Updates

Always growing with you

TheLordsWay.com is always growing to better meet the needs of the congregation we serve.  We update the services we offer continually and get the majority of our update ideas from you!  If you would like to see a service that we do not offer please contact us.  Since TheLordsWay.com is based on a content management system each congregation gets to use all updates instantly and for no additional charge!  Sign-up now and see for yourself how being part of TheLordsWay.com family of congregations will allow you to have a terrific web site!

Here are some of the recent updates we had added to the service.  Most of these update ideas came from congregations who use TheLordsWay.com.  We want your feedback so we can grow together!


Sort your pictures
1/12/2012
You can now sort your pictures any way you like.  Login to the Admin area and sort them in the order you want them to display.


Banking/Budgeting
1/12/2012
Keeping track of your congregation's different bank and budget accounts can be a real challenge!  You can now accomplish this easily on your web site.  Using the Banking/Budget pages you keep a record of what you receive and spend in your accounts.  Their are many options on the new banking/budgeting pages that will allow you to keep your information secure while allowing access to the screens to the people who need to view or modify the data.  Login to the Admin area and click on Budget to see how easy it will be to finally organize your financial information.


Articles with subjects error
1/12/2012
Certain symbols and punctuation where creating an error when used in an Articles subject/category field.  This error has been corrected.


Bible verse linking
3/15/2011
You can easily link Bible references on your site. Here is an example.

You type:
God loves you very much (John 3:16). So we should obey Jesus' command in John 13:34-35 and love others.

Modify the text to include a ~ character before and after each passage. Example:
God loves you every much (~John 3:16~). So we should obey Jesus' command in ~John 13:34-35~ and love other.

The programming on the site will automatically place links on your references like this:
God loves you every much (John 3:16). So we should obey Jesus' command in John 13:34-35 and love others.

This will allow you to easily backup your lessons, articles and other writings with God's Word. Visitors to your site will be able to quickly read the verses for themselves. Give it a try!

New text editor
3/11/2011
An updated text editor has been installed that will let you create custom text and easily insert pictures, video, documents and much more!  The new editor is easier to use and works much like a word processing program (like Word or WordPerfect).

Uploads are faster!
3/11/2011
We have updated the software that allows you to upload files (pictures, audio, video, documents, PowerPoint) to your site.  The new software is faster and allows multiple files to be updated at one time.  The upload steps are just like before so there is nothing new to learn.

Customize your toolbar
3/10/2011
You can display three important areas information on your home page using the toolbar.  Select from:
 
-Services
-Staff
-Articles
-News
-Calendar
-Contacts
 
You control what displays under Members ->Admin -> Theme.


More new templates
3/9/2011
We have added even more new templates.  Change your site template under Members -> Admin -> Themes to keep your site fresh and modern looking. Even more templates are coming soon!

New templates
2/12/2011
Added two new templates.  Change your site template under Members -> Admin -> Themes to keep your site fresh and modern looking. Even more templates are coming soon!


Albums for pictures
2/12/2011
Pictures can be put in an album to display together in your pictures page.  Using albums allows all pictures of the same event can be grouped together for easy viewing.

Yearly Events
1/12/2011
Added the ability to add yearly repeating events to the calendar.

Yearly Calendar Events
12/18/2010

The calendar now allows you to enter yearly calendar events that will repeat each year!  This will make entering birthdays and anniversaries a breeze.  Give it try.



Mass SMS Text Messages
9/27/2010
Have you ever needed to communicate urgent information to your congregation?  A prayer request, in-climate weather plans, etc.  Using your site on TheLordsWay.com you can now send mass SMS text messages right to your member's mobile phones.

To setup a mobile phone to receive text messages:
1.  Login to the Admin area and select Directory.
2.  Open a family.
3.  Create or edit a family member.
     a.  Enter the family member's mobile phone number.
     b.  Select the mobile phone carrier from the drop-down.
     c.  Check the box to include them in the Text Group.
     d.  Click Save.

To send a mass SMS text message:
1.  Login to the Members area.
2.  Select Directory.
3.  Click the link to send a SMS text message.
4.  Follow the simple instructions.

Note, SMS text messaging charges will apply from the carrier unless the member's mobile phone plan includes a texting plan.

Archive older articles
5/17/2010
After an article has been on your site for a while you may want to remove from the "main" articles page but not delete it entirely from your site.  You can do this by archiving the article.  Here's how:

1.  Log in to the articles admin area.
2.  Check the articles you want to archive under the Archive column.

The archived articles will no longer appear on the main articles page.  A link at the bottom of the main articles page will allow visitors to view your archived articles.

FaceBook Integration
5/14/2010
The site administrator can share news items, articles and videos with FaceBook by clicking the FaceBook Share link from the admin area of these pages.  Linking to FaceBook broadens your sites audience and drives traffic to your site.

