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Gene Downs
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Church Internet Technology Lessons Learned
3 stars|8 comments|January 21, 2008|627 reads
 

Hey folks,

 

I’m on a committee to revamp our church’s web site which also includes how we handle emails across our ministries, resource scheduling, and the like.  My role is to identify examples of how these technologies will help the parish, what I’m calling “Use Cases”.

 

So I’d like get your thoughts on what has and has not worked at your church in implementing web-based technologies such web pages, portals, email servers, RSS feeds, blogs, calendars, and the like.  How you thought people would use them vs how people did / did not use them.  The real value added.  The real affect on ministries and the people who run them.  The additional staffing needed to keep everything current.  Whatever.  


I'm also interested in features and layout information that helped to engage people.

I’m not a software guy, IT guy, or software developer.  I’m just a guy who wants to improve the flow and coordination of information.  Others in the group know the tech stuff.

 

Thanks,

 

Gene


 
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Cade_One
 Cade_One
January 21, 2008

Our parish has a website, however I've been working on getting people hooked up on MyChurch.org.  I have found that those who take the time to learn this great tool see its benefits.  However, those who do not see it as a hassle.  It is quite hard to please everyone (if possible at all).

We are transitioning our local prayer chain to a MyChurch group rather than by e-mail.  This takes much of the burden off of the office lady.  She still posts prayer requests from those who don't feel comfortable using computers or who find it easier to just pick up the phone.  It is working better and better as people are understanding the tool.  I have offered to make housecalls to educate folks on how to use MyChurch.org.  I have written three tutorials on our Church's Bulletin section.

You can very easily intertwine MyChurch into your existing website.  Maybe have a more personal church "home" page and link to a mychurch group or perhaps if the pastor has a MyChurch blog you could link to it from the main church homepage.  Just a thought.  I did not create our church's website, but if I did I would consider doing something like this.

Gene Downs
 Gene Downs
January 21, 2008
Interesting.  Have you guys tried using email for the grayer group?  What is it about Mychurch that makes posting prayer requests better/easier?

Thanks,

Gene
Glenn
 Glenn
January 24, 2008
Hey Gene, we have had a website for a few years and the wonderful web master Shelley does a great job keeping it fresh and relavent.  I have been pushing both the use of Mychurch and the LAC website for a while in our church, but it seem to catch on very slowly.  I think I am probably the only one who uses either site regularly.  I don't exactly know how to get people to actually use the tools we have both here and on our church website. 

Let me know if you come up with a good way to drive up the use. 
Sorry not much help here.
peace
Gene Downs
 Gene Downs
January 26, 2008
I think people don't use technology because they don't see the value.  We put stuff up there expecting others to just see the value.  So I think that fundamentally we have to connect the technology to the needs of the people.

In starting this blog I was hoping to attract the attention of someone who has already worked out the process of how to do this successfully.

So, how about if I give you some periodic updates on what seems to work for us.

The first thing we did is look at what we liked and didn't like about the current website.  We kind of knew that the needs of the parisioners were not really being addressed by the old site, so we talked a bit about that.   We also talked about current and emerging technologies that might apply.

But I really began by documenting some assumptions.  One of them addressed the different groups that may visit the website.  For example, we have some who only show up at mass for Christmas and Easter.  We have some who show up for mass once a month.  We have some who attend mass more than once a week.  We have some who are actively engaged in ministries.  We have some who run at least one ministry.  We have some who are not Catholic yet attend mass occasionally.  We have a priest (used to have 2) and deacons and may get a nun.  We have some Catholics visiting in town on business and want to stay involved with worship and faith sharing.  For each group, I made a few notes to describe their involvement in the parish and what their interests might be in visiting the website.

We then met and reviewed prototype layouts and to review the assumptions.

One person immediately drew conclusions on the types of information that should and should not be made available on the home page.

More later,

Gene
Gene Downs
 Gene Downs
January 27, 2008
Here's blog on information push/pull that we probably need to monitor:
http://www.mychurch.org/blog/126401/Pulling-or-Pushing
Hal Waterhouse
 Hal Waterhouse
February 07, 2008
Sorry I found this late... My problem has been to get people to use the calendar at MyChurch (enable their own announcements, etc.) The MyChurch calendar is nice but unwieldly. You can't put in an all-day event, nor can you just use it for regularly scheduled events, because you have to re-do it for cancellations of events, etc., or add some kind of message about calling for confirmation of the regularly scheduled event, before it happens.

I had to go back to posting a monthly calendar, and using MyChurch for special events (not regular ones) My people do use the calendar at the website regularly.

Here is how I "solved" it:

http://www.woodschapelonline.org/calendar.htm

The newsletter covers everything else. It is sent out via e-mail and is well received! I publish it on the website after it is sent out:

http://www.woodschapelonline.org/news/indexnews.html

The website is mostly used as a color brochure.
Gene Downs
 Gene Downs
February 11, 2008
Thanks Hal.  Your comment led me to jot down several "scheduling capabilities" we need to consider.  And I haven't had a chance to follow all the links - some got me into thinking about leading ministries, which is another area where I'm keeping notes.

Gene
Joey R
 Joey R
October 17, 2008
Our church is on the verge of revamping.  I'll let you know.  It should be done by March 09. The calendar portion will be as good as the users (use it)...