The Oasis WhatsApp Community

Communities are a new feature on WhatsApp, which collect together different related groups (in this case, groups relating to Oasis!) under the banner community of a single community. They include an announcements group, where news and information can be shared, and then a list of groups that are available for you to join.

In the coming weeks, Oasis will be launching a WhatsApp Community, giving an accessible central space to stay up to date with announcements and updates, plus the ability to join two types of groups: what we’re calling ‘Connection’ or ‘Focus’ groups.

Connection groups are there for the long term — ways to deepen and build relationships across the community. These will include existing groups such as Men’s and Women’s ministries, Early Morning Prayer, and Daily Devotionals.

Focus groups are there for a specific time, centred around a specific purpose — for example, a place to share daily Bible Readings and reflections during Holy Week, a place to get updates and prayer points from Encounter Camp, or a place to share encouragements during Prayer Weeks.

So why are we starting a WhatsApp community? There are a few particular reasons:

• Email (which has historically been our primary way of sharing news and information) is not a principal form of communication for many people nowadays. Utilising WhatsApp more intentionally will enable them to stay up to date more effectively.
• Anyone in the community will be able to see a list of groups that they are in, but also that they aren’t yet in; making it really easy to join new groups and get more connected into the life of the community.
• Increased privacy benefits — whilst Connection and Focus groups function the same as normal WhatsApp groups in that members can see details of all other members, to simply be in the community and receive announcements means your details will only be seen by Administrators, not by everyone else in the community.

Practicalities

A number of existing Oasis WhatsApp groups (including Men’s and Women’s ministries, Wednesday Morning Prayer and Devotionals) will be moved over the new community in the coming weeks, which will automatically bring anyone who is a member of that group into the new community.

The details for how everyone else can join will be sent out in the coming weeks via the Oasis Blast, or you can email richard@theoasischurch.com for the link. After you’ve joined, you will then be able to see the Oasis Church Community, including all groups within that community, via the Communities tab at the bottom of your WhatsApp screen (rather than them being scattered around within your other conversations in the ‘Chats’ tab).

Older versions of WhatsApp will have the Communities icon located in the top left-hand corner of the WhatsApp screen, but otherwise will function the same.

If you have any other questions about WhatsApp communities, do get in touch with richard@theoasischurch.com and I’ll be happy to help!