Volunteer Resources

PLANNING AN EVENT AT THE DOWNTOWN VINEYARD CHURCH

Before any event is promoted or added to the calendar, your ministry lead must approve it. Work directly with your lead for that approval. Once your ministry lead had given the green light, submit the Event Request Form so promotion and scheduling can begin.

To allow enough time:

• Major events (church-wide, holiday, or big outreach): Submit at least 7 weeks before the event.
• Regular ministry events (smaller gatherings): Submit at least 5 weeks before the event.

EVENT PLANNING PROCESS

A successful event begins well ahead of time. For large events, the planning should begin well in advance to the event takes place. Before submitting the Event Request, schedule a planning meeting with your team and determine the following details:

PURPOSE OF EVENT

Before planning an event, you need to determine if your event fits the overall mission and values of The Downtown Vineyard Church. All events begin with an idea. But not every good idea is worth executing, so your filtering process is crucial.

Filter #1: Purpose

When planning an event, remember: every event at DTV should do more than just fill a calendar. It should move us toward our mission. Ask yourself:

• Will this help people encounter the transformational love of Jesus?
• Will it foster deep community?
• Will it equip people to honor God and bear fruit?

If your event doesn’t clearly connect with at least one of these, it’s probably not the right fit for us, even if it’s a great idea in another setting.

Additional questions to consider:

• How will this event connect people to God, The Downtown Vineyard Church and each other?
• How will this event reach people in our community?
• What is the Cost/Benefit Analysis of this event?
• Does this event have a clear purpose or is it just “something we’ve always done?”

Filter #2: Values

If purpose tells us IF we should do the event, our values tell us HOW. At The Downtown Vineyard Church, our values help us plan events.

Questions to consider:

• God loves everyone: Does this event make space for people of all backgrounds to experience God’s love?
• Authentic followers of Jesus: Will this event help people take a real step toward following Jesus more fully?
• Relationships are holy: Does this event nurture meaningful, Christ-centered relationships?
• Holy Spirit led: Are we leaving room for the Spirit to guide and move through this event?
• Church to our community: Will this event extend the love of Jesus beyond our walls into the wider community?

EVENT OVERVIEW

Once you’ve determined that your event fits the mission and values of The Downtown Vineyard Church, it’s time to plan some details. Below is a list of all the information you will need to have to fill out your Event Request Form.

Contact person

• Who is the one staff member or ministry leader ultimately in charge?

Event details

• What is the name of the event?
• What is a brief description of the event?
• What are the dates and times?
• How many people are expected?
• Will there be food? If so, is it catered or donated?
• Will your event include music?

Location and Facilities

• Is the event onsite, offsite or online?

If onsite:

• What Downtown Vineyard Church rooms will be needed?
• Will you need to set up additional tables and chairs?
• What time does setup begin?
• What time does setup end?
• Who will be responsible for opening and closing the building?
• Who will be responsible for set up and clean up?
• Will the event require audio or visual support? Do you have a trained volunteer to help?

If offsite:

• What is the location address?
• Is a certificate of liability insurance required?

Registration

• Does your event require advance registration?
• Is it paid or free?
• When should it begin and end?
• How much information do you need to collect from attendees?
• Are there any registration details to consider, such pricing discounts, merchandise or multiple types of attendees?

USING AND ACCESSING THE DOWNTOWN VINEYARD CHURCH BUILDING

We want our building to be blessing to our DTV Church family and our wider community and to be used to the glory of God.

REQUESTING ROOMS AND RESOURCES

• Use of any DTV Church room must be requested in advance; we have many different ministries and groups using the facility so never assume a room is available without reserving it ahead of time.
• Any ministry or individual requesting use of the building for an event should complete an Event Request Form (ERF), which requires approval from your designated ministry lead. An Event Request form must be used for any gathering that requires promotion or sign-ups, has a budget impact or impacts other ministries.
• A simple room request (not tied to an event) can be made by contacting the church office or your Ministry Coordinator.
• Use of certain rooms and resources (ex: auditorium, DTV Kids spaces, gymnasium) will require approval from the appropriate primary ministry. Primary ministry use of these rooms has priority over any other request. Please plan well in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts.

BUILDING USE GUIDELINES

• When requesting use of the building, one person must be designated as responsible for set up/clean up and one person for opening/closing the building (can be the same person).
• For larger events that require multiple rooms, food, additional tables & chairs, and/or custodial service, we may ask you to meet our team 1:1 prior to your event.
• Rooms should be left as you found them (or better!). Tables, chairs and other equipment must be returned to their proper place at the end of the event.
• The requesting party is responsible for any damage to the property or equipment used.
• DTV Church is not responsible for any items left at the church.

BUILDING ACCESS

• The ministry leader or event owner will be responsible for opening and closing the building (unless a different person is designated on the Event Request form).
• A building key can be issued to ministry leaders or key volunteers – see KEY REQUEST below.
• Event coordinators are encouraged to assign a greeter to open the door for attendees.
• For security purposes, unattended doors are to remain locked.
• Doors should never be propped open, unless a greeter is stationed there the entire time.

KEY REQUEST

• Regular users of the building, including key volunteers, ministry leaders or group leaders may request to be issued a building key.
• Submit a Building Access Request form, which must be approved by the ministry leader.
• Anyone who has access to the building is responsible for who they let into the building and must secure the building when they leave.

