These notes flow from a conversation we had at our synod assembly breakout session, "Technology, the Synod, and You: It's Not Scary. No, Really!" The talk began with some people who felt that their congregations should have an internet presence, but had no idea where to go with that idea. Here are some pointers we developed:
1. Someone who can build it. This person doesn't need to be an expert, or a programmer, or a designer--just someone with some basic skills and the right kind of software to create pages in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language, which tells a web browser that it's looking at a web page). There's lots of such software on the market. Some of it is free. I've been using one called NVU, which is available for Windows and the Macintosh. (Real HTML experts will probably prefer to use an HTML editor and just type in the codes needed to make the pages. More power to 'em!)
Tip: Web Design is, increasingly, being taught in high schools. You may well be able to find one or two young people in your congregation who may be willing, able, and even eager to put that learning to work!
2. Someone who can maintain it. Ideally, this will be the same person who
built the site, but it doesn't have to be. You'll need someone willing to make
the commitment to handle whatever updates to the website are necessary. Early
on, your site probably will be fairly simple and require few and infrequent
updates. But as you grow into it, you may wish to include frequent calendar
updates, news items, etc. You'll need someone--or maybe a couple of
someones--willing to keep the site current and useful.
3. Someplace to put the site. Once you have the pages, pictures, etc., that
make up your site, you'll need to put it someplace where people can access it.
That's typically called the "host," and the computer on which the host stores
websites is the "server." There are many, many options for hosting websites. I
often encourage congregations who are just beginning to go online to look at Lutherans Online (http://www.lutheransonline.com/home/).
This is a free service of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Lutherans Online
provides a full set of tools to help you create, update, and host a website.
Take a look at the SDSU Lutheran Center site (http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage=framed_frameset&GID=01031013600972501199629474&PG=20071934641052000801111555)
for a good example.
The person who creates/maintains your website will upload (copy) the files from his or her computer to the host's server. Each hosting service has a slightly different way (or ways) of doing that, but they're always pretty simple and straightforward.
4. A domain name for your site. This is the part that comes after "http://www." in the website address; for instance,
"southdakotasynod.org" is the domain for the synod website. The domain name,
when registered, will appear in the directories of domain names all over the
internet, so that when someone types "http://www.southdakotasynod.org" into
their web browser, they'll be taken to the right place. (For that reason we've
also registered "southdakotasynod.com"; "sdsynod.org"; and "sdsynod.com".) Your
domain name must be unique; when you visit one of the many sites through which
you may register a domain name, you'll be taken through steps to ensure that
you're not conflicting with another name already registered. There is an annual
fee to register and keep a domain name, usually no more than $10 or $20 a
year.
But before we look at that, we have to ask if you in fact "need" a domain name. If you plan to host your website on a free service such as Lutherans Online (or Yahoo's Geocities, or any of several other free services), you may not "need" a domain name. Lutherans Online gives you the option of using your own domain name, if you like, or simply going with a Lutherans Online address (something like "http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage=framed_frameset&GID=01031013600972501199629474&PG=20071934641052000801111555"...not the most elegant thing in the world, but it costs nothing!)Note: If you are NOT using a free host such as Lutherans Online, you absolutely will need to register a domain name.Here at the synod office, we registered our names via GoDaddy.com (http://www.godaddy.com/). It was inexpensive, and the process was very simple. As mentioned above, their website includes tools for helping you find a domain name that's not already in use. I recommend you come to GoDaddy.com with two or three possible names in mind, and start your search with them.GoDaddy.com also offers fee-based hosting, if you decide not to go with Lutherans Online or another free service. We did not use this service, since we host the synod website via the marketing firm we hired to put it together for us, but I see that GoDaddy.com has hosting plans that range from about $5 a month to $15 a month, depending on your needs.
Remember, you can always call on us at the synod office if you have any
questions or need help. (The services mentioned above have good online help and
tech support, by the way.)
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