Announcements every member gets on their phone, the festival with a real headcount and a potluck list that fills itself, volunteer slots for the kitchen and the parking lot, scripture and language classes with attendance, and the bulletin, bylaws and office contacts where people can find them. Members join with a code or a link; nobody needs an account to RSVP.
Riverside Fellowship · noticeboard
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Fall Fellowship Dinner — Sat, Sep 19Announcement · pushed to 212 members · pinned
V
Kitchen crew, 3 of 6 slots still openVolunteers · setup, serving, cleanup
Send one link. Members reply with their name and how many are coming — adults and kids counted — and claim a dish for the shared meal. You know the number before you order the food.
Volunteers and programs
Post the slots for setup, kitchen, ushers and cleanup. Run scripture classes, youth groups, choir and language classes as programs with a term, attendance and, where there’s a fee, a paid record.
The noticeboard members keep asking about
Announcements with push notifications, pinned when they matter.
Info shelf: office hours, ministries and contacts, FAQs, bulletins and documents.
Expenses and donations everyone can see.
Photo albums after every event.
A vendor directory: the businesses members recommend, plus labelled sponsored listings the office approves.
Worked example — illustrative, not a real congregation
The Nguyen familyGoing · +1 adult · 2 kids · bringing a main dish
YES
GO
Grace OkaforGoing · bringing dessert
YES
T&
Tom & Elena RossiMaybe
MAYBE
ML
Marcus LeeNot replied yet
—
Replies from the bulletin link and the app land on the same list. Remind only the 31 who have not answered.
Bring list for the dinner
Main dishes6 of 6 claimed
covered ✓
Sides and salads5 of 8 claimed
3 still needed
Desserts4 of 6 claimed
2 still needed
Drinks and ice0 of 2 claimed
2 still needed
Who does what
Office and ministry leadsPost announcements, events and volunteer slots; run programs and attendance; see every reply. Several admins, each with the rights they need.
MembersGet the announcement, reply to the event, claim a dish or a volunteer slot, enroll in a program — from the free iPhone app or a personal web link.
Guests and visitorsOpen the public link, reply with a name and mobile number, and see who else is coming. No account, no app.
Getting started
Create the communityPick “Place of worship”. Office staff and ministry leads become admins.
Bring members inA join code in the bulletin, a link in the email. Paste an existing roster and every member gets a personal web link.
Post the calendarServices, festivals, the annual dinner — events with RSVP and potluck lists.
Run the programsClasses and groups with a term and attendance.
The next one’s on you.
Free for organizers, members and guests. The iPhone app runs the community; every guest replies from a link.
No. Every member gets a personal web link with the noticeboard, events and RSVPs. The free iPhone app adds push notifications and enrollment.
Can we take RSVPs for a festival with hundreds of people?
Yes. Guests reply from a link with their name and mobile number; adults and kids are counted separately.
Is there a cost?
No. Mela is free for communities: no subscription, no per-member fee. A community may choose to show approved sponsored listings from local businesses; announcements, events and reply pages carry no ads.
Can several people manage the community?
Yes. Owners, admins, and members with specific rights — announcements, events, programs, photos, info.
Who can see the member list?
Admins see the roster. Members see each other’s names in the community, never phone numbers or emails unless the office publishes a contact on the Info shelf.