Does your church have a internet pesence...

[GodsPromises]

I am looking up churches online to locate email address for various churches in my area and I am so surprise at how many does not have a web page or even a email address listed online..

Made me think maybe this is the norm, but I would think with the way the world is now my churches would be going the internet way.

We want to email the churches information regarding a upcoming conference and it is looking like we will have to do a mass USPS mailing instead.

 

[crlsweetie912]

Our church has a webpage and youtube page. They post clips of every sermon and bible study on Youtube by Tuesday morning. It's great!!!!

 

[cutiebe2]

yeah my church in Boston had a website and you can watch sermons. Some of the bigger churches like Mt. Zion in Nashville have streaming live web so I watch them in I cant make it to church (never been to TN or the church)

In New York I got to Hillsong NYC sometimes and they have a strong online presence. The church is 90% people under 30 and they have thousands of members. I wish more churches would realize how many youth they can reach by having a website and twitter

 

[GodsPromises]

Right now I would be happy with just an email listing. When calling churches you get the answering machine most times and it's days before someone calls you back. We need to get this press release out by next week at the latest.

 

[loolalooh]

I've been thinking a bit about this lately. My previous home church had a huge internet presence - online sermons, calendar, downloads, etc. - and I really enjoyed that. Whenever I move to a new city and look up churches on the internet, it is a pain when all I get is a Google Map location and no website. I want to get a feel for the church before I attend it. I tend to stereotype churches that lack internet presence (e.g., a website at the least) as churches that are still their budding stages. (I don't know whether is it fair that I do that, but I've already had one experience in which that was true.) I need a grounded church in this part of my spiritual walk.

 

[GodsPromises]

Here where I am most of the established churches are the ones that don't have a internet presence and the newer churches/ministries do. My ministry is new and I have a web presence.

I believe it is just the area which is still "slow"

I've been thinking a bit about this lately. My previous home church had a huge internet presence - online sermons, calendar, downloads, etc. - and I really enjoyed that. Whenever I move to a new city and look up churches on the internet, it is a pain when all I get is a Google Map location and no website. I want to get a feel for the church before I attend it. I tend to stereotype churches that lack internet presence (e.g., a website at the least) as churches that are still their budding stages. (I don't know whether is it fair that I do that, but I've already had one experience in which that was true.) I need a grounded church in this part of my spiritual walk.

 

[Vonnieluvs08]

My church has a web page, FB page, Twitter, Podcasts of the sermons on the website or iTunes (free of charge) and we are only 6yrs old. Now our webpage could use some sprucing up and more pages about ministry opportunities and events but it gets the job done.

I'm part of the women's ministry and we have a FB, twitter, and soon a web app for phones. We strive very hard to keep people in the know using various avenues including weekly announcements.

I feel it's important that as society progresses the church move with it at the very least with email and a webpage. More people use internet and social medial to find out about a church before they actually visit.

OP hope you get your mailing out in time. I know that can be frustrating. I think emailing and snail mail is the way to go. Having something in your hand and visible helps esp if the email only goes to a secretary and not the pastors.

 

[BrandNew]

I volunteer as a webmaster and I run our FB and twitter accounts. I think it's important for a church to have a web presence. When people are looking to visit a church the first thing they do it search the web for info.

 

[GodsPromises]

My church has a web page, FB page, Twitter, Podcasts of the sermons on the website or iTunes (free of charge) and we are only 6yrs old. Now our webpage could use some sprucing up and more pages about ministry opportunities and events but it gets the job done.

I'm part of the women's ministry and we have a FB, twitter, and soon a web app for phones. We strive very hard to keep people in the know using various avenues including weekly announcements.

I feel it's important that as society progresses the church move with it at the very least with email and a webpage. More people use internet and social medial to find out about a church before they actually visit.

OP hope you get your mailing out in time. I know that can be frustrating. I think emailing and snail mail is the way to go. Having something in your hand and visible helps esp if the email only goes to a secretary and not the pastors.

The conference is in October we just wanted local churches to know about it now so that they can plan ahead. I have my PR person, 3 interns and myself making phone calls so hopefully we will get as many emails as we can and then we will go with snail mail. Just trying to cut corners if possible.

 

[GodsPromises]

My church as a webpage and we are walking toward online streaming. The youth ministry will soon have a fb page. We are getting there slowly. Now my ministry has a website with information and a fbpage

 

[CoilyFields]

My old church has a webpage but it probebely hasnt been updated in years. My new church has a FB page and sends out reminders by text.

I don't think it has to do with the quality of the church but could be numerous reasons. At my old church, there was no one to keep it updated. No video ministry so no streaming sermons. My Pastor was 82...so Im not surprised that he didnt see these things as priorities. No email either...no one really to check it. The church didnt have a budget large enough to support a full-time administrative assistant and no one else has volunteered to manage one.

My new church is a year old. Its very likely we will have a web presence (beside fb)because the Pastors are 40 y/o and we have a web designer as a member who does all of our media stuff. We also have a nice range in age of congregants...with most being between 20-40 so thats probebly something that would appeal to that age group.

Most of the mega churches in the area (though not all) have some kind of a web presence. But I actually wouldnt even have thought to try the web when looking for a church.

 

[jhcprincess]

My church is "old" and well established and we just got a website less than a year ago. We don't have streaming sermons, but we do have youtube clips of special events, as well as photos. We have a facebook page as well.

 

[auparavant]

All of the churches in our diocese have webpages as they are also linked through the diocesan page. We don't stream our mass at my parish but the sermons are offered in .pdf within a week. Since we have a unified worship service anywhere in the world in our rite, one can easily find the daily mass missalette readings online. We also have the documents etc. from the vatican at our disposal as well as the catechism, etc. You can find just about anything online, official and unofficial, like prayers and xyz on Youtube and through blogs and other websites dedicated to the roman rite catholic faith.

If there are churches that don't have a website, maybe they will pay for somebody to put them up and act as their webmaster. It would be a good little side job.