diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f9dcefab..f4ef4068 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "body-parser": "^1.18.0",
     "cookie-parser": "^1.4.0",
+    "cross-fetch": "^3.1.4",
     "debug": "^3.1.0",
     "dotenv": "^5.0.1",
     "express": "^4.13.0",
     "i18n": "^0.8.3",
     "morgan": "^1.6.0",
     "pug": "^2.0.0-rc.4",
-    "request": "^2.62.0",
-    "serve-favicon": "^2.3.0",
-    "sanitize": "^2.1.0"
+    "sanitize": "^2.1.0",
+    "serve-favicon": "^2.3.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/routes/index.js b/routes/index.js
index d2a4ece7..d32bf6e5 100644
--- a/routes/index.js
+++ b/routes/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const express = require('express');
 const router = express.Router();
-const request = require('request');
+const fetch = require('cross-fetch');
 
 const config = require('../config');
 const { badge } = require('../lib/badge');
@@ -16,48 +16,45 @@ router.get('/', function(req, res) {
 
 router.post('/invite', function(req, res) {
   if (req.body.email && (!config.inviteToken || (!!config.inviteToken && req.body.token === config.inviteToken))) {
-    function doInvite() {
-      request.post({
-          url: 'https://'+ config.slackUrl + '/api/users.admin.invite',
-          form: {
-            email: req.body.email,
-            token: config.slacktoken,
-            set_active: true
+    async function doInvite() {
+      const email = req.body.email;
+      const channelId = config.slackChannel;
+      const body = {
+        "channel": channelId,
+        "text": req.body.email + ' requested to join R-Ladies Seattle Slack. Please add them (see channel descriptions for instructions) and mark this message when complete.'
+      };
+      const url = 'https://'+ config.slackUrl + '/api/chat.postMessage';
+      try {
+        const response = await fetch(url, {
+          method: 'POST',
+          body: JSON.stringify(body),
+          headers: {
+            "Content-Type": "application/json;charset=utf-8",
+            "Authorization": `Bearer ${config.slacktoken}`
           }
-        }, function(err, httpResponse, body) {
-          // body looks like:
-          //   {"ok":true}
-          //       or
-          //   {"ok":false,"error":"already_invited"}
-          if (err) { return res.send('Error:' + err); }
-          body = JSON.parse(body);
-          if (body.ok) {
+        });
+        if(response.ok) {
+          const data = await response.json();
+          if (data.ok) {
             res.render('result', {
               community: config.community,
-              message: 'Success! Check “'+ req.body.email +'” for an invite from Slack.'
+              message: "Success! Once an admin approves your request, you will receive an invite to Slack at<br>" + req.body.email
             });
           } else {
-            let error = body.error;
-            if (error === 'already_invited' || error === 'already_in_team') {
-              res.render('result', {
-                community: config.community,
-                message: 'Success! You were already invited.<br>' +
-                        'Visit <a href="https://'+ config.slackUrl +'">'+ config.community +'</a>'
-              });
-              return;
-            } else if (error === 'invalid_email') {
-              error = 'The email you entered is an invalid email.';
-            } else if (error === 'invalid_auth') {
-              error = 'Something has gone wrong. Please contact a system administrator.';
-            }
-
-            res.render('result', {
-              community: config.community,
-              message: 'Failed! ' + error,
-              isFailed: true
-            });
+            console.error(data);
+            throw new Error('Non-ok response')
           }
+        }
+      } catch(err) {
+        console.error(err);
+        error = 'Something has gone wrong. Please try again later or contact seattle@rladies.org if the problem persists.';
+        res.render('result', {
+          community: config.community,
+          message: 'Failed! ' + error,
+          isFailed: true
         });
+
+      }
     }
     if (!!config.recaptchaSiteKey && !!config.recaptchaSecretKey) {
       request.post({