---
title: Host a live gathering
sidebarTitle: Host a live gathering
description: >-
  Schedule a live session for your members, plan its run-of-show, open the room
  and bring members up to speak.
audience: luminary
feature: community
type: guide
availability: live
last_verified: '2026-10-13'
keywords:
  - live gathering
  - live session
  - live stream
  - group call
  - run of show
  - community event
  - go live
url: 'https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/host-a-live-gathering'
---

# Host a live gathering

> Schedule a live session for your members, plan its run-of-show, open the room and bring members up to speak.

A Gathering is a scheduled live session inside your community: a weekly circle, a monthly Q&A, a guided practice. Members RSVP, then join a live audio room on Soul, or a meeting link you provide.

## When to use this

- You want a regular live moment for your members, with no tickets or checkout.
- You want a live session for one circle only.
- You'd rather run it on Zoom or Google Meet but still have RSVPs in your community.

For a public, ticketed experience use an [event](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/offerings/events/introduction). For a one-to-one booking use a [session](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/offerings/sessions/introduction).

**Step 1: Schedule it**

Go to [Community → Gatherings](https://portal.bringsoul.life/community/gatherings) and click
Schedule a Gathering. *"A live gathering for your members. We'll start you with a gentle
run-of-show you can shape."*

**Step 2: Fill in the details**

Add a Name (for example *"Sunday Evening Circle"*), pick the date and time, and add a
Description (up to 500 characters).

**Step 3: Choose who it's for**

Under Linked circle, keep Community-wide (no circle) or hold it inside one circle. Under Who can
join, choose Every member or Paid tiers.

**Step 4: Choose where it happens**

Pick Live audio room (*"Members join the in-app live audio room when you open it"*) or External
link. For an external link, paste your Zoom or Meet link and set an end time. *"We show the
gathering as live until this time, since it happens off-platform."*

**Step 5: Decide if it's listed**

Tick Unlisted to hide it from the gatherings list. *"Members can still join with a direct
link."* Click Schedule Gathering. It's open for RSVPs straight away.

**Step 6: Shape the run-of-show**

From the gathering's menu choose Run of Show (or Edit Run of Show on its page). Each beat has a
time, a title (*"What happens here"*) and private notes only you see. Add a beat, drag to
reorder, or Insert the community's top question to bring in your pinned board question. Changes
save automatically. Click Done.

**Step 7: Remind people**

Choose Send Reminder a little before you start. It goes out immediately to everyone who RSVP'd.

**Step 8: Open the room**

When it's time, click Open the Room (or Open the Link for an external gathering). The gathering
shows as Live to members.

## In the live room

| Panel       | What you do                                                              |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Run of show | Follow your beats as you go.                                             |
| Hands (n)   | See raised hands. Click Invite to speak to bring someone up, or Dismiss. |
| Chat        | Read and send messages, and Send a prompt for the room to hold.          |

On a speaker, use Mute or Move back to listening. When you're finished, click End the room. _"This closes the gathering for everyone and stops the recording. The recording will appear in your Materials once it's ready."_ Click Stay in the room if you clicked it by mistake. Left the page? Click Rejoin the Room.

## Change, cancel or repeat

| You want to…                      | Do this                                                                                                     |
| --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Change the time, room or audience | Edit Gathering. Tick _"Let everyone who RSVP'd know the details changed"_ to notify them.                   |
| Call it off                       | Cancel Gathering. _"Everyone who RSVP'd will be notified that it's been called off. This can't be undone."_ |
| Run it again                      | Duplicate. The copy keeps the details and run-of-show but no RSVPs. Change its date.                        |
| Share it                          | Copy Link, or Add to Calendar.                                                                              |

## Tips

- Times are in your portal's time zone when you schedule. Members see the gathering in their own local time.
- Reminders can't be recalled. Check you've picked the right gathering before you send.
- RSVPs and attendance are different. On a gathering's page, Going means someone RSVP'd. Attended means they actually came.
- Keep beat notes short. They're prompts for you, not a script.
- Your first gathering is on the launch checklist. It gives new members a reason to show up.

**Warning:** 
If you move a gathering after people have RSVP'd, tick the notify box. Otherwise they won't know
it changed.

## What your members see

Members see upcoming gatherings in your community (or in the circle you chose), RSVP, and can Add to calendar. When it's Live now they click Join and enter as listeners. To speak they Raise hand, and can turn on their mic once you invite them. Past gatherings in the live room may show a Recording, which also appears in [Materials](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/share-materials).

## Related

- [Run a Q&A board](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/run-a-qa-board)
- [Share materials and recordings](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/share-materials)
- [Create circles](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/community/create-circles)
