Setting up a Mock Event
Welcome to Altar Live! One of the best ways to introduce Altar Live to the rest of your team is to run a test event where people can experience the full potential of the platform and stir the imagination around the possibilities for online engagement.
Below is a checklist to set up a mock event.
1. Collect your media:
(Here's what you'll need to get started)
- Logo
- 3-4 sentence description of your community
- Event image (jpg or png)
- Pre-event announcement slides or video
- Sermon notes or order of service in a shared document
- A live stream feed or pre-recorded service (you will need a YouTube link, video file, or to connect to Altar with one of the other Stream options)
- Links to Giving or Connection Cards
2. Before the Event:
Set up the Event:
- Create Altar Live community account
- Invite others on your team to join your community
- Create an Event: set up the event to share with others
- Update the event details
- Add a thumbnail image
- Add other Hosts
- Add Host Notes (i.e. Sermon points, schedule of events, reminders for announcements)
- Connect live stream feed URL or source
- Upload a pre-event video or image
- Configure the Auditorium and Lobby
Sharing and Hosts:
- Share the event link: Once you've created your first event, share the event url link with a few others and invite them to join!
- If you want anyone else to have Host permissions during the event, invite them to create an account ahead of time. Once they create an account, add them as a Host on the Team step of the Event you created.
- During event setup, create some Announcements and Polls as Drafts that you can send out to everyone on the Event when it’s live. Some examples include:
- Giving
- Connection Cards
- Sign-Ups
3. During the Event:
Pre-Event Welcome:
- Welcome people as they join!
- Take a seat in one of the rows and encourage others to do the same via Chat
- Send a Poll to get people interacting
- Send a great question in the Chat to start people talking
As the Event is happening:
- As the Event begins, continually post in the Chat to help new people understand what’s happening
- Remind people what’s happening during or after the Event (if you want to encourage people to stick around)
- Continually post Announcements and Polls related to the Service
- Utilize Host Notes to copy and paste points from the sermon in the Chat for people to follow along with
Transitioning to the Lobby:
- Before you move to the Lobby, make sure you have told people you are about to move. Do this in Chat, with Announcements, and ideally from the live stream feed itself (either a Host on the livestream says it or it’s in written text)
- As a Host, choose to move everyone to Tables, Rooms or into a specific room.
- Here’s some examples of ways you can use the Lobby:
- Prayer Groups (either rooms for different topics or just one general prayer room)
- Meet the Pastor: Move everyone to the Room view and allow people to join a Room called “Meet the Pastor”
- Discuss the Sermon: Move everyone into a Room all together where a Facilitator can lead a discussion about the sermon
- Mix and mingle: Move everyone to the Table view where people can choose to sit down with others to socialize.
4. End the Event:
- Click "End Event for All" to close the event (only hosts can do this). Events and Meetings on Altar Live don't end automatically. You don't have to worry if your event or meeting runs long. If you forget to manually End the Event, the system will automatically end it after 24 hours.
Congratulations! You've hosted your first event for altar live. To learn more about introducing Altar Live to your community, check out this article!
