Group Finder

Instructions for configuring and using the Group Finder in your Rock.

Requires:

• Rock 16.0+
• Google Maps API Key

Overview

The 9 Embers Group Finder makes it simple for people to discover and join the right group in Rock RMS. Users can filter by location, day, campus, keywords, or custom attributes and browse in a clean map or list view—all with fast performance and easy customization.

If you prefer step-by-step video instructions you can view that here: Group Finder Video Instructions.

Key Features

• Flexible filtering – Search by keywords, campus, meeting day, proximity, and custom attributes to quickly narrow options.
• Display modes – Choose a map view, list view, or a hybrid of both for easy browsing.
• Map integration – Show group and campus locations with clear markers and info windows.
• Location Clusters - groups located close together will cluster until you zoom in

• Registration support - Link directly to a sign-up page or trigger a workflow for seamless group registration.
• Performance optimization - Built-in caching keeps pages fast and responsive.
• Accessibility & responsive design - Works smoothly on desktop or mobile and handles full groups gracefully.

Standout Features

Map clustering makes it easier to view groups in crowded areas. Groups located close together will cluster until you zoom in, making dense regions simple to explore.

Each group—whether selected from the map or a card view—includes a “Learn More” link that opens a detailed page with general location mapping to preserve privacy, along with all group details.

You can also assign custom colors to different group types for quick visual recognition.

For joining a group, you can use Rock’s core Group Member Registration block or direct users to a workflow. The Join Group button navigates to the standard Rock group sign-up experience.

Installation & Configuration

After purchasing the Group Finder plugin, Rock will automatically add a new Group Finder block along with the required Lava files and CSS styles. The block is placed on a new page within the default public site that comes with Rock, making it easy to preview and explore right away.

Build your Group Finder by adding a new Group Finder block to any page where you want it to appear.

Then configure the block attributes to match your church’s needs.

Block Attributes

The Group Finder block includes settings grouped into three sections: General, Map Settings, and Templates.

You’ll update these in the block’s Properties panel to decide how the finder looks and functions.

General Settings

This first section controls the information shown and how people can filter or browse groups.

• Group Types - Choose which groups to display. You can show all groups of a specific type or limit the list to groups pulled from a Data View.

• Item Cache Duration – Sets how long the group data is stored in memory before refreshing. The default is 3600 seconds (about 1 hour), which is not required but recommended to keep the page loading quickly.
• Show Keyword Filter - Displays a keyword search box for filtering by name/description of group.
• Show Address Filter (map only) - Shows an address input for proximity-based filtering (map view only).
• Show Campus Filter - (optional) Displays a campus dropdown to filter groups by associated campus.
• Campus Types to Include - Limits campus filter to specific campus types (from Defined Type: Campus Type).
• Campus Filter Behavior - (Optional) Sets how the campus filter works. The default is Campus on Group, but you can choose from three options: Campus on Group - Filters results by the campus assigned to each group. (default); Distance - Filters by distance from a selected campus (requires a CampusDistance setting); None - No campus filtering is applied.

• Distance from Campus - Sets the mile radius used when filtering by distance from a campus. Leave blank to use each group’s own campus instead.
• Show Meeting Day Filter - Determines whether users can filter groups by the day they meet. Defaults to True so people can easily find groups that fit their schedule.
• Attribute Filters - Add extra filters based on your own group attributes (for example: AgeGroup^Age Group). You can use field types like Defined Value, Single Select, Day of Week, or Yes/No to let people narrow their search by the details that matter to your church.
• View Options - Choose how groups are displayed. The default is Both (with Toggle), but you can pick: Map - Show only the map view; List - Show only the list view; Both (with Toggle) – Display both views with a button to switch between them (default); Both (at Same Time) – Show the map and list side by side.
• Default View - sets which view loads first when the page opens. The default is List, but you can choose Map if you prefer that to appear first.
• Show Group Count - Displays the number of groups that match the selected filters. Defaults to True.
• Show Filter Criteria - Shows a summary of the filters currently applied. Defaults to True.
• Register Page - Select the page where users will be sent to complete their group registration.
• Register Workflow - (Optional) Choose a workflow to launch automatically when someone registers for a group.
• Include Full Groups - Determines whether groups that are already at or over capacity are shown in the results. Defaults to No to hide full groups.

