Our values.

What guides us

Sownhouse is rooted in the teachings and example of Jesus, especially hospitality, generosity, service, the value of relationships, the dignity of every person, and loving our neighbors. These values shape how we build Sownhouse, how we treat the people who use it, and the kind of community we hope to grow.

Christianity is our foundation. Hospitality is our expression. Community is what we offer.

An open invitation

• You do not need to be Christian to join Sownhouse or attend a gathering.
• Hosts do not need to be churches or Christian organizations.
• Most gatherings are not religious. A Saturday walking club matters to our mission as much as a Wednesday Bible study.
• Gatherings that include worship, prayer, or Bible teaching are always clearly labeled, so you can decide for yourself.
• Attending a general gathering never means you are signing up for religious activity, and no one should use pressure or surprise to introduce it.

Community Standards

Every member and host agrees to these standards. They exist so that anyone can walk in and feel welcome.

1. Treat people with respect

Be kind and welcoming. Harassment, intimidation, threats, and hateful or demeaning conduct are not allowed, in person or on Sownhouse.

2. No discrimination

Do not exclude or mistreat people because of race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, or similar characteristics. A gathering may be for a specific group, such as a women's Bible study or a young adults dinner, when that is stated clearly in the description.

3. Describe gatherings honestly

Hosts clearly state who is hosting, what will happen, and where. Any religious programming, any cost, and any special expectations (such as fitness level, items to bring, or age requirements) must be disclosed before someone signs up.

4. Keep people safe

Sownhouse is for adults 18 and older. Hosts follow sensible safety practices for their gatherings, share private home addresses only with confirmed guests, and follow their own organization's policies whenever children are present. Nothing illegal, and alcohol, if served, only responsibly and only for adults of legal age.

5. No misleading or fraudulent events

Gatherings must be real. No bait-and-switch, no sales pitches disguised as social events, no multi-level marketing or recruiting schemes, and no collecting money under false pretenses.

6. Host responsibly

Hosts keep listings accurate, show up when they say they will, cancel promptly if plans change, and welcome first-timers. Hosts are responsible for their own gatherings and venues.

7. Respect privacy

Use guest information only to run the gathering. Do not add people to mailing lists, share their details, or contact them for unrelated purposes without permission.

8. Gathering chat

Gathering chats exist to help people feel welcome and find their way to the table. Keep messages kind and about the gathering. No harassment, unwanted advances, sales pitches, recruiting, political campaigning, explicit content, or pretending to be someone else. Don't ask people for private contact details they haven't offered. Hosts may remove messages or remove someone from a chat, and the Sownhouse team reviews every reported message. You can report a message, mute or leave a chat, or block someone at any time. Blocking hides their messages from you; it doesn't hide you from them, and you may both still be at the same gathering.

When something goes wrong

Anyone can report a gathering, host, member, or chat message to us from inside Sownhouse, or by emailing hello@sownhouse.com. Our team reviews every report. We may remove a gathering, ask a host to make changes, or suspend an account when these standards are not met. Sownhouse keeps final moderation authority.