Hello From Maryland!

[DennisW]

This my first time on this web forum and I notice that the typical question is how does my site look? Well...I certainly don't want to break tradition, so any comments/recomendations on design or layout are welcomed. Also, I have been trying to figure out a way to explain to my pastor that PODcasting is a supplement not a replacement for coming to church.

Anyway any suggestions?

Dennis
http://www.cityofzionlaurel.org/

[ckvkkeek]

Well its a nice looking site... but you are violating one of my key rules of web design.

Don't put text in images unless it is absolutely necessary.

Almost all of your text is in an image. Why not just use the image as a background and make the text over it?

Google can spider it that way.

[flutem3]

Well its a nice looking site... but you are violating one of my key rules of web design.

Don't put text in images unless it is absolutely necessary.

Almost all of your text is in an image. Why not just use the image as a background and make the text over it?

Google can spider it that way.

Hi,

I looked at the site and don't understand what you mean by the above. Would you please explain it to me?

Thanks!!

Carol

[ckvkkeek]

If you look at the page, the only text on that page is:
Sunday Worship - 10am ; Wednesday Night Bible Study - 7pm. View complete weekly schedule.
Visit Our Location at: Holiday Inn Laurel-West, 15101 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, MD 20709

Everything else is text that was placed on an image. So you cannot copy and paste it. For example:

http://www.cityofzionlaurel.org/mission_statement.gif

There is no reason that couldn't just be text on the page.

[flutem3]

Hi, Clarence,

Thank you for explaining that to me. I had never considered doing it that way. I don't think I would know how to do so. Probably that is just as well. I mess stuff up without trying anyway.

However, I have learned that either left aligning or justifying text is much easier for people to read than centering all the text. I cannot tell you how many websites I looked at until I understood what the person who told me that meant. We don't normally read in and out, in and out...but from left to right. I now notice that immediately on other sites. So thank you for explaining something else I didn't know. I just love this kind of forum. Even if I don't use this information now, it will be in the back of my mind.

Thanks!! :D

Carol

[xhtml]

Hi Dennis;

Looks like you used the good old Dreamweaver/Fireworks combination to design the site. Nothing wrong with that as long as you remember some important points.

When I look at the site with images turned off - there is no way to navigate the site at all - placing alt attributes in the images with the same names as the image buttons will allow visitors with images turned off or using text only browsers/screen readers to be able to navigate the site.

Believe it or not - there are a lot of web users that do surf with images turned off to speed page rendering times - plus you need to consider those folks that aren't using graphic browsers too.

Any image that conveys meaning should have the alt attribute - examples (in bold text):

your banner:
<img src="graphics/topbanner3_r1_c1.jpg" alt="City of Zion Church" width="760" height="153" border="0">

navigation image link example:
<img name="sidemenu1_r1_c1" src="side_images/sidemenu1_r1_c1.jpg" alt="HOME"
width="213" height="37" border="0">

Decorative images such as borders, etc. should have emply alt="" attributes (looks like all your images currently contain empty alt's).

Good to see your pages have a valid <!DOCTYPE> on them - very important with today's browsers.

If I can be of further help - let me know.

[Faithhb_lutheran]

Dennis,

Trying to get pastors to podcast is a long and tedious process most of the time. Here's some ideas.

1.)Pray to GOD! Ask for his blessing and direction in your ministry as webmaster. If anything is to be it will come through his will.

Now here are some steps you can take.

2.)Before you consider any technology movement you have to take into consideration who you are going to be proposing this to. Is your pastor shy or self conscious, then maybe he doesn't want the sermons going online because of the criticism it could receive, or is your pastor someone who takes immense pride in his work, then he may not want to have his sermons, his hard work to be plagiarized
3.) What kind of recording equipment do you have? How many tries will it take to get each recording right? If your pastor isn't convinced of the reliability of the recording equipment he is not going to be inclined to go along with the idea. Have the technical side completely shored up before you even bring it up to him.
4.) Do you post recorded sermons online? If not then podcasting is going to fast. Talk with your pastor and see if you can't agree on putting a set of sermons (say a lenten series) up on the website or on a special sub site or blog so people can leave comments and ask questions.
5.) here is a post (http://www.bloggingchurch.com/home/2006/01/podcasting_incr.html) from bloggingchurch.com that links to an article (article (http://http//icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16526037&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=ipod-link-tunes-in-for-churches--name_page.html))
talking about how podcasting is leading to greater church attendance.


And if this all doesn't work don't despair. Not having your pastor podcasting isn't the end of the world. just focus your talents elsewhere. That prison ministry you have could be a great idea. Get some of the boys who have come through to post up audio or video stories, things like that might spark your pastor and elders into action.