Map Settings

These options control how the map is displayed.

To use the map features, make sure your Rock system has a Google Maps API key entered in the GoogleAPIKey global attribute. This key enables the map display and location lookups.

• Map Height - (Optional) Sets the map’s height in pixels. Defaults to 800.
• Map Style - Choose the look of the map (e.g., Google, OpenStreetMap). Defaults to Google Maps. (Found under Admin Tools > Settings > Defined Type > Map Styles.)
• Maximum Zoom Level - How close users can zoom in. Defaults to 16 (up to 19 for building-level detail).
• Minimum Zoom Level - How far users can zoom out. 0 shows the whole world.
• Initial Zoom Level - Starting zoom when the map first loads. Defaults to 12. (Campus-specific settings override this if used.)
• Map Marker - Style of the group location marker. Defaults to Marker with dot. (Set under Admin Tools > Settings > Defined Type > Map Markers.)
• Attribute for Marker Color - Use a group attribute with a color value to set marker colors.
• Default Marker Color - Fallback marker color if no attribute is set. Defaults to #ee7725.
• Cluster Color - Color for groups that are grouped together on the map. Defaults to #999999.
• Location Precision Level - Controls how precisely markers are placed when locations overlap. Options: Precise, Narrow, Close, or Wide. Defaults to Precise.
• Campus Marker - Style of the campus location marker. Leave blank to hide campus markers.
• Center on Campus - Centers the map on a specific campus. Defaults to the user’s address, campus, or the organization’s main location.
• Pass Current Person to lava - (Optional) Lets the templates use the logged-in person’s information for personalization. Defaults to No. Enabling this will turn off caching, which can slow things down.

Templates

These settings control the layout and styling of the Group Finder. If you want to customize a Lava template, copy the template first, then make your changes. Any future updates to the plugin will overwrite changes made to the original Lava templates.

• Main Lava Template – The main layout that builds the entire page, including filters, the map, and the list of groups.
• Group Summary Template – Controls how each group appears in the list view (the small “group cards”).
• Group Detail Template – Controls the detailed view that appears when someone clicks Learn More or a map marker.
• CSS File – Link to a custom style sheet if you want to adjust colors, fonts, or other design elements.

Final Touches

Adding Filters

You can add filters to your Group Finder to help people narrow down and find the right group. These might include things like topic of study, group type (like Women’s, Men’s, or Singles), or even a filter to show which groups offer childcare.

To add filters, first define them on the Group Type in the Group Attributes section.

Then in the Group Finder block Settings under General > Attribute Filters, add your attribute key and desired caption.

Colors

Map Pinpoints

The color of the pinpoints on the map view is determined by the Group Type Color set on your Group Type. You’ll find this in the Display Options section of the Group Type.

If your map includes more than one Group Type, each pin will display the color defined in its Group Type Color setting.

Category Colors

By default, cards in the Group Finder will display the color set on the Group Type. To enhance visual appeal and improve the user experience, you may want to assign distinct colors to different categories or subjects—similar to the example below. 

1. Create a Defined Type for the category where you want to apply color. Be sure to add a Color attribute to it, using the key Color.

2. In the Group Type settings, under Group Attributes, add a category that uses the Defined Type you created. For example, you might add a Type of Group attribute that references your Groups of Type defined values.

3. In the Group Finder block, go to the Map Settings section and set the Attribute for Marker Color to the key of the Group Attribute you created.

You’ll now see the colors applied on the card view. Note that this block uses caching, so color changes may not appear immediately. If you’d like to see updates sooner, use the Clear Cache option on the page.

Troubleshooting

• Map not loading – Make sure a valid Google API Key is set and that a Map Style is selected. If problems continue, check the browser console for error messages.
• Filters not showing – Confirm that filters such as Keyword or Campus are turned on, and double-check the syntax for any custom attribute filters.
• No groups found – Verify the Group Types, Data View, and that each group has a valid location for the map view.
• Details or form not working – Ensure a Register Page or Register Workflow is set up correctly. Look for errors when loading group details.
• Styling issues – Confirm the path to the CSS file is correct and inspect page elements using your browser’s developer tools.

Support

If you need help installing the Group Finder or would like customization, please reach out using our Contact Us form.