A Guide to Planning Center
At Church of the Lamb, we believe that tools like Planning Center help us stay connected as we serve, worship, and care for one another. These tools simply make it easier to organize, communicate, and live out our mission: invited to rest, compelled to love.
Overview of Planning Center
Planning Center is a suite of tools that helps churches stay organized and connected. At Church of the Lamb, we use it to coordinate worship services, schedule volunteers, support parish groups, facilitate giving, and maintain our church directory.
Volunteers use both Planning Center Services and the Church Center app.
Regular attenders and members primarily use Church Center (mobile app or web browser) to give, find parish groups, and use the directory.
Learn more about Church Center’s member-facing features here and download both the Planning Center and Church center apps for regular use.
Church Center in the App Store
Planning Center in the App Store
Planning Center in Google Play
**Download the apps:**
[Insert screenshot: Church Center home screen]
*Additional help:*
• **Planning Center Support (all products):** https://support.planningcenteronline.com/
• **Services Help Center:** https://pcoservices.zendesk.com/
• **Groups Help Center:** https://pcogroups.zendesk.com/
Planning Center for Volunteers
Volunteers are essential to our Sunday worship. Whether you serve in music, tech, children’s ministry, hospitality, or elsewhere, the **Services** app helps you view your schedule, accept/decline requests, set preferences for **9:00 AM** or **11:00 AM**, and block out dates you’re unavailable.
Set up your Services account
Go to **https://services.planningcenteronline.com** or open the **Planning Center Services** app.
Sign in with the email your ministry leader used to add you.
Create your password, then open **My Schedule** to see upcoming assignments.
- Tutorial: **[Getting Started for Volunteers (Zendesk)](https://pcoservices.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204081014-Getting-Started-for-Volunteers)**
[Insert screenshot: Services app schedule view]
Set your serving preferences & block out dates
1. Open **My Schedule** → **Preferences**.
2. Choose your preferred service times (**9:00 AM** or **11:00 AM**).
3. To take time off: **Blockout Dates** → **Add Blockout** → choose dates → **Save**.
- Help: **[Account/Preferences articles (Zendesk)](https://pcoservices.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200269560-Account-Information)**
[Insert screenshot: Preferences + Blockout dates]
Navigating Services (app + web)
• **Plans** tab: see your upcoming service plans and positions.
• **Accept/Decline**: respond to scheduling requests in each plan.
• **Email/Text teams** (leaders): from a plan → **Teams** → **Email/Text**.
- Guide: **[Communicate with your teams](https://pcoservices.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204262284-Communicate-with-your-teams)**
Your responsibility as a volunteer
• If you cannot serve on a date you’re scheduled, **you are responsible for finding a substitute before Thursday of that week**.
• If it’s **after Thursday**, **contact your team lead** so they can help find a replacement.
• Always **Accept** or **Decline** requests so leaders have an accurate roster.
- More volunteer references: **[Services—Volunteer docs](https://pcoservices.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200136564-Volunteers)**
[Insert screenshot: Accept/Decline request]
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
This is a frequently asked question?
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.