Church Core is the foundation all other plugins depend on. It registers shared database tables, helper classes, user roles (church_admin, church_pastor, church_member), the wp-admin sidebar menu, and the org_id system that scopes every record to a specific church organisation. Install and activate it first before any other plugin.

It creates three custom WordPress roles: church_admin (full management access), church_pastor (pastoral access — can view and respond to care records, confessions, and appointments), and church_member (basic portal access). Each user must also have the church_org_id user meta set to their organisation ID so their data is properly scoped.

Go to Users → Edit User in the WordPress admin. Find the "Church Organisation ID" field and enter the numeric org ID. Alternatively, assign it programmatically with update_user_meta( $user_id, 'church_org_id', $org_id ).

Church Onboarding guides new churches through the initial setup wizard — creating the first organisation record, configuring the church name and address, and optionally seeding demo content so staff can explore the system before going live.

Run it immediately after activating Church Core on a fresh installation. The wizard is accessible from Church → Onboarding in the wp-admin sidebar. It takes about five minutes to complete.

It populates your database with realistic sample data — members, events, donations, prayer requests, and more — so you can demo and test the system without entering everything manually.

No. The seeder is for development and staging only. All seeded data is fictional and will mix with real records. Deactivate and delete this plugin before going live.

Church People is the central member database. It stores profiles (name, contact info, address, photo, membership status, join date) and links each member record to a WordPress user account. Every other plugin that needs to reference a person pulls from this table.

Go to Church → People → Add New in the wp-admin. Fill in the member's details and save. To give them portal access, also create a WordPress user account and link it by entering their user ID in the "Linked WP User" field, or use the "Invite Member" button to send them a registration email.

The default statuses are: active, inactive, visitor, and deceased. Statuses can be used to filter lists and control portal access.

Church Directory provides a searchable, filterable member directory for the front end. Members can browse other members' names, photos, and contact info — subject to the privacy settings each member has set on their own profile.

Use the shortcode [church_directory] on any page. Attributes: columns (1–4, default 3), per_page (default 24), show_search (true/false). Example: [church_directory columns="2" per_page="12"].

Yes. Members can toggle their directory visibility from the My Profile section of the portal. Admins can also override this per member from the wp-admin People screen.

Church Visitors tracks first-time and returning guests separately from regular members. It logs visit dates, how they heard about the church, and follow-up actions taken by staff. Visitors can be converted to members when they join.

Go to Church → Visitors → Add New. Enter their name, contact info, visit date, and any follow-up notes. You can also assign a staff member to follow up with them.

Church Portal is the all-in-one front-end dashboard for members. It brings together giving history, events, announcements, prayer wall, confessions, serving, discipleship, volunteers, care records, appointments, milestones, and more — all in a single authenticated page.

Create a WordPress page, add the shortcode [church_portal] to the content, and save. Then go to Church → Portal Settings and select that page as the Portal Page. The plugin will automatically redirect unauthenticated visitors to the login screen.

Users with the church_admin or church_pastor role see admin-only sections (create/edit/delete forms, full tables). They can only manage records within their own org_id — they cannot access data from other organisations.

The My Giving section has two donate buttons. "Donate to Church Network" processes payment through the platform Stripe account (set church_stripe_secret_key in WordPress options). "Donate to [Church Name]" processes through the church's own Stripe Connect account. Admins can connect a Stripe Express account directly from the portal under My Giving → Stripe Connect.

Church Sermons manages your sermon library. Each sermon has a title, preacher, series, date, audio file, video URL, and notes. Members can browse and listen/watch from the portal's Sermons section.

Go to Church → Sermons → Add New. Fill in the details, upload an audio file or paste a video URL, assign a series, and publish.

Yes. Use the shortcode [church_sermons] on any page. Attributes: per_page, series, preacher, show_search.

Church Worship manages weekly service planning — song sets, scripture readings, announcements, and team assignments for each service. The portal's Worship section lets members on the worship team view their upcoming schedule.

Go to Church → Worship → Add Service. Set the date, add songs (title, key, CCLI), scripture, and assign team members. The plan is then visible in the portal to assigned members.

Church Bible provides reading plans that members can follow from the portal's Bible Study section. Admins create plans with a title, daily readings, and duration. Members mark days complete and track their progress.

Go to Church → Bible → Add Plan. Give it a title, set the number of days, and enter each day's passage. Activate it so members can enrol.

Church Events manages the church calendar. Each event has a title, description, date, time, location, and optional capacity limit. Members can register for events from the portal and admins can track attendance.

Use [church_events] on any page. Attributes: per_page, upcoming (true/false), category. The portal also shows upcoming events in the Events section.

Go to Church → Events → click an event → Registrations. You can see who registered, add walk-ins manually, and export the list as CSV.

Church Small Groups manages group listings — each with a name, leader, meeting day/time, location, category, and capacity. Members can browse and request to join from the portal.

Use [church_small_groups] on any page. Attributes: per_page, category, show_search.

Members request to join from the portal. Admins or group leaders approve or deny from Church → Small Groups → Members. Once approved, the member appears on the group roster.

