You should see what twenty five churches in Halton Presbytery are doing! You can do so by going to their websites which provide information about their location, worship times and formats, mid-week activities and special events. This electronic newsletter is also used to post sermons, staff biographies, inspirational messages, outreach endeavours - the creative ways of church promotion and opportunities to evangelize are virtually unlimited.

For those churches without a site, a web presence is certainly worth considering. This invaluable communication tool is particularly relevant to young adults in an era where those most interested in the internet are among the least represented in church life. On-line information is a great way to connect with an increasingly web oriented society.

An exciting and interesting website may be that all important first impression for those seekers who begin their search for a place to worship on the computer. Further, a well crafted site will inform the curious about what to expect when they do come to your church, making the experience of first time attendance a bit less daunting.

Your website is also the place for current members to keep up-to-date with what’s happening as it brings your church into the home and allows those who have been away, or are unable to attend, the opportunity to stay connected with their church family.

A visit to a few existing sites will give those of you without a site an idea of what you could include in one of your own. It may also give those with sites an opportunity to see what other churches are doing that may be used to enhance your own site.

The Halton Presbytery website is the best place to start looking at church websites. User friendly www.haltonpres.org, maintained by webminister Peter Curran, provides a church locater for Halton’s United Church congregations complete with email and web addresses. Other clicks of the mouse give you contact information for the Presbytery office, the role and function of Presbytery, names of the Presbytery Executive, Presbytery meeting dates, times and places complete with a map and picture of the hosting church. Additionally, events of interest to Presbytery members are listed and are a good spot to post your own event for other churches to see. There are links to the UCC, M&S Fund, a special kid’s section, job opportunities and general interest items available for those who are interested in the life of the wider church communities.

Those of you who want a website but are not sure how or where to start can begin by simply asking around. There is inevitably someone in your own congregation who knows how to program a site, or at least knows someone who does, and certainly those who can offer lots of ideas about the necessary information to include.

Additionally, Halton Presbytery’s Peter Curran will happily do what he can to help, and is able to offer knowledge and guidance for web construction relevant to church life, specifically life in Halton Presbytery. Peter can be reached by .

Oh, one last thing! On the Presbytery website, you will also find Spirit of the Presbytery. Click there to find all previous Presbytery Profiles complete with pictures of the profiled churches. Feel free to print and distribute any of the profiles your congregation may have missed, or would like to read about again. Also, if there is a program in your church you think would be helpful for others to know about please contact me, Ann Marie, at or .