Site Content and Features

What to Include: Site Content and Features

Here are some examples are for a congregational site, but they may be adapted for other agencies:

• The full name, location, mailing address and phone number for your congregation. Make this prominent on the home page and available or easily accessible through a “Contact Us” link on every page

• E-mail link to the pastor, or some responsible congregation staff member or leader, as well as the Web steward

• A link or button to the ELCA home page: http://www.elca.org

• Use dynamic content, such as the ELCA Web feeds, to place regularly changing news headlines, prayers, and bible verses on your site. This is fresh content, you don’t have to maintain! (http://www.elca.org/webfeeds/)

• Augsburg Fortress also provides instant Web page panels and RSS (content syndication) feeds, including a Bible Verse of the Day and Festivals and Commemorations at http://www.augsburgfortress.org/rss/

• Prominent, easy to read worship schedule

• A calendar or weekly event listing – a helpful reference for members and a window into congregational life for visitors

• Features that welcome visitors to the congregation (area map, driving directions, photo of the church, building map, frequently asked questions, nursery information, links to information about the community)

• Features that are evangelistic (devotional materials, prayer request section, messages connecting faith to daily life).

• Descriptions of your ministries with contact information for team leaders

• Staff and volunteer leader profiles and a description of whom to go to for what

• Congregational directory, in a password protected area

• Forms to collect data to support the congregational program and member needs: time and talent survey, professional services directory, Sunday school and vacation Bible school registration forms

• Audio or video clips of sermons or transcripts, previews of upcoming sermon topics.