Church Pastoral Care is a private log of pastoral interactions — hospital visits, phone calls, counselling sessions, bereavements, and more. Each record is tied to a member, has a care type, date, notes, and optional follow-up date.

Only admins and pastors can view the full care register. Members can see their own records in the portal under Care Register, but cannot see records belonging to other members.

Navigate to Care Register in the portal. The admin section below the member's own records has an "Add Care Record" form. Enter the Member ID, care type, date, notes, and optional follow-up date, then click Add Record.

Church Confessions provides a private, secure channel for members to submit a personal confession or prayer concern to pastoral leadership. Submissions can be anonymous. Pastors can respond and mark them as read or archived.

Yes. Only users with the church_admin or church_pastor role can read confessions. Anonymous submissions do not store the member's name or ID.

In the portal, go to Confessions. The admin section shows all submissions. Type your pastoral response in the text area under each confession and click "Save Response & Mark Read".

Church Discipleship manages structured faith-growth pathways. Admins create Paths (e.g. "New Believers Class", "Leadership Track") with a title, description, and step count. Members enrol and track their progress through each step.

In the portal go to Discipleship. The admin section has a "Create Path" form. Enter a title, description, and check Active so members can see and enrol. You can also create paths from Church → Discipleship in the wp-admin.

Active paths appear as cards under "Available Paths" in the portal's Discipleship section. Members click Enrol and the path is added to their "My Paths" list.

Church Milestones records significant life and faith events for members — baptism, confirmation, marriage, dedication, salvation date, and custom milestones. These become part of the member's spiritual journey record.

Go to the Milestones section of the portal. Members can log their own milestones. Admins can add milestones on behalf of any member within their organisation by entering the Member ID.

Church Bereavement tracks loss events for members and families — death of a spouse, parent, child, or close friend. It helps pastoral staff stay aware of who may need extra care and schedule follow-ups during the grieving process.

Go to Church → Bereavement → Add Record. Select the member, enter the name of the deceased, their relationship, the date of loss, and any pastoral notes.

Church Giving tracks all donation records — amount, date, fund (General, Missions, Building, etc.), payment method, and status. It powers the giving history and annual tax statement in the member portal.

The portal's My Giving section has two buttons: "Donate to Church Network" (uses the platform Stripe account) and "Donate to [Church Name]" (uses the church's own Stripe Connect account). Set church_stripe_secret_key in WordPress options to enable online giving.

In the portal go to My Giving. Admins see a "Stripe Connect" section at the bottom. Click "Connect with Stripe" — you will be taken through Stripe's Express onboarding. Once complete the "Donate to [Church Name]" button becomes active for all members.

In the portal's My Giving section, select the year from the dropdown and click "Print [Year] Tax Statement". A formatted, print-ready statement opens in a new tab.

Church Finance handles the church's internal budget and expense tracking — income categories, expense categories, budget periods, and transaction records. It is separate from member giving and focuses on organisational financial management.

Go to Church → Finance in the wp-admin. Create budget periods (e.g. "FY 2025"), set budget amounts per category, and log income and expenses against them.

Church Announcements manages time-sensitive notices for members. Each announcement has a title, body, visibility (members-only or public), start date, expiry date, and a pin option to keep it at the top.

Go to Announcements in the portal. Admins see a "Create Announcement" form below the member-facing list. Fill in the title, body, dates, visibility, and whether to pin it, then click Create Announcement.

Pinned announcements always appear at the top of the list with a highlighted yellow background, regardless of date order. Use it for urgent or time-critical notices.

Church Communications manages bulk email and SMS campaigns to members — weekly newsletter, event reminders, prayer updates, and custom messages. You can segment recipients by membership status, group, or org.

Go to Church → Communications → New Message. Write your subject and body, choose your audience (all active members, a specific group, etc.) and click Send or Schedule.

Church Notifications sends automated in-app and email alerts — new sermon posted, upcoming event reminder, prayer request update, appointment confirmation, and more. Members can manage their notification preferences from the portal.

In the portal go to Notifications. Each notification type has a toggle switch. Changes are saved instantly.

Church Messaging is the private direct-message system inside the portal. Members can send and receive messages with other members or pastoral staff. Unread message counts appear on the nav link.

Go to Messages in the portal. Click New Message, search for the recipient's name, type your message, and send. Replies appear in a thread view.

Church Serving manages one-time or recurring serving opportunities — usher slots, setup crew, nursery, worship team, etc. Each opportunity has a date, time, slot count, ministry, and status. Members sign up or cancel from the portal.

Go to Serving in the portal. Admins see a "Create Opportunity" form. Enter the title, ministry, date, start time, number of slots, and status (open/closed), then click Create Opportunity.

The Sign Up button is replaced with a "Full" label. Admins can increase the slot count from the admin table or by editing the opportunity.

Church Volunteers maintains a roster of people who have registered to serve in an ongoing capacity — separate from one-off serving opportunities. Each volunteer record tracks their department, role, status (active/pending/inactive), and background check status.

Members who do not yet have a volunteer record see a "Register as a Volunteer" form in the portal's Volunteers section. They fill in their name, email, phone, and areas of interest, then submit.

