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Phone alerts

Turn on short phone or computer alerts for the livestream, prayer requests, announcements and more, and choose which ones you get.

Who does thisEveryone

The app can send a short alert to your phone or computer when something new is shared. You choose which kinds you want, and you can change your mind any time.

What you can get

  • Sunday livestream: when the link for this week’s service is posted. It comes the first time the link goes up, and never before 7 AM on Sunday.
  • Prayer requests: when a new request is shared with the church, and when your own request is shared. The alert never shows names or details.
  • Church announcements: when an announcement is posted for members. The alert shows its title. A scheduled announcement alerts when it starts.
  • Morning Scripture reminder: at 6:30 AM with today’s reading.
  • Things waiting for you: requests that need your OK, like Sunday school cover requests, serving trades, a teen’s login request if you’re a parent, and things to review if you serve on staff.

Nobody writes these by hand. They go out on their own when something is posted. They are not text messages or emails.

Before you start

  • On iPhone and iPad, alerts only work in the app on your Home Screen, with iOS 16.4 or later. Add the app first. See Install the app.
  • On Android phones and computers, alerts work in the browser or the installed app.

Steps

  1. Open My family & account and choose Notifications.
  2. Under Send me a notice for, tick the kinds you want.
  3. Tap Turn on notifications.
  4. When your phone or browser asks, choose Allow.
  5. You’ll see “Notifications are on for this device.”

Your choices only apply to the device you’re using. Turn them on again on each phone, tablet or computer you use. To stop them, tap Turn off on this device.

On a phone, the app may also offer Turn on church notifications? on the home page. That does the same thing.

If something goes wrong

  • “Notifications are blocked for … on this device.” Your phone or browser said no earlier. Follow the steps shown on the page to allow them, then tap Check again.
  • “Notifications need iOS 16.4 or later.” Update your iPhone in Settings → General → Software Update, then open the app from your Home Screen.
  • “Notifications are on for this device, but every kind is unchecked.” Tick at least one kind.
  • “This browser can’t show notifications.” Use Chrome on an Android phone, or add the app to your Home Screen on iPhone.
  • There’s no Notifications box with the kinds of alerts. Your church hasn’t switched phone alerts on yet.
  • Alerts stopped coming. See Sunday troubleshooting.