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Getting Started with Planning Center Services
For All Who Serve at A City On A Hill Church |
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Welcome to the team! Whether you serve in the nursery or on the worship team, brew coffee or run sound, Planning Center is how we stay organized so our ministry can stay focused.
NOTE: If you are having problems with Planning Center Services - skip to here.
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What is Planning Center Services?
Planning Center Services is a simple, powerful tool that helps our church schedule volunteers, organize service details, and communicate effectively. It’s used by greeters, ushers, coffee team, worship leaders, tech crew, Kid’s Church, nursery, offering counters, service hosts—and you!
Why We Use It
We believe ministry should be people-focused, not admin-heavy. Planning Center helps us:
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How It Helps You
With Planning Center, you can:
✅ View when you're scheduled to serve
✅ Block out dates you’re unavailable
✅ Accept or decline requests
✅ Set preferences (how often you want to serve, what positions, etc.)
✅ View service details (order of worship, songs, sermon topic)
✅ Access materials important to your position (i.e. music charts, audio files, lesson plans, etc)
✅ Get reminders automatically
With Planning Center, you can:
✅ View when you're scheduled to serve
✅ Block out dates you’re unavailable
✅ Accept or decline requests
✅ Set preferences (how often you want to serve, what positions, etc.)
✅ View service details (order of worship, songs, sermon topic)
✅ Access materials important to your position (i.e. music charts, audio files, lesson plans, etc)
✅ Get reminders automatically
How to Get Started (It’s Easy!)
Step 1: Accept Your Invitation Email
You’ll receive a personalized email from Jerroll inviting you to join Planning Center Services.
Step 2: Download the App
We strongly recommend using the phone app—it’s fast and easy.Step 3: Set Your Password
Log in with your email and create a password using the app or a web browser and this link:
👉 services.planningcenteronline.com
Step 4: Watch This Quick Start Video
This Planning Center Training video walks you through how to get the app, set your availability, and respond to requests:
You’ll receive a personalized email from Jerroll inviting you to join Planning Center Services.
Step 2: Download the App
We strongly recommend using the phone app—it’s fast and easy.Step 3: Set Your Password
Log in with your email and create a password using the app or a web browser and this link:
👉 services.planningcenteronline.com
Step 4: Watch This Quick Start Video
This Planning Center Training video walks you through how to get the app, set your availability, and respond to requests:
Your Two Most Important Responsibilities
1. Set Your Blockout Dates
If you know you'll be unavailable (vacation, work, family plans), set your blockout dates as soon as you know. This allows us to schedule around your absence to put the least burden on others and avoid last minute scrambles. This applies to ALL your planned absences, not just the typical week you would serve, because other team members also plan absences, and we might ask you to serve a different week to accommodate them.
If you forget, and need to decline after being scheduled:
1. Set Your Blockout Dates
If you know you'll be unavailable (vacation, work, family plans), set your blockout dates as soon as you know. This allows us to schedule around your absence to put the least burden on others and avoid last minute scrambles. This applies to ALL your planned absences, not just the typical week you would serve, because other team members also plan absences, and we might ask you to serve a different week to accommodate them.
If you forget, and need to decline after being scheduled:
- Please try to trade or find a sub to cover your position
- Set a blockout on the date you need to decline and Planning Center will decline it automatically.
- Let your team leader know who has agreed to trade with you (you can do this by including their name in the "Reason" box when you block out the date)
- We will update everything in Planning Center to be sure all communications for every service go to the right people!
- And yes—it’s okay! We know life changes. Just communicate.
2. Respond to Requests Promptly
Please don’t leave your requests sitting in your inbox.
Click Accept or Decline right away. It helps us:
Please don’t leave your requests sitting in your inbox.
Click Accept or Decline right away. It helps us:
- Know who is confirmed
- Avoid unnecessary emails trying to confirm positions
- Focus our time more on people and ministry, not logistics
Need Help? Start Here.
If you ever have trouble accessing your schedule, not getting emails, or can't figure something out—check this first:
🔗 Planning Center Getting Started Guide
Still stuck? Reach out to Jerroll or your ministry team leader. We’re happy to help.
If you ever have trouble accessing your schedule, not getting emails, or can't figure something out—check this first:
🔗 Planning Center Getting Started Guide
Still stuck? Reach out to Jerroll or your ministry team leader. We’re happy to help.
Final Word
We’re so thankful for your heart to serve. Planning Center is simply a tool to help us all work together better. When you use it well, you make ministry lighter and more joyful for everyone. Thank you!
