> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.lightpost.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.lightpost.app/features/calendars.md). # Calendars ### Understanding Calendars #### Multiple Calendars You can create as many calendars as needed to organize your church's events. Common examples: * **Main Church Calendar** — Worship services, church-wide events * **Youth Group** — Youth group meetings, retreats, activities * **Public Information** — Sunday school, VBS, family events * **Small Groups** — Bible studies, home groups * **Facilities** — Room reservations, building usage Each calendar has its own color, making it easy to visually distinguish events when viewing multiple calendars together. #### Calendar Visibility Levels Calendars have three visibility settings that control who can see them:
VisibilityWho Can SeeUse Case
HiddenOnly users with admin accessInternal planning, draft events, staff scheduling
MembersLogged-in church membersRegular church events, member-only activities
PublicAnyone (no login required)Events you want visitors to see on your website
**Important:** Only mark calendars as "Public" if you're comfortable with all events on that calendar being visible to anyone on the internet. #### Group Calendars Group calendars are tied to a specific group in Lightpost. Only members of that group can see the calendar and its events. **Use cases:** * Small group meeting schedules * Ministry team events * Committee meetings * Choir rehearsals **When a calendar is linked to a group:** * Only group members see the calendar in the member app * Events appear in members' calendar feeds * Great for keeping group-specific events organized *** ### Creating Calendars #### Creating a New Calendar 1. Go to **Calendars** in the admin panel 2. Click the **Calendars** dropdown button 3. Click **New Calendar** 4. Enter the calendar details: * **Name** — The calendar's display name * **Color** — Background and text colors for events * **Group** — (Optional) Link to a specific group * **Public** — Check to make visible on public websites * **Hidden** — Check to hide from members (admin-only) 5. Click **Save** #### Calendar Colors Choose colors that help users quickly identify event types: * Use distinct colors for different calendars * Consider accessibility — ensure text is readable against the background * Be consistent — members will learn to associate colors with event types *** ### Creating Events #### Basic Event Information When creating an event, you can set:
FieldDescription
TitleThe event name
CalendarWhich calendar this event belongs to
Date & TimeWhen the event occurs
All DayCheck for events without specific times
LocationWhere the event takes place
OverviewShort summary shown in listings
DescriptionFull event details
#### Recurring Events Create events that repeat automatically: **Frequency options:** * **Daily** — Every day or every X days * **Weekly** — Same day(s) each week * **Monthly** — Same date or same weekday each month * **Yearly** — Annual events **Advanced recurrence:** * Choose specific days of the week * Set "First Monday," "Last Friday," etc. * Specify an end date or number of occurrences **Examples:** * "Every Sunday at 10:00 AM" — Weekly worship service * "First Wednesday of each month" — Monthly business meeting * "Every Tuesday and Thursday" — Recurring Bible study Recurring events display a small repeating icon on the calendar to indicate they're part of a series. #### Editing Individual Occurrences For recurring events, you can modify individual occurrences without affecting the entire series. This is useful when: * A regular meeting moves to a different room one week * A single occurrence is cancelled * Time changes for a specific date *** ### Event Sign-ups / RSVP Enable RSVPs to track attendance and let members indicate their plans. #### Enabling Responses When creating or editing an event: 1. Check **Enable Responses** 2. Optionally check **Show Responses** to let members see who else is attending #### How Members RSVP 1. Member clicks on an event 2. Clicks **Register / RSVP** 3. For each family member, selects: * **Going** — Will attend * **Not Going** — Cannot attend * **Interested** — May attend Members can update their responses at any time by clicking the same buttons. #### Viewing Responses When "Show Responses" is enabled: * Members see a list of who responded and their status * Response counts are shown (Going, Not Going, Interested) * Names link to directory entries Admins can always view full response lists in the admin panel. *** ### Viewing Calendars #### In the Admin Panel The admin calendar view shows: * All calendars (regular and group calendars) * Toggle individual calendars on/off using checkboxes * Month, week, and list views * Click any event to view or edit details #### In the Member App Members see: * All non-hidden calendars they have access to * Group calendars for groups they belong to * Month, week, and list views * Click events to see details and RSVP #### Adding Events to Personal Calendars When viewing an event, members can click **Add to Calendar** to export to: * Apple Calendar * Google Calendar * Outlook.com * Yahoo Calendar * Download ICS file This adds the individual event (not the full calendar) to their personal calendar. *** ### Subscribing to Calendar Feeds Members can subscribe to Lightpost calendars in their favorite calendar apps. Subscribed calendars automatically sync, so new events appear without any action. #### Getting Your Feed Link 1. Go to **Calendar** in the member app 2. Click **Calendar Feeds** 3. Choose a feed: * **All Calendar Events** — Everything you have access to * **Individual calendars** — Subscribe to specific calendars 4. Copy the feed URL #### Subscribing in Calendar Apps **Apple Calendar (Mac/iPhone):** 1. File > New Calendar Subscription 2. Paste the feed URL 3. Choose refresh frequency **Google Calendar:** 1. Settings > Add Calendar > From URL 2. Paste the feed URL 3. Click "Add Calendar" **Outlook:** 1. Add Calendar > Subscribe from web 2. Paste the feed URL 3. Name the calendar and save **Important:** Keep your feed links private. They are personalized to you and provide access to all calendar data you can view in Lightpost. *** ### Printable Calendars Generate print-ready calendars for bulletins, newsletters, or posting in your building. #### Creating a Printable Calendar 1. Go to **Calendars** in the admin panel 2. Click **Printable Calendar** 3. Select options: * **Calendars** — Choose which calendars to include * **Month/Year** — Select the month to print * **Show Times** — Include event times * **Show Color Stripe** — Include calendar color indicators * **Show Birthdays** — Include member birthdays * **Font Size** — Small, Medium, or Large * **Orientation** — Portrait or Landscape 4. Click **Print** The printable view opens in a new tab, ready for printing or saving as PDF. #### Tips for Bulletin Inserts * Use **Portrait** orientation for half-page inserts * Use **Landscape** for full-page calendars * **Small** font size fits more events per day * Disable color stripe for black-and-white printing *** ### Website Integration Display your public calendars on your own website (outside of Lightpost). #### Website Code Snippet For churches not using a Lightpost website, you can embed public calendars on any website: 1. Go to **Calendars** in the admin panel 2. Click **Website Code Snippet** (only appears if you have public calendars) 3. Copy the provided HTML code 4. Paste it into your website where you want the calendar to appear #### How It Works * The script loads an interactive calendar widget * Only calendars marked as "Public" are displayed * Events update automatically when you add or change them in Lightpost * No login required for visitors to view #### Lightpost Websites If you use a Lightpost-hosted website, public calendars can be added through the website builder without needing code snippets. *** ### Best Practices #### Organizing Calendars * **Keep it simple** — Don't create too many calendars; group similar events * **Use clear names** — "Youth Ministry" is better than "YM Events" * **Consistent colors** — Stick with your color scheme once established #### Event Information * **Include locations** — Even for familiar venues * **Write clear titles** — "Sunday Worship Service" not "Service" * **Add descriptions** — Include what to bring, who to contact, etc. #### Managing Recurring Events * **Plan ahead** — Set end dates for seasonal events * **Update individual occurrences** — Don't delete the whole series for one change * **Check the calendar** — Verify recurring events appear correctly #### Public Calendars * **Review before publishing** — Check all events on a calendar before making it public * **Keep internal events private** — Staff meetings, planning sessions, etc. * **Update regularly** — A current calendar builds trust with visitors *** ### Frequently Asked Questions **Can I have events on multiple calendars?** No, each event belongs to one calendar. Create separate events if needed on multiple calendars. **How do I cancel a single occurrence of a recurring event?** Edit that specific occurrence and mark it as cancelled, or delete just that occurrence. **Can members create events?** By default, only admins can create events. Admins manage all calendar content. **Why can't I see a calendar?** The calendar may be hidden (admin-only), or it may be a group calendar for a group you're not in. **How often do subscribed calendars update?** This depends on your calendar app settings, typically every 15 minutes to 24 hours. **Can visitors RSVP to events?** Currently, RSVP is only available to logged-in members. **What happens if I delete a calendar?** All events on that calendar are also deleted. This cannot be undone. **Can I import events from another calendar?** Contact support for assistance with importing events from other calendar systems.