COMMUNITY ROOM CLOSET

• The Community Room Closet contains items for event hosting (e.g., tablecloths, serving supplies).

• Access requires checking out a closet key. Please return the key promptly so it remains available for others.

BUILDING/MAINTENANCE ISSUES

In case of a building emergency or maintenance issue, please contact your designated ministry lead.

THE DOWNTOWN VINEYARD CHURCH COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES

Helping People Take Their Next Steps with Clear, Purposeful Messaging

At The Downtown Vineyard Church, our goal is simple: help people grow in their faith and stay connected. Our communication strategy is built to support that by keeping things clear, focused, and intentional.

• We promote events and programs that:
• Help people grow spiritually
  Build meaningful community
• Align with our mission and values

Success = Clarity + Consistency + Community Feedback

We measure success by how clearly we communicate, how consistent we are, and what kind of feedback we hear from our people.

Promotion Guidelines

When promoting an event, always direct people to dtvchurch.org or the Lobby Info Desk for more information or to get connected.

• 50% Guideline: Events that are designed to engage at least 50% of our church family qualify for full-church promotion. This helps us stay aligned and focused on opportunities that invite broad participation and connection.
• 1-in-5 Guideline: For every 1 promotional post or announcement, we aim to share at least 4 that focus on ministry, encouragement, stories, or spiritual growth. This helps us keep the heart of the church front and center. Our goal is to post twice a day.

Promotion Tools: Where We Share Info

• Service Host Spots
• Mail Chimp (Email)
• Lobby Table
• Social Ad Campaigns (Paid ads on social media platforms)
• Social Media
• Push Notifications (DTV App)
• Website

Promotion Levels: What Gets Shared (Where and How Often)

We use a four-tiered approach to promotion, helping us match each event with the communication tools that best support its goals and audience.

LEVEL 1: MAJOR PROMOTIONS

Description: Events that significantly impact church culture, attendance, or schedule. (EX: Service time changes, major holidays, and events like Football Sunday or the last Sunday of the year)

• Run Time: 5 Weeks (If a promotion submission is required ex: Football Sunday, submission deadline is 7 weeks prior to the event)
• Service Host: 5 mentions over 5 weeks
• Bulletin: Events added to the bulletin are listed in order of occurrence and are limited to 5 events each weekend
• Social Media: Warrants 1 – 2 posts per week for 5 weeks
• MailChimp (Email): DTV Weekly: Included in the “list” and highlighted in 4 midweek dedicated emails or “DTV Weekly” Spotlight sections
• Push Notifications: Day-of reminders as needed
• Other: Eligible for outside promotions (as available), lobby tables, event board in lobby and ad campaigns (pending budget)

LEVEL 2: GROWTH & COMMUNITY EVENTS

Description: These help people grow or get connected. Great for large groups but not the whole church. (EX: Classes, Life groups, retreats, conferences, SOKM)

• Run Time: 5 Weeks (If a promotion submission is required ex: Football Sunday, submission deadline is 7 weeks prior to the event)
• Service Host: 4 mentions over 5 weeks
• Bulletin: Events added to the bulletin are listed in order of occurrence and are limited to 5 events each weeken
• Social Media: Warrants 1 posts per week for 4 weeks
• MailChimp (Email): DTV Weekly: Included in the “list” and highlighted in 3 midweek dedicated emails or Monday Highlight
• Push Notifications: Day-of reminders as needed (Ex: Kick-Off for Lineups)
• Other: Eligible for outside promotions (as available), lobby tables, event board in lobby and ad campaigns (pending budget)

LEVEL 3: MINISTRY SPECIFIC EVENTS

Description: Smaller events just for certain groups or ministries. (EX: Women’s Bingo, Pheasant Hunt, etc)

• Run Time: 3 Weeks
• Service Host: Warrants 1 – 2 “sprinkle” * announcements (quick shoutouts)
• Bulletin: Events added to the bulletin are listed in order of occurrence and are limited to 5 events each weekend
• Social Media: Warrants 1 posts per week for 2 weeks
• MailChimp (Email): DTV Weekly: Included in the “list”
• Push Notifications: NA
• Other: Eligible for lobby table promotion with ministry leader-provided display and event board in lobby,

LEVEL 4: OUTSIDE OR NICHE EVENTS

Description: Events not hosted or organized by DTV, or that don’t align directly with our mission. (EX: Classes led by individuals whose initiatives are independent of church oversight, events hosted by other organizations or churches, and personal promotions (e.g., books, blogs, or podcasts)

• Run Time: Determined on a case by case basis
• Service Host: NA
• Social Media: Determined on a case by case basis but not to exceed 1 – 2 posts
• MailChimp (Email): Determined on a case by case basis
• Push Notifications: NA
• Other: NA

*Promotion Styles: Sprint & Sprinkle

Sprint Promotion:

• Like a short burst of energy. Used for big church-wide events (Level 1) where we want to build excitement and drive engagement quickly.
• Runs for 1 – 2 weeks (sometimes longer) on all available channels
• Creates urgency and visibility. These happen 1 – 2 times a year (at discretion of senior pastor) and require all promotion energy.

Sprinkle Promotion:

• A light, casual mention. Used for smaller ministry events (Level 3). Just enough visibility without overwhelming people.

Disclaimer: Exceptions to this guideline may be made at the discretion of the Senior Pastor.