Blessings,
Jerroll Lehman
Worship Pastor
A City On A Hill Church
We’re so thankful for your heart to serve. Planning Center is simply a tool to help us all work together better. When you use it well, you make ministry lighter and more joyful for everyone. Thank you!
Blessings,
Jerroll Lehman
Worship Pastor
A City On A Hill Church
Common Issues and How to Solve Them
Having trouble? Don't give up!
Planning Center Services is our main tool for communication and scheduling — it’s the most effective way we’ve found to manage many roles and people each week, so it is essential that everyone is properly connected and active. While texts or emails can help resolve issues, they aren’t a substitute for being connected to Services. If you're running into problems, don't give up — this guide can help get things working again.
Planning Center Services is our main tool for communication and scheduling — it’s the most effective way we’ve found to manage many roles and people each week, so it is essential that everyone is properly connected and active. While texts or emails can help resolve issues, they aren’t a substitute for being connected to Services. If you're running into problems, don't give up — this guide can help get things working again.
1. I can't log into my account
- Make sure you're using Planning Center Services, not Church Center. Since you’re serving on a team, you should log in at services.planningcenteronline.com or use the Planning Center Services app, which does require a password. (For more about Church Center vs. Services, see #2 below.)
- Double-check your password. This is the most common issue. Enter it carefully — especially on mobile devices — and reset it if needed by clicking "Need help?" on the login screen.
- Check that you're using the correct email address. Your login must match the email address your team leader or administrator used to invite you to Planning Center. If you try a different address, the system may not recognize you.
- Still stuck? Contact your team leader and they can help verify your email and send you a new welcome email if needed.
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2. Confusing the Church Center App with the Services App
Many people download the Church Center app—which is great for accessing things like the church calendar, groups, giving, or the directory. But if you serve on a team, you also need the Planning Center Services app. This is the one we use for scheduling, communication, and accessing your serving plans. Both apps are helpful, but they serve different purposes--make sure you are using Services for everything that has to do with your area of service. Here's the difference: |
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Planning Center Services App |
Church Center App |
✅ Designed for volunteers & team scheduling |
❌ Meant for attenders (directory, groups, sign-ups) |
✅ Sends push notifications for serving requests |
❌ Doesn’t notify you to serve |
✅ Lets you manage blockout dates & availability |
❌ Doesn’t help you prepare to serve |
🟡 Please download the Planning Center Services app, not Church Center:
3. Not Receiving Emails (Blocked or Missing)
Sometimes email providers block or filter Planning Center emails. If you haven’t been getting scheduling requests:
Here’s what to do:
Check if your email inbox is full.
If your inbox reaches capacity and starts bouncing emails, Planning Center will automatically block your address to comply with anti-spam laws. Once this happens, a multi-step reset process is required to get you going again:
Sometimes email providers block or filter Planning Center emails. If you haven’t been getting scheduling requests:
Here’s what to do:
- ✅ Add these addresses to your email contacts or “Safe Sender” list:
- ✅ Check your Spam or Junk folder.
- ✅ If needed, search your inbox for “Planning Center” to find older requests.
Check if your email inbox is full.
If your inbox reaches capacity and starts bouncing emails, Planning Center will automatically block your address to comply with anti-spam laws. Once this happens, a multi-step reset process is required to get you going again:
- Resolve your full inbox problem, then let us know.
- An admin must manually unblock your address and override an internal warning of possibly violating spam laws.
- This sends a confirmation email asking you to opt back in to receive group messages.
- You must click the link in that message to complete the reset.
- If nothing shows up, contact your ministry leader—we’d be happy to help troubleshoot or resend a request.
4. I ACCEPTED a date to serve, but now need to DECLINE
If you ever need to decline a position after you've already accepted, here's how:
If you ever need to decline a position after you've already accepted, here's how:
- From your email: If you still have the original invitation email, open it, click Decline, and add a brief reason.
- From the App: Go to My Schedule and add a blockout date for the Sunday (or dates) you can't serve. The system will decline it for you.
- Please add blockout dates or decline as early as possible — think about how much notice you’d appreciate if someone asked you to sub for them.
- If you can, try to reach out to another team member who could cover your spot before declining, and then include their name in the "Reason" section when you decline. That allows us to keep our records current and communicate with the right people.
- When you decline, it’s very helpful if you add a brief reason (nothing detailed needed) so we know if it’s just a one-time conflict or something we should plan around in the future
5. My ministry leader keeps bugging me to respond to requests and put in block outs!
(How to make that stop — and why it matters)
If it ever feels like we’re always reminding you to respond to scheduling requests or add blockout dates, here’s the simple reason: it protects your teammates and keeps everyone from getting stressed at the last minute.
