So, you want to start a mom's group. But, how do you build a platform where members can stay up to date on events, request prayers, or simply share ideas? I am not an expert on all of the options out there (let's be honest...there are a LOT of options out there!). But, I can share with you some of the options that I am familiar with.
1) If your group is a ministry of your parish, your parish may already have something in place that they would like for you to use. Our parish uses an app called realm. You will want to talk to your parish to get their approval for whatever you plan to use.
2) Facebook: Currently, our moms group has a Facebook group page where we can post events, comments, etc. However, we have found that many people are trying to move away from using Facebook. We have also had feedback that Facebook is not as popular among our younger mothers.
3) Group Me: This is a text messaging app where you can text a large group all at once. One added benefit is that you do not to have to share your phone number to use this app...an email address will do!
4) Flock Note: Flock Note allows you to send emails, text messages, and to create groups. One downside to this is that it is only free if you have less than 40 members in your group.
5) Create your own website: You could also consider creating your own website. Many websites offer a free option, but, you will not own your domain. For example, your website may be momsgroup.wix.com instead of momsgroup.com. Also, your website will likely have advertisements. I have used a paid version of Wix to create this website. One benefit of wix is that you can build many different features into your website. For example, you can create groups, events, forums, and chat features, just to name a few. Also, members could easily join the group by subscribing on the website. This is beneficial since you can then use wix to send out any emails to your group members. If you decide to use a paid version, be aware that you may be able to find a discount code using a simple google search.
6) Mealtrain.com: We use this to create meal trains for our families who have just had a baby or are experiencing a hardship. This website works very well and will also send reminders.
7) Signupgenius.com: This is a great tool for signing up for volunteering, or for signing up to bring items to a potluck dinner. It has worked very well for us.
8) Canva: This is a wonderful tool to create logos, flyers, newsletters, or advertisements for the church bulletin. This website is free to use, is easy to use, and is visually appealing. In fact, our liturgical living newsletter was created using canva. Although the website is free to use, be aware that some of the design elements are not free. We have also used this to create crafts and decorations for our events. It is an excellent website!
These are just some of the many options that are out there! At the end of the day, the biggest questions are what do you need for your group, and what will your parish allow you to use? For our group to run smoothly, we needed technology that would allow us to:
-share and register for events (This also includes registering for childcare when it is provided.)
-create and share meal trains for our members
-create a sign up for our potlucks
-sign up to volunteer for events such as the parish picnic
-post ideas, and to communicate with each other.
-send out a monthly newsletter or email with all of the monthly updates for our group.
-create visually appealing advertisements for our events in the church bulletin.
So...what is your parish using? What have you found that works/doesn't work for your group? Let us know by posting in the comments!
Blessings!
-Jenna
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