New Mount Olive website to be previewed at July 4 Adult Forum

The Minneapolis marketing agency that designed and built our new website will lead a discussion about Mount Olive's new website at the Adult Forum on July 4 at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel-Lounge.

Two years in development, the project is headed by Mount Olive members Steve Berg and Beth Gaede, each of whom has extensive experience in researching, writing, editing and publishing. While the parish has maintained a good website for the last few years, the Vestry approved the new project as part of an Evangelism Committee initiative to:

• Simplify the site’s navigation
• Enhance its appearance
• Make it more interactive and useful for members
• Make it more attractive and informative for visitors and for the wider community
• Establish a clear and consistent online "voice" for Mount Olive
• Make Mount Olive’s non-Sunday opportunities for service and fellowship more transparent and accessible to newcomers.

"In these days of electronic change, a superior website can become a parish’s most valuable evangelism tool," Berg said, "especially for attracting and holding younger members." He described two over-arching aims for the new site:

• Becoming the primary vehicle (other than face-to-face) for improved communication among Mount Olive members and between members and staff. If a member wants to sign up for serving coffee, donating flowers, delivering Meals on Wheels or helping with the tutoring program, the website will be the place to go.
• Becoming the primary vehicle (other than word-of-mouth) for spreading the news that Mount Olive is an energetic, musical and liturgical church that welcomes all comers. The new site, for example, includes a professionally produced Welcome Video that introduces the parish to prospective members and friends.

The video was produced by Dan West and Mount Olive’s Ann Sorenson. Photos on the site were contributed by members Paul Nixdorf, Kate Sterner and Louise Lystig Fritchie. Adsoka’s Kayla Stearns and Maggie Frazier were principal designers, with technical input from Mount Olive’s administrative assistant Cha Posz.

Your comments and suggestions on the new site are welcomed and encouraged, either at the Adult Forum or July 4 or in the days immediately before the forum. The new site is scheduled for launch on or shortly after June 30. The address is www.mountolivechurch.org.