Event Naming Guidelines

Foothills uses PCO Calendar (known from here on our as Calendar) as our only calendaring system. All church events irrespective of location (online, offsite, onsite, rental, staff or group) should be represented on Calendar.

Consult PCO Calendar Documentation for questions related to how to use Calendar. Access documentation via link: https://pcocalendar.zendesk.com/

Accessing the Calendar

For Staff: All staff members have access to the Calendar, which encompasses all event details (https://calendar.planningcenteronline.com/events)
For Lay Leaders and Community Members: Access to the Calendar is available through Church Center on the Foothills website (foothillsuu.org/events) or via the Church Center app. This view includes only public events labeled for visibility on Church Center.
Additionally, Groups Leaders use PCO Groups to Manage Their Own Internal Calendars

Event Requirements

Every event entered into the Calendar must include the following mandatory information:

Required Information	Description
Event Name (aka Public Facing Event Name)	Title of the event, suitable for public viewing. See: Event Naming Guidelines.
Event Owner (aka Staff Lead)	Designated primary contact for the event, who will receive communications. Must have Calendar permissions.
Date	Scheduled date(s) for the event.
Start Time / End Time	Commencement and conclusion times, including repetition details if applicable.
Repeat	Instructions if the event recurs.
Location	In-person or virtual location description, visible on the event listing and kiosks.
Summary	Brief overview of the event for public engagement, useful for iCal feeds or kiosk displays.
Church Center Visibility	Options to publish, feature, or keep the event unpublished on Church Center. see Events Visible on ChurchCenter.
Tags	Required selection from each group: Department, Event Type, Location. Details in the tags section.
Rooms & Resources	Details on rooms and resources allocated for the event.
Notes	Internal information, must include a point of contact for the event. For lay events this means: name, phone and email.
Connections	If the event is connected to a Group, A Worship Service, A Registration, it must be linked.

Optional Information	Description
Setup Time / Teardown	Time allocated before and after the event for preparation and cleanup.
Event Managers	Additional staff members designated to receive updates about the event.

For Events Visible on ChurchCenter

Events visible on ChurchCenter (referred to as "ChurchCenter events") must include the following additional information:

Requirement	Description
Registration URL	Link to an internal or external registration page for the event. This could be a link to the PCO Group Event or a Registration page.
Description	Detailed, rich-text overview of the event for public viewing on Church Center.
Image	A representative image for the event to be displayed on Church Center.

Event Naming Guidelines

Clear and Descriptive: Use names that clearly describe the event or its purpose, ensuring it is understandable to someone not familiar with the specific group or activity.
Avoid Abbreviations and Jargon
Standardize Date and Time Format: For events occurring at specific times, include the day of the week and time, using a standard format (e.g., "Tues. 10am").

Formulas for Specific Event Types

Small Groups

This include Journey Groups, Gather Groups Wellspring groups and any small group that has more than one group connected.

Formula: Name of Small Group Type - Start Time (Leaders' Last Names)
ex. Journey Group - Tues. 10am (Leaders: Hazlitt & Miles)
ex. Wellspring Sources - Thursday 6:30pm (Leaders: Harder and Ferguson)

Note: When creating PCO Groups for small groups use the same naming convention.

This formula ensures that participants know the type of group, when it meets, and who leads it, providing all necessary information at a glance.

Memorials

Formula: Memorial for [Name of the Deceased] or [Name of the Deceased]'s Celebration of Life
Example: Memorial for Anna Jane Norris or Anna Jane Norris's Celebration of Life

Unless specifically instructed by the family avoid using the word Funeral.

Event Tags are essential for organizing events based on common purposes, such as campus, department, or event type. They allow for efficient filtering on both the Admin Calendar and Church Center Calendar pages. Tags should be assigned to every event to facilitate easy navigation and organization.

Editing Tags: Tags can be modified at Planning Center Online Tags.

Event Event must have a tag from: Department, Event Type, and Location to ensure comprehensive categorization.
Tags with a * indicate the tag can be used to filter events on ChurchCenter.

Events highlighted in yellow are seemingly redundant and should be considered for removal.

Department Tags

Tag	Description
Spiritual Practices*	Events focused on spiritual development and practices.
Serving & Justice*	Events centered around service and justice initiatives.
Small Groups*	Gatherings for small group discussions or activities.
Family Ministry*	Events designed for families and youth engagement.
Newcomers*	Welcoming events for new church members or visitors.
Adult Faith Formation*	Educational and growth-oriented events for adults.
Worship*	Services and events focused on worship.
Music*	Events featuring musical performances or participation.
Governance & Board*	Meetings or events related to church governance.
Caring and Support*	Support groups, counseling sessions, and similar gatherings.
Serving Teams*	Events or meetings for specific volunteer teams.
Staff (Internal)	Internal events for church staff members.
Rites of Passage	Events marking significant life milestones (weddings, funerals).
N/A	For all events with a non-Foothills event type.

Event Type

Tag	Description
Rental (Private Event)	Private events hosted in the church's facilities.
External Event	Events hosted by external organizations or groups.
Foothills	Events specifically organized by or for the church.
Community Partner Event	Events hosted in partnership with community organizations.
Playcrafters (Renter)	Events hosted by the Playcrafters group.
Center for Spiritual Living (Renter)	Events hosted by the Center for Spiritual Living.
Blockout: Facility Maintenance	Times when facilities are unavailable due to maintenance.
Blockout: No Reservations	Times when no event reservations are allowed.

Location Tags

Tag	Description
Onsite*	Events held at the church's physical facilities.
Online*	Events conducted online.
Offsite	Events located away from the church premises.

Individual Tags

Tag	Description
Memorial*	Events commemorating the life of a deceased individual.
Holidays*	Church or public holidays and observances.
Wellspring	Events related to the Wellspring spiritual program.
Journey Groups	Small group meetings for spiritual or personal growth.

These tags ensure that all events are properly categorized, making it easier for both staff and congregants to find and engage with events that interest them.

Using Calendar Effectively

Making "Connections" in Events

Each Planning Center product handles events differently. Events in Calendar can be connected to:

PRODUCT	CONNECTION
Groups	An individual group
Groups	A specific group event*
Registrations	A signup
Services	The Service Type where the plan is located
Check-Ins	An event

Connections do not sync. Any changes made in one app within PCO must be made in the connected products. Adding a connection to an event allows staff to easily see who is connected to an event, and see if there is anything missing from the event.

*The connection of a specific group event to a event in calendar occurs through the Calendar Forms.

Calendar Templates

To streamline the event creation process, Calendar Templates can be utilized to quickly apply rooms, resources, and tags to events, ensuring consistency and efficiency in event planning. Templates can be edited in Calendar: https://calendar.planningcenteronline.com/event_templates.

Review a list of Event Templates.