Harleysville, Pa.–Franconia Mennonite Conference has launched a new website design as part of an ongoing restructuring that will provide better communication and a clearer presentation of the purpose and function of the conference.
The new site continues to provide popular features like the conference calendar, photo galleries, and a redesigned directory of conference congregations, conference related ministries, and staff. In addition, it now includes cleaner navigation, localized video and audio pages, an easy-to-search church locator, and integration with conference social media like Twitter and Facebook.
“The new website offers a clear visual and virtual image of the real postures of ministry of Franconia Conference,” says Director of Communication, Steve Kriss.
The new design by graphic artist Tim Moyer (timoyer.com) incorporates the conference’s core values of being formational, missional, and intercultural with rotating photographs on the homepage, submitted by Conference congregations. Clicking on the photos takes web visitors to a feed of articles related to each core value.
Ertell Whigham, Franconia Conference’s Executive Minister, encouraged the design team to draw attention to these values. “It’s for two reasons, really,” he said. “First, so that everyone who is a part of Franconia Conference gets a consistent message and second, so that we all have clarity on the conference’s direction.”
In addition to the beauty and functionality of the new design, the site has also been cleaned up on the back end (the structure of the site that ordinary visitors don’t see), which will lead to improved site performance and security as well as more efficiency for staff. “It will take less time to maintain the site while being easier to keep up to date,” says Emily Ralph, Associate Director of Communication. “That means it’ll be more cost effective in the long-run.”
“It’s been a labor of love, creativity, and persistence,” said Kriss. “We hope that it not only informs and shapes the Conference identity, but also invites into an ongoing conversation through more effective connectivity, equipping, and empowering.”
Continue the conversation:
- Submit photos of how your congregation has been formational, missional and intercultural for possible inclusion in the homepage rotation. (eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org)
- Share videos from your congregational life on Vimeo or YouTube. (send suggestions to FranconiaMC)
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.