Host guide

How to host.

Sownhouse handles the sign-ups, reminders, and check-in so you can focus on the people. Here's how to get set up, and what makes a gathering one people come back to.

Get set up in four steps

Sign in. Go to sownhouse.com/host and sign in with the email address you applied with. We'll email you a code.
Finish your profile. Add your logo and a few sentences about who you are and who's welcome. This is what members see when they tap your name.
Create your first gathering. Choose New gathering. Give it a clear title, pick a category, add a date and time, and say where it is. Add a photo if you have one.
Publish. It shows up in the Sownhouse app right away for people nearby.

Most hosts are done in about ten minutes. Want help? Email us and we'll set it up with you.

Choose what you need

Every extra is a simple on and off switch on your gathering. Leave them off and members never see them. Switch one on and it's ready.

Limit seats: set how many people can come. Turn on the waitlist and when someone cancels, the next person moves up and gets an email automatically.
Members can bring a guest: let people bring a friend or spouse. Each guest takes a seat.
Ask questions when people RSVP: dietary needs, shirt size, an emergency contact, or anything you need to know. Only you and your team see the answers.
Sign-up list: side dishes, desserts, a setup crew. Guests pick one, and everyone can see what's still needed.
Guests agree to a waiver: for hikes, sports, service days, or anything active. Add your own terms, and Sownhouse's standard release is always included. Guests agree before they save a seat, and your guest list shows who signed and when.
Guests check themselves in: on by default. You get a QR code and a door sign. Guests scan it or type the code in the app.
Faith content and cost: if your gathering includes worship, prayer, or Bible teaching, or there's a cost, switch these on so members know before they sign up.
Private address: for gatherings in a home, only people with a saved seat see the address.

Write it for a first-timer

The best gathering pages answer the questions a nervous newcomer won't ask out loud.

What to expect: where to meet, how it starts, what to bring, and how you welcome new people. For example: “Look for the green tablecloth by the fountain. We start with quick introductions.”
Who it's for: “Everyone welcome” is great. If it's for a specific group, like young adults or moms, say so.
A real photo: people at your gathering, your space, or your table. Real beats perfect.

Make it a rhythm

One-time events are fun. Recurring gatherings are where friendships happen. If you can meet every week, every other week, or once a month, set it to repeat. Members can tap “Save my seat every time” and they're in for every session automatically.

Groups for your regulars

When people keep coming back, give them a home. A group, like a Bible study or a run club, collects your recurring gatherings in one place. Members join with one tap, or ask to join if you'd rather approve each person. Post an announcement and it shows in the app and goes to every member by email. Only you and your team see who's in a group, and there's no group chat to moderate.

To start, choose Groups in your dashboard and create one. Then open a gathering and switch on “Part of a group.”

On the day

Open your guest list. In your dashboard, choose Guests next to the session. Anyone marked First time hasn't been to one of your gatherings before. A personal hello goes a long way.
Put out the door sign. From the guest list, open the door sign to print it or show it on a tablet. Guests check themselves in from an hour before the start. You can also tap Check in next to anyone.
Need to tell everyone something? Use Send an update to guests: “We moved to the back patio.” It emails everyone going and on the waitlist, and replies come to you.
Need a spreadsheet? Download guest list (CSV) gives you names, guests, answers, sign-ups, and check-ins.

What Sownhouse does for you

Confirmation emails when people save a seat, with an Add to calendar link.
A reminder the day before.
A thank-you the day after that invites people back to your next session.
Waitlist moves, and an email when a seat opens up.
Cancellation emails if you cancel a session.
An email to your followers when you publish something new.

Hosting together

Add a teammate from the Team page so a volunteer or staff member can manage gatherings and guest lists with you. Use Duplicate on any gathering to start a similar one in seconds.

Show your gatherings on your website

On your Profile page, copy the website code and paste it into your site (Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress all have an Embed or Code block). Your upcoming gatherings stay up to date automatically, and visitors save their seat on Sownhouse.

Our standards

Sownhouse is Christian-founded, with an open invitation. Hosts do not need to be churches, and most gatherings are not religious. We ask every host to label faith content clearly, never use pressure or surprise, and use guest details only to run the gathering. Read our full Values and Community Standards.