Mennonite.net serves both Mennonite churches and organizations with hosting services.
Hosting
services feature our state-of-the-art Caravel™ content management
system which is offered without cost to any Mennonite Church or
organization. We can also host custom designed sites.
Here are some of the questions frequently asked about Mennonite.net.
If you have a question that isn't answered below, please .
What is Mennonite.net?
Mennonite.net
is a church-affiliated Internet technology organization that seeks to
build and support Mennonite community on the World Wide Web. Formed in
1998, Mennonite.net currently provides web sites for over 2200
congregations and organizations, e-mail services, churchwide data
infrastructure, and nationwide dial-up internet service. Mennonite.net
is raising the visibility of its members through offering a
comprehensive searchable directory, site promotion, and powerful web
site development tools.
Why should my church have a web site on Mennonite.net? Being a
part of Mennonite.net goes beyond simply having a presence on the web.
Mennonite.net is the largest directory of Mennonite entities on the internet.
Our web sites are building Mennonite community by including features that
enable churches to easily create content and value rich sites, improve
intra and inter-church communication, promote the products and services
of the Mennonite church, and increase each congregation's visibility within
the Mennonite web community. We promote each of our web sites to make
sure they are listed at the top of popular search engines. What is Caravel™?
Caravel™
is Mennonite.net's second generation content management system.
Caravel™ was created specifically for the Mennonite Church, yet it has
great potential for other uses as well. Caravel™ gives each Mennonite
church and organization a template directory website on Mennonite.net.
In addition, Caravel™ fosters an easy way to develop that website in
order to connect people, exchange ideas, and organize information in a
meaningful way on the web.
Without any knowledge of web site
design, web administrators (webmasters) can create and maintain a
complete website in Caravel™ with easy-to-use features that would cost
individual organizations hundreds and even thousands of dollars to
implement on their own.
Why should I use Caravel™ instead of designing a site on my own? The
Caravel™ content management system on Mennonite.net is designed
specifically to be used by secretaries, pastors, teachers,
administrators and volunteers, while delivering professional-looking
results. It requires no special software to operate. It is simple to
maintain, doesn't require much technical knowledge to use, is
customizable, and already features many tools that take significant
programming time to create from scratch. In short, it's powerful, and
we do much of the work for you.
In addition, Mennonite.net
continues to develop new features through our Technology Co-op.
Caravel™ users can take advantage of the features already there and
Tech Co-op members will help determine which features are developed
first and be able to take advantage of them as soon as they are
released.
My church already has a custom web site hosted somewhere else.Why should I look at Mennonite.net? Mennonite.net
can host custom web sites and domain names (such as mychurch.org) for
your church or organization. By moving your custom web site over to
Mennonite.net, your site becomes more visible to the Mennonite web
community. It can be found directly through Mennonite.net's zip code,
geographic, city, state, and title searches. Mennonite.net also takes
care of submitting the site to search engines. The cost for hosting a
custom site is $129/year. By becoming a member of the Technology Co-op
($250/year) your church or organization also has access to Caravel™
content managed pages as well. What do churches get for free on Mennonite.net? Mennonite.net
can host custom web sites and domain names (such as mychurch.org) for
your church or organization. By moving your custom web site over to
Mennonite.net, your site becomes more visible to the Mennonite web
community. It can be found directly through Mennonite.net's zip code,
geographic, city, state, and title searches. Mennonite.net also takes
care of submitting the site to search engines. The cost for hosting a
custom site is $129/year. By becoming a member of the Technology Co-op
($250/year) your church or organization also has access to Caravel™
content managed pages as well.
All Mennonite churches and
organizations have a free Caravel™ site that functions as a basic
directory listing on Mennonite.net. This basic listing includes:
a
unique sub-domain, based on your congregation or organization's name
(i.e., firstmenno.in.us.mennonite.net, mennoservices.mennonite.net)
a default home page with contact information for your church or organization (which you have the ability to update).
inclusion in Mennonite.net's searchable directory
These
directory listings can be turned into full-fledged web sites. Just ask
for a user name and password if you don't already have it. Tabs and
sections can be added with your own pictures and text on each page. In
addition, Mennonite.net is developing the Every Resource Project
whereby every Mennonite resource on the web will be available from your
website in three clicks. What services do churches receive when they become a member of Mennonite.net?
Mennonite.net
continues to develop new web site, data management, and communication
tools for member churches. Moving from simply being a Caravel™ User to
becoming a member of Mennonite.net means that you have additional
benefits, both now and in the future as you automatically receive
access to these features as they become available. Membership levels are as follows:
Member - some annual contribution below $250
Use of Caravel
Phone or email tech support
Custom URL can be attached to Caravel site
Custom hosting for at least $129/year but no integration with Caravel
Up to 8 (admin, member, and 6 additional) accounts for Caravel/email
Technology Co-op (Supporting) Member - $250/year
Privileges of Member
Custom/Caravel integration
Immediate to all existing services.
Level 2 priority in suggesting new tools/features
Up to 25 accounts for Caravel/email
Access to webmaster resources, email lists and forums.
Technology Co-op Partner - $500/year
Privileges of Technology Co-op Member
Special hourly rates on consulting, Custom web design and programming,
Level 1 priority in suggesting new tools/features
Access to Caravel hosted services including beta versions as desired
Technology Co-op Sponsor - $1,000/year
Privileges of Tech Co-op Partner
Promotion and a link on Mennonite.net home page
We bought our own domain name (i.e.. firstmenno.org). Can Mennonite.net host it?
Yes.
We can apply your own domain name to either a custom or a template
site. You may purchase your domain name from any recognized registrar.
(We like Go Daddy for its unbeatable combination of low price and good
service.) When you purchase a domain, send us an about your
intentions so we can provide you with DNS settings that you will need
to provide to the registrar in order for your domain to be hosted on
Mennonite.net. You will be responsible for any fees associated with
moving and maintaining the domain name. The actual hosting of the
domain is a free service to Mennonite.net members.
Who will actually create and maintain my site?
A website administrator, often referred to as a "webmaster," is the person responsible for the church web site.
Normally, a church or organization will choose one person to be in charge of the site.
With a Caravel™ site multiple persons with "admin" accounts can be given authority to maintain the site, perhaps dividing by tabs or sections. On a custom site, only one FTP account is given although it can be shared as necessary. You are responsible for your username and password. If you feel that your account is being abused, please and we can re-set the password.
How does my church become a member of Mennonite.net?
Your church can become a member by writing us a letter, sending an email, or by using our online services found under the Membership tab.