In the portal go to Volunteers. The admin table lists every volunteer. Click Edit to update their status, background check result, department assignment, and role name.

Church Background Checks tracks the background check process for volunteers and staff. Each record stores the volunteer, requested date, provider, result (clear/flagged/pending), and expiry date.

Go to Church → Background Checks → Add Record. Select the volunteer, enter the provider name, date requested, date completed, and the result. The result syncs to the volunteer's profile in the Volunteers section.

Church Children manages children's ministry profiles — class assignment, allergies, medical notes, authorised pickup people, and emergency contacts. Parents can view and update this information from the portal.

In the portal go to Children. The form shows the current profile for the linked member. Parents fill in or update any fields and click Save.

Church Check-in is the attendance tracking system for services and events. Members or staff scan a QR code or search by name at a check-in station. Attendance is logged per event and per member.

Activate Church Check-in and Church Kiosk. Open any device's browser to the kiosk URL (Church → Kiosk → Open Kiosk) and it will enter full-screen check-in mode. No login is required on the kiosk device.

Church Kiosk provides a full-screen, touch-friendly check-in interface designed for tablets at the church entrance. It works with Church Check-in to let members and visitors check themselves in.

Any tablet or desktop browser works. iPad and Android tablets are recommended. The kiosk page is designed for 10-inch screens and above and requires no additional apps.

Church Appointments lets members request a meeting with a pastor directly from the portal. Members describe the purpose and propose a date. Pastors can confirm with a specific time and location, decline, or mark as complete.

In the portal go to Appointments. The admin section lists all pending requests. Click Confirm to set a date, time, and location, or Decline to reject the request. The member receives a notification either way.

Church Prayers powers the prayer wall — a community board where members post prayer requests and others click "Pray" to record their intercession. Requests can be public, congregation-only, or private (pastoral staff only).

Use the shortcode [church_prayer_wall] on any page or in the portal. Attributes: show_form (true/false), per_page, columns (1–4), status (active/answered). Example: [church_prayer_wall columns="2" per_page="9"].

Go to Church → Prayers in the wp-admin. Click Edit on a request and change the Status to "Answered". You can also add an answered testimony note that displays on the prayer card.

Church Documents stores files that members can download from the portal — handbooks, bylaws, forms, event flyers, etc. Each document has a title, category, visibility, and upload date.

Go to Church → Documents → Add New. Upload the file, set a title and category, choose who can see it (all members, admins only, etc.), and publish. It will appear in the portal's Documents section.

Church Forms provides custom form builder functionality for collecting data from members — membership applications, event signups, surveys, and more. Responses are stored and viewable from the wp-admin.

Create a form under Church → Forms → Add New. Once saved, copy the shortcode shown on the form's detail page and paste it into any page or post.

Church Audit maintains an immutable activity log of every significant action taken in the system — member record changes, login events, donation entries, confession views, and admin actions. It helps with accountability and data integrity.

Go to Church → Audit Log. Filter by user, action type, or date range. The log cannot be edited or deleted from the UI by design.

Church Reporting generates summary dashboards and exportable reports — attendance trends, giving totals, membership growth, volunteer engagement, and more. Reports can be filtered by date range and exported as CSV.

Go to Church → Reports. Choose the report type from the left panel, set your date range, and click Generate.

Church Campus manages multiple physical locations for multi-site churches. Each campus has a name, address, lead pastor, service times, and its own org_id scope. Members are assigned to a campus and see campus-specific content in the portal.

Go to Church → Campuses → Add Campus. Fill in the name, address, timezone, and service times. Then assign an admin user to that campus by setting their church_org_id to the new campus ID.

Church Facility manages room and resource bookings — sanctuary, fellowship hall, classrooms, equipment. Staff can reserve spaces for events or meetings and view a calendar of what is booked when.

Go to Church → Facility → New Booking. Select the room, date, start/end time, and the event or purpose. The system will flag if there is a conflict with an existing booking.

Church Integrations connects the suite to third-party services — Mailchimp, Twilio (SMS), Planning Center, and others. It stores API credentials securely and provides the integration hooks other plugins use to send emails, SMS, and sync data.

Go to Church → Integrations → Mailchimp. Paste your Mailchimp API key and select the audience list to sync members to. Save settings. New active members will be added to the list automatically.

Church Webhooks lets external systems subscribe to events from the suite — new member, new donation, new prayer request, etc. When an event fires, the payload is sent via HTTP POST to the registered endpoint URL.

Go to Church → Webhooks → Add Webhook. Enter the endpoint URL, select which events to listen for, and save. You can test delivery from the same screen.

Church SEO adds structured data (schema.org/Church) to your site so search engines understand your location, service times, and contact details. It also manages open-graph tags for sermon and event pages shared on social media.

Go to Church → SEO Settings. Fill in your address, phone, service times, and social profiles. The plugin injects the correct JSON-LD on every public-facing page automatically.

Church Mobile exposes the suite's data through a REST API layer optimised for native mobile apps. It handles push notification tokens, app-specific authentication, and mobile-formatted endpoints for sermons, events, and giving.

No. Church Mobile is only needed if you are building or connecting a native iOS or Android application. It has no visible effect on the website or portal.