The past six months have been very challenging for everyone including those in ministry. I have been edified by the generous, creative and self-less ways Church leaders and volunteers have found to continue to be of service to their communities and those in need. How…
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Websites Can Regress
Nothing in ministry lasts forever. The best leaders move on, programs die or are neglected until they no longer serve their original purpose. Necessary funds dry up. Priorities change. I have assisted various parishes and communities to create mission-focused websites for at least 10 years. …
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Live-Streaming Parish Ministry
Many of us are more than a month into our stay-at-home, public-Masses-cancelled, way of life. We’re learning to adjust. One way is taking ministry online. Some parishes are live-streaming or posting recordings of their daily and Sunday liturgies, other devotions and ministries. Holy Week was…
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The New Ministry Normal: Online
Many of us find ourselves in a new ministry environment unable to attend Mass, go to meetings, engage in activities in person. However, we have not stopped ministering. Necessity has given many ministers who were not inclined to use technology for engagement the courage to…
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Coronavirus Challenge for Online Ministries
We are in a new place today, facing a new challenge. The words pandemic, quarantine, self-isolation, social distancing, and shut down, containment zone, hot spot, drive-through testing, state of emergency, travel bans, are now part of everyday conversations. Concern for our own health and the…
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Effective Parish Website, Part IV: Homepage Design
The most effective parish website homepage designs address the needs of the intended audiences: visitors, seekers, and members. We recognize that active parishioners are the least likely to visit the parish website, because they get the information they are seeking through Church announcements, fliers, and…