Category: Technology

Now, which churches have dead sites?

The flip side of churches with an unreported web presence is those church sites, as congregations report to the Unitarian Universalist Association for uua.org, that no longer exist. But that’s not the same as saying they don’t have one. Seven congregational websites have thrown a 404 or other error on three occasions in recent days,… Continue reading Now, which churches have dead sites?

If not a website, then what?

In my post yesterday, I said that there are 36 Unitarian Universalist Association-member congregations that reported no website. But some do have one, including a couple of WordPress.com blogs, but it isn’t noted at uua.org (for whatever reason) And others use a Facebook like a church site, which I count as long as it’s reasonably… Continue reading If not a website, then what?

Churches without websites: the (small) problem

Unitarian Universalists were early adopters of websites, and even in the late 90s I remember more than 300 or 400 congregations hosting their own site. These earliest available archive is from 1996, with 234 sites and more coming on line all the time. I also recall — and thinking it wrong then — that someone-in-the-know… Continue reading Churches without websites: the (small) problem

Serious conference tech

My day job (Sunlight Foundation) colleague, Jeremy Carbaugh, has written a thrilling blog post about the technology Sunlight uses to run our annual big event/unconference, TransparencyCamp, a.k.a. TCamp. Along with masterful planning and execution, engaged group process and careful attention to design, TCamp is a sight to behold. I’m quite proud of it, and wanted… Continue reading Serious conference tech

Singing in church with recorded music

I keep running into sites — Unitarian Universalist but mostly not — with MP3s or other files with hymn tunes ready to use as accompaniment for churches without an instrumentalist. Presumably ones that could be described with one or more of the following adjectives: small, poor, remote, fragile or disorganized. A church for which this… Continue reading Singing in church with recorded music

One CRM to rule them all

I don’t agree with Unitarian Universalist blogger and minister Tom Schade on his call for a common UUA-wide CRM (customer relationship management) tool on practical grounds. In short, I think it isn’t any real kind of reorganization, but rather he conflates a tool with a creative and productive culture, and so would disappoint those hoping… Continue reading One CRM to rule them all

Want to learn WordPress for church site development?

I’ve recycled my liberalchristian.net domain to a fresh (hours old!) WordPress install, to serve as a church website for an imaginary church. I want to invite three or four people, particularly those with church responsibilities and few local resources, to walk through the process of (modestly) customizing and managing such a site. My added goal… Continue reading Want to learn WordPress for church site development?

“Congregation relationship management” appropriate for a small church

Unitarian Universalist minister and blogger Tom Schade reflects on his recent experience at a technological conference and suggests congregations use a CRM: an acronym with so many variant renderings that I created my own. And while I disagree with some of his suggestions, principly aboung changing our structures because it’s complex and expensive, his first… Continue reading “Congregation relationship management” appropriate for a small church