for volunteers
Text reminders: what we text, and how to stop
A “see you tomorrow” text is the most reliable way to get a Saturday-night reminder in front of someone who signed up three weeks ago. It's also the easiest thing to get wrong, so here are the rules in plain English.
How you opt in
On a sign-up form that offers texts, there's an unchecked box under your contact details: “Text me a reminder from SignUpChurch the day before my sign-up.” Tick it and give a mobile number, and that one sign-up gets a text reminder. Leave it unticked and everything else works the same, including the email reminder.
The box covers that sign-up. Next time you sign up — even on the same church's sheets — you choose again.
What we text
One message the day before, naming what you signed up for and when. If you claimed several slots on the same day, they arrive as one text. If you signed up for a meal on Tuesday and another on Thursday, you get one on Monday and one on Wednesday.
That's all. We never text marketing, fundraising appeals, or anything the church writes — texting isn't a broadcast tool, and churches can't use it to reach you. Every message ends with how to stop.
Stopping, and starting again
- STOP — reply to any message and texts end immediately. Your carrier handles this and we can never override it.
- START — reply to resume.
- HELP — reply for help, or email support@signupchurch.com.
- Cancel the sign-up — no sign-up, no reminder, text or email. See Change or cancel your sign-up.
Your number
Your mobile number is used to send the reminders you asked for and is shown to the church whose sheet you signed, like the rest of your sign-up details. We never sell it, never share it for marketing, and your texting consent is never shared with anyone. The full terms are on the SMS Terms page, linked from the box itself.
Common questions
- I didn't tick the box. Will I get texts?
- No. Texts only go to people who checked the “Text me a reminder” box themselves when signing up. Nobody — not the church, not SignUpChurch — can turn it on for you, and a sign-up the church office enters on your behalf never sends texts.
- How many texts will I get?
- At most one per event day you signed up for, the day before. Three slots on the same Sunday arrive as one message. There are no other texts: no marketing, no fundraising, and the church can't use the number to broadcast to you.
- How do I stop the texts?
- Reply STOP to any message. That's handled by your carrier and takes effect immediately; we can't override it. Canceling the sign-up also means no reminder for it. Reply START if you want them back.
- I replied STOP by mistake. How do I get reminders again?
- Reply START to the same number and texts resume. Or just tick the box again next time you sign up — email reminders keep coming either way.
- I ticked the box but got no text.
- A few possibilities: the church's plan doesn't include texting (the box only appears on sheets where it does), you signed up after the day-before text had already gone out, the number you gave wasn't a mobile number, or you'd replied STOP to us before. You still get the email reminder on paid plans.
- Does it cost anything?
- Not from us. Standard message and data rates from your mobile plan may apply, the same as any text.