For the first time in 50 years, church attendance in the UK is growing, two million more people are in church compared to six years ago. The challenge has shifted from getting people through the door to discipling them effectively once they arrive. We've seen that discipleship flourishes in small groups,yet large churches often struggle to connect newcomers into these communities through slow, admin-heavy processes complicated by GDPR requirements.
VineMe takes a different approach. Instead of centralising the connection process through a welcome desk, it equips the entire congregation to signpost newcomers directly into groups that fit them. Everyone becomes a welcome wall, removing barriers so more people can find fellowship and grow in their faith.
The app has been piloting at one church for 12 months and is already connecting newcomers into groups. Recently, a second church signed up. But there's a confession to make: the current version is vibecoded, and it's showing! The functionality works, but the experience needs refinement before more churches can come on board.
At BUILD, the goal is to take VineMe from working prototype to polished, production-ready V2. The team will focus on three key areas:
This isn't a prototype that will be abandoned after BUILD. The project leader has stepped back from their job to dedicate time to taking VineMe into more churches across London. What gets built during the hackathon will be carried forward, refined, and put into the hands of churches where it can make a lasting impact on how people experience community and discipleship.