Upload Limits Increased
5/14/2010
As a thank you to our customers we have increased the upload capability for all accounts by a factor of five!  You can now upload five times as many pictures, PDFs, PowerPoint, video and audio!  Thank you for using TheLordsWay.com.

Archive older news articles
5/14/2010
After news article has been on your site for a while you may want to remove from the "main" news page but not delete it entirely from your site.  You can do this by archiving the news article.  Here's how:

1.  Log in to the news admin area (either the public or member's only area).
2.  Check the news articles you want to archive under the Archive column.

The archived news articles will no longer appear on the main news page.  A link at the bottom of the main news page will allow visitors to view your archived news articles.

Embedding YouTube Videos
5/12/2010
Uploading video is a challenge.  While you can upload video directly to your TheLordsWay.com site there is quite a bit of effort involved.  YouTube.com has become the premier video hosting site and allows for unlimited video to be uploaded and the process is fairly easy.  You can upload video to YouTube.com and embed them into your site on TheLordsWay.com.  This is an advantage because:

1.  YouTube has invested millions of dollars in creating an easy to use video service.
2.  Videos embedded from YouTube do NOT count against your upload totals on TheLordsWay.com.

Here's is how to embed video from YouTube:

1.  Upload your video to YouTube.  You may need to create a YouTube account.
2.  Click on the Embed button on the video's page.
3.  Copy the embed code that appears to your computer's clip board (highlight the text and press Ctrl+C).
4.  Open the video admin area of your site.
5.  Click on Embed a Video from YouTube.
6.  Complete the category, date and subject for your video.
7.  Paste the embed code you coded in step 3 into the Embed Code field.
8.  Click Save.

Your YouTube video will appear in your video list just like all other videos.


Resource Reservation
4/12/2010
Does your congregation have resources that are shared.  A fellowship room, computer projector, bus, etc may be shared by various members.  You can use your site on TheLordsWay.com to track the reservations for these resources so everyone has what they need when they need it.  Administrators create the resources under the admin area called Resources.  Members reserve them in the Member's Area.

Calendar and Directory Integration
3/26/2010
Users can click on a calendar event to add it to their local calendaring application.  This allows them to save events they are interested in to their local computer, hand-held devices, etc.

Members can also click on directory entries and add them to their local addressing application to have a local copy.

Member Level Attendance
3/19/2010
You can now track attendance to the individual member level.  Just add the members into the online directory then click Attendance on the Admin menu under Congregational Management.

Contribution Tracking
3/19/2010
You have the option of tracking contributions at the family level.  Add the families into the directory and click Contributions under the Congregational Management area of the Admin menu.

Involvement Management
3/16/2010
You can track what areas of involvement each member is active in under the Involvement admin area.  You must first enter the names of your members in the directory.

Visitation Program Tracking
3/10/2010
Keeping track of your visitation program can be an overwhelming task.  Trying to get information into the hands of the people sending cards, making visits, etc is difficult indeed.  You can now use your site on TheLordsWay.com to manage this program for you.  Click on Visitation under the Admin menu and see how easy managing this program can be.

IP Blocking
2/25/2010
The Internet is a very public place. From time to time you may have a person, encouraged by the anonymous nature of the Internet, who wants to cause trouble.  When a user sends e-mail, posts in the guest book or discussion board their IP address is logged.  If someone is misusing your site you can block them from accessing it under Restricted in the admin area.


Yellow Pages
1/29/2010
You can create a Yellow Pages section of your site to help get the word out about businesses or services offered by members of your congregation or any other businesses you see fit.  You can display the Yellow Pages on the public page, member's only area or both.

Group Members
1/13/2010
You can now place individual members in groups to help sort them.  As an example if your congregation has food groups, visitation teams, etc you can place members in these groups within their directory entry.  You can print reports based on the groups or send e-mails targeting these members.

More Templates
1/4/2010
We have added more templates under Themes in the admin area.  We will be adding more soon.  Please send us your suggestions!

Easier Picture Linking
12/16/2009
Once you upload a picture to your pictures page you can use this picture anywhere you like on your site.  Just go to the Admin area for the page where you want to include the picture.  Place your computer's cursor in the exact spot and click the insert Image button at the top of the edit window (it looks like a mountain with the sun behind it).  Click on the folder to browse to and select the picture you want to insert.  It is really that easy!

Upload Multiple Pictures
12/1/2009
You can now upload multiple pictures are one time.  Click on Upload Multiple New Pictures on the pictures admin screen.

Multiple Addresses
11/30/2009
Many congregations have more than one address.  These may include a street address, billing address and mailing address.  You can now include all of these addresses on your site under the Home admin area.  Only the street displays to the public by default.  You may also display the mailing address if you choose.

Picture Resize
11/18/2009
You can now choose the size you want your picture to be after it is uploaded.  Just select from the drop-down box to select the proper size.

Audio on the homepage
11/3/2009
If you want an audio file to play on your homepage upload the file to the admin audio section and select the check-box Home Page.