Tuesday 22 February 2011

Independence: A Ministry Website

Soon I'll be looking seriously at matters of publicity with a group of people around the UK regarding church matters. Already I am aware that some forms of publicity are more useful than others, for example delivering leaflets through the door can be too much effort for a weak result. The only people who seem to do it now are takeaways, because obviously it has a menu attached. I'm not sure that times of services is an equivalent draw. Leaflets go straight into the bin. But times of services should be prominent on a church website. We assume that a website is found by an enquirer.

Just made into a Facebook friend by his initiative, I am struck by the clarity of Rev. Mark Paris's website. This is the right amount of white space, a good contrast of text and background, and simple and relevant graphics. My only mild criticism is the menu above. Once again, for someone who can be regarded as 'independent' (or attached to a 'looser' Church), who doesn't receive a stipend, a website is surely essential. But so it is for a church that must attract to survive. Such a website is a critically attractive shop window, one that must give the unique selling point and a means of contact. Blogging would therefore be entirely different and probably separated in such circumstances.

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