{"type":"text","text":"Only leaders should post"}],[{"type":"strong","children":[{"type":"text","text":"Announcement Channel on"}]}]],[[{"type":"text","text":"More than 32 people"}],[{"type":"text","text":"Use a channel, not a regular group chat"}]]]}]}}