How do volunteers "check in" at your church? 📋

[Krista Kutz]

Hi MSP Community!

I’d love to tap into your collective wisdom as my parish explores some procedural updates for the New Year: How do your ministry volunteers "check in" before services begin?

Right now, my church doesn't have a formal sign-in process for Sunday mornings. In parishes I’ve been a part of before, we’ve used a bulletin board near the church entrance with MSP’s schedule printed out for volunteers to check off their names when they arrive.

I’d love to hear how your parish approaches this!

• Is there a specific place in your church where volunteers check in?
• Do you have a go-to person (staff or volunteer) overseeing this on Sundays?
• If you’re using MSP’s sign-in kiosk, where do you set it up (vestibule, sacristy, etc.)?

I’m looking forward to hearing your insights and learning from your experiences to help everything run smoothly before services begin!

Thanks so much,
Krista


Krista M. Kutz, MDiv
Growth & Impact Manager
Rotunda Software

[Molly Iversen]

Hello MSP Community,

• We print off the "Sign-in" sheet either from the Web Version (under POST) or through the software that resides on the computer.
• Question for MSP -- Can the Sign In Report be revised within the system?
• Each week I edit the report in Word (or Google Doc) and I remove the lines and add a check box if the Position is filled for Volunteers to check when they "Check In"
• I print this on a 11x17 so people can read it
• We post the printed Sign-In sheet at a bulletin Board that is designated for Liturgy Volunteers.
• Our Sacristan (Volunteer) reviews it to make sure people have "signed-in" for our critical positions - Lectors, Servers, Eucharistic Ministry
• Kiosk - we have gone around if we want to use this method -- seems to come back to worries if our older generation would be able to use it -- I think YES! 

Question: Can a volunteer use the Kiosk to signup for future positions? I know the Kiosk will allow SUB on the spot.

Molly Iversen

Volunteer, St Pius X

Cedar Rapids, IA

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[Carla Gross]

On Fridays, I export the ministry schedule for that particular weekend and print it.  We have a room that we call our Liturgy Room.  The schedule is placed on the counter in that room and ministers check-in or initial by their name. Our volunteers are great about checking in.  The servers get ready in this room and we also have the Lector materials on the counter.  It can be a busy place.  We have access to a computer in that room since the schedule is forever changing and/or we can use the MSP App from a phone if needed.  If it looks like we are short a minister, we will recruit.  Our priest is currently deployed to the Middle East as Chaplain, and so we have substitute priests and need to have a "Mass Assistant" to be sure all positions are filled and we are ready to go!   

Carla Gross

paris...@risensaviorbrandon.com

Risen Savior Catholic Church

"Keep the JOY of loving God in your heart and share this JOY with all you meet..."  -St. Mother Teresa

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On Tue, Jan 14, 2025 at 9:34 AM Krista Kutz <kri...@rotundasoftware.com> wrote:

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[jc.ca...@gmail.com]

We wall mounted an three year old iPad (that has only the MSP app visible).

“Checking in” for the liturgy is as easy as touching the icon, and then touching your listed name.

“Check-in in” as a sub is just as easy

 

Be in peace

 

JC

 

JC Cantrell

Colonel, USAF (retired)

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/using-ministry-scheduler-pro/CA%2BU80hAxWqxWiKt6p54sRovrtyE4Uj%2BF1n7zKV8x_pQhvt3Z0A%40mail.gmail.com.

[sophie6965]

We actually dont do a check in.

Does it help?

Sophie

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[richard...@gmail.com]

We do check in, and follow up with no-shows.

 

However, we don’t use the kiosk.  Instead, we use the “Sign in sheets” format you find when you export a schedule layout.  We have one post and keep editing it each week and just change the dates.  This is actually easier to do in the admin view of the web terminal rather than the desktop software.  You only let web admins view it. 

 

I would love to use the kiosk feature, but given our clientele it probably will only create more problems than it is worth.  People understand simply signing in.  They can also make notes for me if they want to on the sign in sheet.  The clipboard with the new sign in sheets, collected each week, is in an expected place on a counter in the sacristy.  Our Lector ministry leader usually lays out the sign in sheets sometime Saturday and collects the sheets from the previous week.

 

It is worth the effort to sign in for us, as it allows our ministry leaders to track who is showing up and who is simply not showing up. We need to follow up on repeat offenders and find out why.  We believe that is important for our ministry.   If that is not important to you then I would think that it would not be worth the time

 

-Richard Brehove

St. Margaret Mary Church, Lomita

From: using-ministry...@googlegroups.com <using-ministry...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of sophie6965
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 15:23
To: using-ministry-scheduler-pro <using-ministry...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Using MSP] How do volunteers "check in" at your church? 📋

 

We actually dont do a check in.

 

Does it help?

 

Sophie

 

 

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[Susan Yates]

Krista:

On the Monday or Tuesday before the weekend Masses, I email the schedule to all who are assigned as a reminder, so if there are any last-minute changes, I have the week to resolve them. I place a printed schedule for the weekend Masses and a Sign-in Sheet in a room off the Narthex. The Sign-in sheet includes a line for each position for each Mass, and the volunteers sign in when they arrive for the Mass.  We just completed our first full year using MSP and so far this system works well for us.

