Documentation→Getting Started→Setting Up Your Church

Setting Up Your Church

Quick Summary: Configure your church through the Settings sidebar (General Settings, Users & Roles, Public Website, Campus Management, Data Migration) and the Settings page tabs (General, Billing, Notifications, Security, New Member Contact).

Settings Overview

All church configuration happens in the Settings area of your Relius dashboard. The Settings sidebar contains five sections: General Settings, Users & Roles, Public Website, Campus Management (Enterprise), and Data Migration. This guide covers each area and helps you get fully configured.

Settings Page Tabs

When you open Settings → General Settings, you will see five tabs across the top: General, Billing, Notifications, Security, and New Member Contact. Each tab controls a different aspect of your church configuration.

General Tab

The General tab contains your core church information and service configuration.

Primary Campus Address

Enter your church's main physical address. This is used across the platform for location references.

Check-In Auto Print

Enable or disable automatic printing of name tags when members check in. Useful for children's ministry and event registration.

Service Times

Configure your regular service schedule:

Sunday Services -- Set your Sunday service times
Midweek Services -- Set any midweek service times

Welcome Message

Customize the welcome message displayed to users when they log in to the dashboard.

Billing Tab

The Billing tab is where you manage your subscription and payment information. This includes viewing your current plan, updating payment methods, and reviewing invoices.

Payment Setup

To accept online donations and manage your subscription, configure your payment details under this tab. Relius uses Stripe for payment processing; review the processor's current security and PCI documentation and confirm the payment flow for your configuration.

Go to Settings → General Settings → Billing
Connect or update your Stripe account
Provide your church's tax ID (EIN) and bank account details
Stripe will verify your account (usually 1-2 business days)

Tip: You can use all non-giving features without completing payment setup. Online giving will be disabled until you connect Stripe.

Notifications Tab

The Notifications tab lets you configure your notification preferences. Control which events trigger alerts and how you receive them (email, in-app, etc.).

Security Tab

Audit & Activity provides recorded administrative events and export tools.

Security Overview

Active API Keys -- See how many API keys are currently active
Recent Security Events -- Review recent security-related activity
Last Audit Export -- Check when the audit trail was last exported

Audit Trail

The Audit Trail shows recorded events. Filter by date range, entity type, or action, then export as CSV or JSON for review. Coverage varies by operation; the log does not capture every view or change.

Recommendation: Limit administrator access, use unique passwords, and review recorded activity. Two-factor authentication is not currently available in Relius; confirm current options with Relius.

New Member Contact Tab

The New Member Contact tab lets you configure how your church handles outreach to new members. Set up automated workflows and contact preferences for people who are newly added to your directory.

User Management

Navigate to Settings → Users & Roles to open the User Management page. This page shows summary stats (Total Users, Active Users, Pending Invitations, Admins) and has tabs for Users and Invitations.

Inviting Users

Click the "Invite User" button
Enter their name and email address
Assign a role
They will receive an email invitation to create their account

User Roles

Relius uses two roles for access control:

super_admin

Full access to all features, settings, and data. Can manage other users and transfer the super admin role. Only one user holds the super_admin role at a time.

admin

Access to manage church data, people, events, and giving. Cannot modify critical account settings reserved for the super_admin.

Managing Users

Each user entry on the User Management page displays their Name, Email, Role, Status, and Verified state. Available actions for each user:

Deactivate -- Disable a user's access without deleting their account
Change Role -- Switch a user between admin and super_admin

The "Transfer Super Admin" button allows the current super_admin to transfer ownership to another user.

Other Settings Sidebar Items

Public Website

Configure your church's public-facing website settings, including branding elements and public pages.

Campus Management (Enterprise)

Available on Enterprise plans. If you have multiple locations, create a campus for each one and assign campus-specific settings and staff.

Data Migration

Import data from a previous church management system. Relius provides guided migration tools to bring in your member records, giving history, and other data.

Best Practices

Review administrator access. Use unique passwords and remove access when responsibilities change. Confirm available sign-in protections with Relius.
Review the audit trail regularly. Use Audit & Activity to review recorded events and export logs for your records.
Limit super_admin access. Only one person should hold the super_admin role. Use admin for other staff members.
Test your giving page. After connecting Stripe under Billing, make a small test donation to confirm receipts and fund tracking work.

Common Questions

Q: Where do I set up payment processing?

A: Go to Settings → General Settings → Billing tab. From there you can connect your Stripe account for online giving and subscription management.

Q: What is the difference between admin and super_admin?

A: The super_admin has full control over all settings including the ability to manage users, transfer ownership, and access all security features. The admin role provides access to day-to-day church management features but cannot modify critical account-level settings.

Q: How do I transfer the super_admin role?

A: Go to Settings → Users & Roles and click the "Transfer Super Admin" button. Select the user you want to transfer ownership to.

Q: Can I skip payment setup during initial configuration?

A: Yes. All non-giving features work without Stripe connected. You can set up payment processing at any time from the Billing tab.

Q: How do I deactivate a user?

A: Go to Settings → Users & Roles, find the user in the list, and click the Deactivate action. Their access will be revoked but their account data is preserved.