Coffee hour sign-up
Coffee hour is where a congregation gets to know each other, and it depends on a couple of people each week turning up early to start the urn. A simple monthly sheet with two hosts per Sunday is usually all it takes to keep it going.
- Free
- No ads
- No accounts for anyone
- Host1 of 2 leftMaya R.
- Host2 left
- HostFullDev K.Aisha B.
- Host2 left
- Host2 left
Two hosts a Sunday
One host makes drinks and one sets out food. They share the washing up. Two also means a new member can sign up next to a regular and learn the kitchen without being thrown in alone. Put a limit of two on each Sunday so it does not end up with four one week and none the next.
Write the checklist down
Every church has a way of doing coffee hour that lives in the heads of three people. Write it down in the sheet description:
- When to arrive, and how long the urn takes to heat
- Where the cups, milk and sugar live
- What the church provides and what hosts bring
- What to do with leftovers
- Washing up, wiping tables and turning things off
A new host who can read the checklist on their phone in the kitchen does a better job than one who has to find someone to ask.
Food and budget
Say plainly whether hosts are expected to bring food and how much. "Please bring cookies or a cake for about 40 people" is clearer than "refreshments". If your church reimburses hosts, say how. Dibs does not handle money, so that stays with your treasurer.
Mention allergies once in the description, especially nuts, and ask hosts to put out a label for anything homemade.
A month at a time
Plan one month at a time. Five Sundays is easy to commit to, and you can share next month's sheet in the bulletin on the last Sunday. Duplicate the sheet each month to keep the same layout and checklist.
Special Sundays
Easter, harvest, a baptism or an anniversary Sunday often means more people. Add a third host to those Sundays, or make a separate potluck sheet for the day.
Reminders
A Saturday evening reminder is the one that matters. It reaches hosts in time to buy milk and cookies. If a host is sick, they can cancel or move to another Sunday from their own link, and the coordinator sees the gap before Sunday morning.
A ready list
The starter text above covers a five-Sunday month with two hosts each. Rename the lines with real dates when you paste it into Dibs, and add your checklist to the description. Members sign up from the newsletter link or a QR code on the noticeboard, with no account and no ads.
Coffee hour sign-up: questions
What does a coffee hour host do?
Usually they make the coffee and tea, put out snacks, and wash up afterwards. Write a short checklist in the description so new hosts know exactly what to do.
How many hosts per Sunday?
Two is the usual number. One makes drinks and one sets out food. For a large congregation or a special Sunday, add a third.
Do hosts have to bring food?
It depends on your church. Some provide basics and hosts add a treat, others ask hosts to bring everything. Say which on the sheet, with a rough budget.
How do we get new people to host?
Pair them with a regular. Two hosts per Sunday means a newcomer can sign up alongside someone who knows where the urn is.
Related templates
Church volunteer scheduleFill your church volunteer schedule without chasing: ushers, greeters, nursery and coffee by Sunday and service, each with its own limit.
Funeral luncheon food sign-upOrganize food for a funeral reception or bereavement meal quickly and gently: dishes with limits, setup and serving help, in one link.- VBS volunteer sign-upStaff vacation Bible school by station and day: crew leaders, crafts, snacks, music and check-in, each with its own limit.
Cleaning rotaMake a cleaning rota people actually pick from: one task per person per week, swaps without a group chat argument, and a reminder.- Potluck sign-up sheetMake a free potluck sign-up sheet with a limit on each dish, so you get mains and sides, not five brownies.
Make yours in a minute.
Start from this list, change what you need, and share one link. Nobody needs an account.