Susan Yates

Nativity of Our Lord

Monroe Township, NJ

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Susan Yates

[Charles Fulghum]

We very much check in and use the MSP Kiosk application.  We even have an iPad mounted in a physical Kiosk to run the app.  We are dependent on it to make sure everyone has shown up for their assignments.  We make it clear if you are within 10 minutes of Mass time, you may be replaced.  It all works very well.  The Kiosk is outside our main church doors in the Narthex.  The Sacristan is responsible for making sure all the spots are assigned and finding last minute subs when they are not.  Our unassigned ministers are very good about checking in to see if they are needed.  The physical Kiosk has a lock and key for the iPad.  You'd have to carry the whole kitten-caboodle away.  Not perfect but we've had no issues.  After the last Mass of the weekend, we remove the iPad from the physical Kiosk and move it to the presider's sacristy for security and to charge it.  Then before the vigil Mass on Saturdays, we move it back to the physical Kiosk.

The Kiosk application allows you to see ministers of an upcoming Mass some amount of time before Mass starts and we have adjusted that to 12 hours ahead of time.  This allows us to see all the Sunday Masses at the same time, allowing ministers to check-in pretty much anytime.
We also print out the assignments (using export) and post copies in the Sacristan's sacristy/workroom, minister's room, and presider's sacristy.  Our presiders want to know who is serving and to get a reminder of their names.

Hope this helps,
Charles
cful...@olgcva.org

[Krista Kutz]

What a great conversation! These are such helpful tips for checking in volunteers on sign-in sheets and at the Kiosk. MSP Community, thank you all so much for sharing what you do at your churches before services begin.

Molly, I wanted to chime in on your questions:
1. Can the Sign In Report be revised within the system? The sign in sheets are a specific format in MSP but can be edited in Word after exporting, like you mentioned.
2. Can a volunteer use the Kiosk to signup for future positions? No, the Sign-in Kiosk only shows position in the upcoming services. However, I can certainly submit a feature request for something like this on your behalf!

Happy scheduling,

Krista

Krista M. Kutz, MDiv

Rotunda Software

[Krista Kutz]

Hello MSP community!

Circling back on this great thread about "checking in", now with a new (related!) question for you all.

At my church, we’re exploring new ways to build more community among our Sunday volunteers. One idea we'd love to try soon is to have all assigned volunteers (~12 people across ministries each Sunday) gather in the sacristy 10 minutes before Mass for quick introductions (so we know each other's names) and a short prayer.

I’m curious if your church does anything similar—combining "check-in" with a meaningful moment for volunteers.

• Do your volunteers gather as a group before the service? 
• If your volunteers pray together, is it scripted or does it change each week? And who leads it?
• Do you also cover any last-minute notes or reminders during that time?

I’d love to hear how others do this too, as we build our new template for this ritual. Thank you in advance—this community always has such good ideas!

Warmly,
Krista

Krista M Kutz, MDiv
Rotunda Software

[MaryEllen Ministry]

Every weekend Mass The EM/Lectors say a prayer before Mass with the Deacon.

Peace,

Mary Ellen Wilson-Smith

Scheduler

St. Joseph Catholic Church 

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[Chuck Tilley]

Hi,

Great question.  The Liturgical ministers used to gather in the sacristy, but we decided to move them to the church vestibule.  That way, when we pray, we are gathered just before the entrance procession.  The music ministers pray together in the sanctuary.  I think it is a good thing for people to see all the ministers praying before Mass.  Also, it created less confusion and noise in the sacristy as we added a second MSP kiosk in the vestibule for people to check-in as they arrived.  

Fr. Chuck

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[richard.brehove]

We have a short prayer in the Sacrisry right before Mass but only for the Lectors.  However, at least once per year the lectors get together for a social/training/dinner event.  The Eucharistic ministers do the same.

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone

-------- Original message --------

From: Chuck Tilley <chuck....@sfxphx.org>

Date: 11/19/25 10:26 AM (GMT-08:00)

To: using-ministry...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: [Using MSP] How do volunteers "check in" at your church? 📋

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[Amy Brunson]

Hi.  

Our  EMs  and Lecturers check in before mass and our Deacon says a prayer with them.  The presiding Priest will gather all the altar servers together for their prayer at the same time.  

Thanks for asking. 

Amy, St Marks Boise, ID

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 19, 2025, at 11:26 AM, Chuck Tilley <chuck....@sfxphx.org> wrote:



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[pat call]

In our Parish we have tablets located in sacristies (3churches) altar servers room, Ushers room and narthax for different ministries to sign in  convent locations and elimante mass confusion and noise level in sacristies. The kiosk is set up to show liturgies 1 hr before. And positions are  up for grabs 15 mins before Mass start time. This also allows each minister to have prayer time before Mass. 

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

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[Pastor Cap]

Good morning,

At our church, all of our department team leaders are responsible for running a pre-service meeting which includes:

1.  Roll call (just making sure they everyone that is rostered)

2.  Gear / equipment check as needed

3.  Introduction of any trainees or new people to the team

4.  Any pre-service updates or instructions

5.  Prayer requests for anyone on the team (typically takes 1 minute)

6.  Prayer for the service (typically 1 or 2 minutes - unscripted)

So for example:  The usher team leader runs this meeting with his/her team that particular service.  The Guest Services Coordinator runs the meeting for his/her team of greeters and information desk volunteers for that service.  Safety team - same thing.

We typically run approximately 35 volunteers through the different departments during any given service.

best,

Joe

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Joe Cappabianca
Business Admin /  Asst. Pastor
New Beginnings Church
Office: 732.451.0777 ext. 117
Email: pasto...@newbeginningsnj.org