Friday's Find: GroupMe

     GroupMe is a website and free app for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry. Our volunteers love it! It allows you to mass message a specific group of people. Once a group is created on GroupMe, it's members can communicate instantly. All members of the group can see all of the messages sent within the group. Another pro is that you don't have to download the app or even have a smart phone to participate. Those who don't have the app will receive all the group's messages as a string of standard text messages and can reply to the group by replying to those same text. If you scroll down, I've explained some more about GroupMe's features.
     This is our volunteers' new favorite communication tool. We share news, ask questions, and post prayer requests. No one has to find out important things after the fact. It helps keep our team connected the entire week, not just on Sun. or Wed.

If you plan to or are using GroupMe, here are some things to remember:

• Face to face is still the most efficient means of communication. GroupMe is a community builder and a communication enhancer, but it can't work alone.
• Be mindful of others. Not everyone has a smart phone or unlimited texting, so check with your team first to see if they are interested in using GroupMe.
• Keep your groups focused. Some people get carried away with chit-chat, and it can be annoying to have your phone ringing or vibrating all day long when no one has anything important to say. Let your team know what the purpose of the group is. Perhaps, instead of forming a group called "Children's Ministry," you form a more specific group such as "Prayer Chain."
• Never let a group become a place where negativity is spread unchecked. Just because the group is private does not mean that is is the appropriate place for complaints or gossip. Keep things positive.

GroupMe's Features:

Here's a screenshot of my GroupMe home screen (on the Android system):

     It's a little rough, I know - but I hope you can see that I belong to three groups: Crossfire Kids, Praise Band, and Family. You probably also noticed that I can "Invite" people to join GroupMe and view my GroupMe contacts via the "Contact" button on the bottom. "Featured" suggests groups I might want to start. "News" alerts me to new things on GroupMe and the activities of my group members. The green button brings up a menu that allows me to start a new group, pose a question to multiple groups, or send a private message to an individual member. The "Search" button in the top right corner opens the search box so I can find a specific group or member.

Here is what a group page looks like:

     It's like a private chat room. Every member can see what all the other members are saying. My replies appear on the right of the screen and are highlighted green. Other member's replies appear on the left and are blue or grey. At the top right corner is the "Settings" button; from the settings page I can change the Group's Options (group name, group image, my nickname in that group) or my Global Settings (my own GroupMe profile and preferences). Also near the top are buttons that allow me to view this group's members or use the map feature. If I press and hold on a single message, a menu appears prompting me to Share, Like, Copy, or Hide that message. I can also send photos to the group from the camera icon in the bottom left corner.

If you have any questions leave a comment or shoot us an e-mail. We would love to hear from you!