This is probably the thing that will consume your time to begin with. It is so important to get the right space. but what is the RIGHT space for a Sunday Assembly?

We started Sunday Assembly in a deconsecrated church, The Nave, in North London. It was perfect. Now used for a school hall, it had a warmth and having been a church, was obviously designed for lots of people to meet in. However, it was only big enough for 200 people. And there were only chairs for 150 of them. Well, full size chairs. 50 people would have to balance on nursery chairs. Thankfully, the toilets were all full size.

So we went to the Conway Hall, a purpose built meeting house for humanists. It was delightful, but they couldn't house us till September, so we went to York Hall, which is a great big boxing hall. This is fantastic, it is steeped in history, but it is REALLY ECHOEY.

So we are still looking. That's right - we are 8 months in and still trying to find the perfect venue. Maybe it will never be perfect, but it will be nice, eventually, to have a place called home.

Look in the Yellow Pages, ask pals, keep your eyes peeled when walking about town. You never know when a space might pop up!

So to help you on your way, here are a few things you will want to check up on when inquiring about a space.

1. How many does it hold? It is always better to be too small than too big initially. Too big can lose all atmosphere and make your congregation feel self-conscious. Better to be packed to the rafters than watching tumbleweed.

2. Sound equipment. What can the venue provide? Hiring in can be very expensive so unless you have pals with access to microphones, best to find a place with a PA System.

3. Toilets. People like to/need to/panic about peeing. Make sure you have enough facilities.

4. Access. The venue should be easy to get to and accessible to all. Wheelchair access is a must. You should be able to get there by a variety of transport. And will you be able to get early access on a Sunday? Can you get in to set up? Some places might not be able to give you the time you need (usually around 2 hours before the service).

5. Tea Urn. Do they have a little kitchenette? Nice cuppa after the service is a great way to mingle and make connections.

6. Chairs. Make sure there are enough. You'd be amazed how many places don't have the same amount of chairs as capacity.

7. Support. If your venue isn't keen on your event, it can make it more and more tricky. Speak to the manager/owner about Sunday Assembly. John, the caretaker at The Nave, despite us moving from there 4 months ago, still attends our London Assembly. That is how much he supports us.

8. How much is it? Since you are only using donations to cover your Assembly, you will need somewhere affordable. It's all very well that it has an inbuilt sound system and a revolving glitter ball, but if you aren't getting £10,000 in your collection, go with the room above the pub which is free.

9. Atmosphere. Does the space have a nice atmosphere? Do you walk in and smile? Does it smell weird (we rejected one space on it's smell alone!)? Are there big windows that let in light? Would you be happy to be here once a month?

10. Is it family friendly? Is there baby changing? Can you get a buggy in? Are there shoot off rooms if you want to start a creche? If the room is a night club, sticky floors are not great for crawling babies.

So much to think about, but once you have your venue, you are really starting to lock your Assembly into place.