MACUCC Webfest '08 II

Saturday, May 31, 2008
9 AM - 3 PM

Framingham Conference Center,
1 Badger Road, Framingham, MA

Panel Discussion

Our day will start with a Panel Discussion on the purpose and content of church websites. The panel will be moderated by Associate for Communication Tiffany Vail and will feature members of the Conference Commission on Communication and others.

We’ll discuss:

• Setting goals for our websites;
• How to effectively reach our desired audiences;
• How to make our sites accessible to all;
• How to ensure that our sites accurately reflect our churches’ identities and personalities.

Small Groups

Based on participant feedback from the last Webfest, we will then break into small groups gathered around topics ranging from acquiring a domain name to making a great video for your website. On the reverse of this sheet is the registration form with a list of small group topics. We need you to give us your first, second and third choices, so we can schedule according to where there is interest. Click here for a list of topics.

Bring a Team!

Church website developers cannot work in a vacuum. That is why we are encouraging you to bring a team from your church! The cost per participant is $20 (including lunch), but the maximum cost for teams of up to
4 members will be $40. That’s right - pay for two people, and bring another two for free!

Questions? Got a suggestion for a small group not listed here?
Contact Tiffany Vail at vailt@macucc.org or 508-875-5233, ext. 229

Download and print out registration form to register with a check

Register up to four people online with your credit card

Small Group Topics

Participants will have the opportunity to go to two sessions. We may cancel those that do not generate enough interest.

2. Website sharing.
Come gather with your colleagues from other churches and let them check out your site and give you some ideas for next steps and improvements.

3. Web hosting & acquiring a domain name.
Come find out about different web hosts available and what kind of service they provide. Get help registering a domain name for your church’s website during this session!

4. Intra-church communication through your site.
Want to use your website to help members communicate with one another? Perhaps you want to set up a password protected space for member contact information, prayer lists, meeting agendas, etc. Or maybe you want to use discussion boards with youth or Bible study groups. Come find some next steps you can take!

5. Video – equipment & filming: 5 rules for making a great video
Interested in adding video to your website (or using video for other kinds of communication) but don’t know how? We will demonstrate simple rules for using available tools for producing video content that can add a new dimension to your internal and external messaging. We’ll also provide tips on how to make your video footage look and sound its best and how to use release forms for your participants.

6. 10 things you need on your home page.
Building on the morning’s discussion, we’ll talk about the 10 most essential things to have on your homepage to make visitors feel welcome, plus other must-haves for an effective church website.

7. Forministry.com websites
Do you have a forministry.com website that needs some additional work? Do you need help from other forministry.com users in taking the next step? This group is for you!

8. Help – no one knows how to update my church’s website!
Is this what’s happening in your church? Did someone set up a website for your church and then move on, and now no one knows how to change the worship time or put up the new pastor’s name? Members of the Commission on Communication are here to help. NOTE: All participants in this group must register at least 2 weeks in advance to give us time to do research on each particular situation.