Why this is important:
When people don’t respond or forget to enter blockouts, leaders have to send extra texts and emails, scramble to find subs, or make those dreaded Friday/Saturday “can you fill in?” calls. This creates unnecessary pressure for everyone, especially the people who end up covering the gaps.
And this isn’t just our experience. Lifeway Research found that about 30% of church volunteers quit after one year because of last-minute changes, unclear communication, or disorganized scheduling! Using Planning Center well is one of the simplest ways we care for each other as a team.
How to keep your leader from needing to follow up:
Using Planning Center well isn’t just “admin stuff” — it’s part of serving together with kindness, clarity, and consideration.
(How to make that stop — and why it matters)
If it ever feels like we’re always reminding you to respond to scheduling requests or add blockout dates, here’s the simple reason: it protects your teammates and keeps everyone from getting stressed at the last minute.
Why this is important:
When people don’t respond or forget to enter blockouts, leaders have to send extra texts and emails, scramble to find subs, or make those dreaded Friday/Saturday “can you fill in?” calls. This creates unnecessary pressure for everyone, especially the people who end up covering the gaps.
And this isn’t just our experience. Lifeway Research found that about 30% of church volunteers quit after one year because of last-minute changes, unclear communication, or disorganized scheduling! Using Planning Center well is one of the simplest ways we care for each other as a team.
How to keep your leader from needing to follow up:
- Please respond quickly to scheduling requests — Accept or Decline.
- Use blockout dates before the schedule is created; this helps more than you know.
- If email isn't your friend, the app is. Turn on push notifications in the app so you won’t miss a request.
- If you must decline, try to trade or find a sub (if your team uses subs) and include that information in the reason field.
Using Planning Center well isn’t just “admin stuff” — it’s part of serving together with kindness, clarity, and consideration.
6. Custodial Scheduling Confusion
Because Planning Center is built around services, custodial team members are scheduled under the Sunday service they're preparing for—not the calendar week starting on that Sunday.
👉 So if you see your name listed under Sunday, June 23, that means you're scheduled to clean sometime between Monday, June 17 and Saturday, June 22—the week leading up to that service.
🗓️ Tip: Think of the cleaning week as starting on Monday rather than Sunday, and it’ll make more sense.
We know it’s not super intuitive, but this method allows Planning Center to send automated reminders at the proper time, which wouldn’t work if we asked you to clean after the date of the Service.
Because Planning Center is built around services, custodial team members are scheduled under the Sunday service they're preparing for—not the calendar week starting on that Sunday.
👉 So if you see your name listed under Sunday, June 23, that means you're scheduled to clean sometime between Monday, June 17 and Saturday, June 22—the week leading up to that service.
🗓️ Tip: Think of the cleaning week as starting on Monday rather than Sunday, and it’ll make more sense.
We know it’s not super intuitive, but this method allows Planning Center to send automated reminders at the proper time, which wouldn’t work if we asked you to clean after the date of the Service.
7. “I Forgot My Password”
A common one! To reset:
A common one! To reset:
- Go to https://services.planningcenteronline.com
- Click “Need a password?” and follow the instructions.
8. My Schedule Doesn’t Show Anything / Can’t See My Dates
This often happens when:
This often happens when:
- You’re looking at the Church Center app (instead of Services).
- You haven’t been officially scheduled yet.
- You declined a date and weren’t rescheduled.
- You’re logged in with the wrong email address.
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9. Notifications Are Off / Not Receiving App Alerts If you’ve downloaded the Services app but aren’t getting alerts:
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10. Trouble Saving Blockout Dates in the Phone App
If you're using the Planning Center Services app on your phone and the green checkmark (save button) won’t activate when you try to enter blockout dates, here are some things to check:
- This can happen in older versions of the app. Make sure you have the latest version by opening the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android), searching for Planning Center Services, and tapping Update if it’s available.
- Select a reason. Even though it’s optional, the app sometimes expects a reason (like “Out of town”) before it will let you save.
- Make sure both a start and end date are entered. Even for a single day, enter the same date in both fields.
- Close and reopen the app. A quick restart often clears up small glitches.
- Try using a web browser instead. Log in at services.planningcenteronline.com to enter your blockout dates.
- Check your internet connection. A weak connection can prevent the app from enabling the save button.
Still having problems? Contact your team leader or [email protected].