wfn.org | Guild offers help to Web developers

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Feb. 3, 2003  News media contact: Kathy Gilbert7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.	10-71B{051}

NOTE: This report is a sidebar to UMNS story #050. A head-and-shoulders
photograph of Chuck Russell is available.

By United Methodist News Service

Any local church needing help with its Web site has a friend in the United
Methodist Web Ministry Guild, a network of Web developers offering technical
and spiritual advice, and United Methodist Communications.

Chuck Russell, United Methodist Communications' Internet resource consultant,
is ready to help people sort through the confusion.

"Whatever level a local church is at, we can help them improve from there,"
he says. Many people who are trying to start and maintain a Web site at their
church are not technical experts, he adds. Since he has already done a lot of
research, Russell can help with questions ranging from getting a Web designer
to online streaming.

The United Methodist Web Ministry Guild took a giant step forward in October
by sponsoring "We Built Our Church Web Site: Now What?" with a live audience
in New Orleans and a live audio webcast on the Internet.

The October meeting was held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the
United Methodist Association of Communicators. More than 80 local church and
annual conference Web developers were in attendance with another 306
listening in on the Internet.

"Resourcing local church Web developers has increasingly become a necessity.
The success of this event is a clear signal that Web developers are calling
out for help," Steve Downey, leader of United Methodist Communications'
Internet Integration Team, said at the time.

Russell has helped more than 100 churches with their Internet questions. He
also attends regional meetings to hold workshops. 

"I am here to help give them a higher vision of what their Web site could
be," he says.

For help with your Web site, contact Russell at webresource@umcom.org, or by
calling (615) 742-5444. An archived audio stream of "We Built our Church Web
Site: Now What?" is available online at www.umc.org/webministry.

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United Methodist News Service
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http://umns.umc.org