Ten years in internet time is like 10,000 years in real time. I have been working with the Web Team for ten years. We have been using the same platform for our website for longer than that. It was old looking and did not meet the needs of current users. It did not work well with smartphones or tablets. It was like a huge ocean liner held together with chewing gum and duct tape. Things fell apart and it took a lot of time to change direction.
All of this changed in January. After meeting with Pastor Cindy to discuss the advantages and benefits of investing in a new platform for our website she found the funds to bring us into the 21st century. We now have a church website that is modern and will meet the needs of our members, future members, and the community. You can access all information from your home computer, tablet or smartphone. And we are saving money too.
The first thing you see when you open our website (www.wdmumc.org) is a pair of welcoming hands. On the homepage, there is a “New to WDMUMC” module that when clicked takes you to information that anyone looking for a new church would need. It features a 30-second video by Pastor Cindy welcoming people to come to our church.
There are also modules for “Worship”, Children & Youth”, “Music”, “Education”, “Missions”, and “Give Online”. Each of these modules contains pictures and information that is of interest to our members, future members, and the community. In the Tool Bar, you can access modules about groups and committees, information about our church its leaders and history, and media (The Link, Pathways, sermons, news and the blog).
How will you use our new website? Do you want to know who is on the Board of Trustees, the information is there. Do you want to see pictures from the latest youth mission trip? They are there. Do you have a question about holding a wedding at WDMUMC? The Wedding Guide is there. Did you miss church last week and want to hear Pastor Cindy’s message? It is there. What is for dinner this week at Wednesday Night Live? The menu is there with pictures. Want to know how many days until the State Fair stand opens? It is there. And if you are looking for something and can’t find it, just let us know and we will do our best to get you the information.
Over the last four weeks, I have been participating in a “Boot Camp” with Aboundant, our internet platform provider, to improve my skills in using the new platform and get expert advice about the content, look, and feel of our website. The “Boot Camp” consisted of twelve missions that were completed, submitted, and then critiqued by professionals. Mission 11 was to let you know what changes are happening to our website and how you, future members and, the community will benefit. I hope I pass.
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