diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 27b4079..924a705 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,3 +65,11 @@ into both of those. `#admin` is where `/admin` commands will go.
 * Grant the user admin privileges
 * Log in with the user on your browser (by visiting <yourslack>.slack.com)
 * Visit https://<appname>.herokuapp.com/install-inviter?team=<team_id> -- the URL will be displayed the first time you try to accept a user anyway.
+
+### Welcome message to new users
+
+The `WELCOME_MESSAGE_TEXT` config var controls what message is sent to the new users when they join. By default it says:
+`Welcome! Review the ${cocTxt} before participating in the community.`
+
+To disable the welcome message, set the config var `SEND_WELCOME_MESSAGE` to `FALSE`.
+
diff --git a/app.json b/app.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7d367d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app.json
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+    "name": "Wheelie Slack App",
+    "description": "Wheelie is a Slack App originally written for WeAllJS.com.",
+    "repository": "https://github.com/WeAllJS/wheelie-slack-app",
+    "keywords": ["node", "express", "slack", "bot"],
+    "env": {
+        "SEND_WELCOME_MESSAGE": {
+            "description": "If the value of is 'FALSE', no message will be sent to new members when they join "
+        },
+        "WELCOME_MESSAGE_TEXT": {
+            "description": "A message that will be send to new members once they join the group"
+        },
+        "SLACK_CLIENT_ID" : {
+            "description": ""
+        },
+        "SLACK_CLIENT_SECRET" : {
+            "description": ""
+        },
+        "VERIFICATION_TOKEN" : {
+            "description": ""
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/events/team_join.js b/lib/events/team_join.js
index fb4c320..e218525 100644
--- a/lib/events/team_join.js
+++ b/lib/events/team_join.js
@@ -1,4 +1,22 @@
+const slack = require('slack')
+const bluebird = require('bluebird')
+const chat = bluebird.promisifyAll(slack.chat)
+
+const cocTxt = process.env.COC_URL ? `<${process.env.COC_URL}|Code of Conduct>` : 'Code of Conduct'
+const welcome_message_text = process.env.WELCOME_MESSAGE_TEXT || `Welcome! Review the ${cocTxt} before participating in the community.`
+const send_welcome_message = process.env.SEND_WELCOME_MESSAGE === 'FALSE' ? false : true
+
 module.exports = (data, cb) => {
   console.log('new user joined team: ', data)
-  cb()
+  if (!send_welcome_message || !welcome_message_text) {
+      return cb()
+  }
+  chat.postMessageAsync({
+    token: data.token,
+    channel: data.user.id,
+    text: welcome_message_text
+  }).then(() => {
+     return cb()
+  })
 }
+
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8105823..fcda495 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -20,5 +20,9 @@
   },
   "engines": {
     "node": "5.9.1"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "eslint": "^3.8.1",
+    "eslint-plugin-react": "^6.4.1"
   }
 }