HOME PAGE CREATION FOR CONGREGATIONS

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Internet TechnologyFOR CONGREGATIONS
jardigitalworks
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What is a Homepage?

• A Banner - like the ones we carry in processions
  - that shows the character of your congregation
• It has been said that it is not what programs you
  offer, but who you are that is most important

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Why do we want one?

• We belong to eternity,
• stranded in time
• but there is nothing that says that we need to be
  stranded in the 1600s!

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We have been sent into the world to share the
Gospel

• A Web Site is an evangelism tool of the present
  day that enables us to bring the church into the
  world in which people live and work

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It is the Holy Spirit who brings visitors to a
church. Our job is to make sure the door is open.

• Remember
• They are Gods guests
• God is the host
• It is not your church
• It is Gods church
• You are the stewards

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• We close our doors when we
• dont show people the way in
• dont give them the information they need
• speak in church code
• dont minister to their needs
• make them feel out of place

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What can we do if we have one?

• Make information/documents readily available for
  access by many people and congregations
• Link people/congregations
• Share resources

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OK, so we want one. Now what do we do?

• Make decisions
• What do you want to say to the world?
• What do you want your page to look like?
• Who will do the initial design and creation?
• Who will approve it for publication?
• Who will maintain the page?

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And how do we do that?

• The most important question is not where or when,
  but why
• Why do you attend this church and why do others
  keep coming back?
• You have about 15 seconds to capture attention
  with an answer to Why should I come to this
  church?
• Now design a web site that accomplishes this!

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Points of design

• The first screen should contain the answers to
  the most important questions
• Are there folks like me here?
• and pointers showing that other answers are also
  available
• If you use a picture, dont let it fill the whole
  screen, and use one with people in it!
• Avoid pictures of identifiable children

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Just because you canshould you?

• Does a background graphic really add to your
  page? White space is good!
• One animated gif works more distract!
• Colorful pages are fun do the colors match?
• Are frames really the best way to set up your
  navigation?

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More ideas for content and design

• Use smallish pictures
• Do a calendar page of regular services/events
• Provide links to other important or useful sites
  - diocesan pages, youth pages, camps, Forward
  Movement. ENS,...

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Other considerations

• How are you going to maintain it (keep it
  current)
• How do you make sure that photographs and
  graphics are of good quality?
• Who will decide what content is on the site?

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Other details...

• Dated information needs to be updated on a
  regular basis.
• Check links to other sites to make sure that
  they work.

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The internet is all about connections, so look
around and find new ways to use this
ever-changing technology to do Gods work!