Using the AI Assistant

TimelyChurch includes an AI-powered chat assistant that can help you find information about your church. The assistant is available as a floating chat widget on your church's website and can answer questions about events, groups, services, and more.

Accessing the AI Assistant

Look for the purple chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of your church's website. It displays an "AI" badge when you have not started a conversation yet.

1. Click the purple chat bubble to open the assistant.
2. A chat window will appear in the center of the screen.
3. Type your question and press Enter or click the send button.

To close the assistant, click the X button on the chat bubble, or click outside the chat window.

What You Can Ask

The AI assistant is knowledgeable about your specific church. Here are some examples of questions you can ask:

Events

• "What events are coming up this month?"
• "When is the next youth group meeting?"
• "Are there any upcoming volunteer opportunities?"

Service Times

• "What time is Sunday service?"
• "When are the weeknight services?"

Groups

• "What small groups are available?"
• "Are there any groups for young adults?"
• "How do I join a Bible study?"

General Church Information

• "What is the church address?"
• "Who are the pastors?"
• "How do I get involved?"

Portal Navigation

• "How do I update my profile?"
• "Where can I see my family information?"
• "How do I register for an event?"

Tip: Ask your questions in natural language, just as you would ask a friend. The assistant understands conversational questions and can guide you to the right resources.

Chat History

The AI assistant saves your conversation history so you can return to previous chats:

1. Click the clock icon in the chat header to open the history sidebar.
2. You will see a list of your previous conversations with titles and dates.
3. Click any conversation to reload it.
4. To delete a conversation, hover over it and click the trash icon.
5. To clear all history, use the Clear All History button at the bottom.

Conversations are stored locally in your browser, so they are available only on the device and browser where you originally had the conversation.

Starting a New Conversation

To start fresh:

1. Look for the New Chat button (plus icon) in the chat header.
2. Click it to clear the current conversation and start a new one.
3. Your previous conversation will be saved to the history sidebar.

How the AI Assistant Works

• The assistant uses artificial intelligence to understand your questions and provide helpful answers.
• It has access to your church's public information, including events, groups, service times, staff, and announcements.
• Responses are generated in real time, which is why you may see a brief typing animation while the assistant prepares its answer.
• The assistant is designed to be helpful and friendly, reflecting the welcoming nature of your church.

Limitations

While the AI assistant is very capable, there are some things to keep in mind:

• It cannot access private information. The assistant does not have access to your personal giving records, private messages, or confidential data.
• It may not have the very latest information. If something was just posted or changed, there may be a brief delay before the assistant is aware of it.
• Complex or sensitive questions are best directed to your church office or pastoral staff.
• It is not a substitute for personal communication. For pastoral care, counseling, or urgent matters, always reach out to your church staff directly.

Availability and Conversation Limits

The AI assistant is available on churches that have the AI feature enabled in their subscription plan. If you do not see the chat bubble on your church's website, this feature may not be activated for your church.

Plan-tier conversation limits

The AI assistant has monthly conversation limits that depend on your church's TimelyChurch subscription tier:

• Lower tiers include a limited number of AI conversations per month across all visitors and members.
• Higher tiers include larger monthly allotments or unlimited conversations.

If your church reaches its monthly limit, the chat bubble may temporarily disable new conversations for the rest of the billing cycle and resume at the start of the next month. You may also see a brief message explaining that the assistant is unavailable until limits reset.

Tip: If you reach a plan limit and have an urgent question, contact your church office directly -- they can answer right away and let staff know if the limit is being hit often.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is my conversation with the AI assistant private? A: Conversations are processed to generate responses but are not stored on the server long-term. Your local chat history is saved only in your browser.

Q: Can the AI assistant make changes to my account? A: The member-facing AI assistant is read-only. It can help you find information and direct you to the right pages, but it cannot modify your profile, register you for events, or make changes on your behalf.

Q: The assistant gave me incorrect information. What should I do? A: AI assistants can occasionally make mistakes. If you receive information that seems incorrect, verify it with your church office. You can also try rephrasing your question for a more accurate response.

Q: Can I use the AI assistant on my phone? A: Yes. The chat widget works on both desktop and mobile browsers. Tap the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of the page to open it.