Frequently Asked Questions

What are the system requirements for using riteplanning.com?

Operating system:

• Windows 7+
• Mac OS X 10.4 or higher

Browsers:

• IE 10 or higher

• Firefox 62 or higher
• Google Chrome 69 or higher
• Safari is not recommended: it interferes with some download behaviors

When I first visited riteplanning.com, I saw an overlay on each page highlighting key features of each area. How do I see and dismiss these overlays?

The first time you log in to riteplanning.com, overlays on all the primary pages point out important features. Each overlay has a close button, but you can click anywhere on the screen and the overlay will vanish. If you want to see these overlays again, click on the small question mark symbol just to the right of the NRSV Bible tab at the top of the screen.

What’s the difference between Standard and Deluxe subscriptions to riteplanning.com?

A Standard subscription to riteplanning.com gives you access to the Planner, Library, Visuals, Music (downloading music graphics or hymn texts not included), and NRSV Bible areas of the site. Deluxe subscribers can also download music graphics and texts for use in their bulletins and projections (your subscription provides copyright approval for local use of any downloadable content).

Why doesn’t riteplanning.com produce finished bulletins or projection slides?

Every church has their own style, preferences about paper size, fonts, page breaks, projection backgrounds, and local content. Rather than force churches to adopt a template we design (no matter how lovely it would be), we know that churches would rather that we help them get all of the content they need, and let them continue to create their own bulletins or projections with their own local style.

Why can’t the worship plan downloads have music graphics already in place?

We’d love to do this, but there continue to be technological hurdles that prevent it. Our community of subscribers use different computers, software, and preferences for margins, size of graphics, and page or column breaks. All of this means that we continue to provide a text-only download that provides the filenames to guide putting the right graphic in the right place, but we can’t put the graphics right into that file. Sorry!

Why do we need a license to put hymns in our bulletins when we’ve already bought hymnals?

Hymns are works of art, and the owners of them control how they get used (which is only fair). When you buy a hymnal, a portion of those proceeds go to each hymn writer or composer who still controls their work—but that only covers the use of that book, not making copies. You need a license to make more copies of any copyrighted content, so the creators can continue to be paid for their fine work. A subscription to RitePlanning Deluxe includes a license to reprint hymns and liturgical texts that are under copyright for congregational use only and only while your subscription is active. Streaming may require separate licensing. A Standard subscription does not include access to or licensing of hymns. You can also use the visuals without further licensing, but only for free events—like worship—at your church and only while your subscription is active.

Why do some hymns have no downloadable content?

We ask every hymn owner for permission to make their content downloadable from riteplanning.com, but we have not received that permission from everyone we’ve asked.

I’m really stuck. How can I get more help?

Riteplanning.com is hosted by Augsburg Fortress, and they are eager to help you by phone or email. Drop a line to webhelp@augsburgfortress.org. Or fill out our online form here. We’ll respond as soon as we can!