Parish Websites

Danger781

Hey peoples,

So I've been asked to possibly make a new website for my local parish.

Just wondering if any of ye could post links to some parish websites that ye consider to look very nice, or are very user friendly, so I can get some ideas of what to implement. Would be a great help.

Thanks :pac:

The Quadratic Equation

Most Irish parish websites I've come across are fairly poor.

This is a very good Irish parish website :

http://www.drumcreeparish.com/

Simple, effective, well written, and with lots of sound information on the basics of Catholicism, sacraments, prayers, devotions etc. You get the impression from that site, that it is a well run traditional parish.

Onesimus

http://www.edmontoneparchy.com/

http://www.archeparchy.ca/

http://www.nweparchy.ca/

http://www.ucet.ca/

www.ugcc.ie

http://stjosaphateparchy.org/

http://www.melkite.org/

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Glad to be of service.

homer911

You should be looking at using a good content management system as the basis of the site

Benny_Cake

homer911 wrote: »

You should be looking at using a good content management system as the basis of the site

Indeed. Keep the design relatively simple and use a straightforward to use content management system that anyone with a basic level of knowledge will be able to use. A lot of parish / church websites are very poorly updated, there is nothing worse than going to a site and seeing that the last update was in 2010!

EKRIUQ

here's another www.mullinahone.net

The Quadratic Equation

Benny_Cake wrote: »

Indeed. Keep the design relatively simple and use a straightforward to use content management system that anyone with a basic level of knowledge will be able to use. A lot of parish / church websites are very poorly updated, there is nothing worse than going to a site and seeing that the last update was in 2010!

Well said, I think the key is to keep it simple and easy to maintain, and have only 1-2 pages max that need to be kept updated e.g. notice board etc. The remaining pages should all be timeless content / info / articles to make the site easy to maintain and add to.

I'd also make the site relevant and familiar to the local parish by for example having a stations of the cross page and in it having a photograph of each of stations of the cross in the local chapel featured, or any article about the Eucharist etc. would have a picture of the local tabernacle, Rosary section with pictures of any images of our lady in that Chapel etc. - In other words use the local artwork, architecture, and stained glass of the local chapel to illustrate the site and its sections.

Also, if the chapel is named after a saint, have a feature/theme based on the life of that saint.

You could also have articles on any local saints connected in any way with the parish/diocese, and a section on the history / construction of that chapel.

A map of the local parish is also a handy/informative feature.

Danger781

Thanks a million lads, this is great feedback

Benny_Cake

TQE had a good suggestion there - stick up the location of the church on a Google map on the parish website. A lot of the time people put in the church name because they are going to a funeral or wedding and wouldn't be familiar with the area. Google Maps combined with streetview is very handy for times like that. Best of luck with it, post here when it's done so we can have a nose!