Web logs or "blogs" have quickly become the web's most widely used communication tool. Now The Web Deacon's church sites have a blog built in.

The blog can be an easy-to-update newsletter, or it can function serve as a pastor's message, and registered users can participate by commenting on the posts or even adding their own, depending on available settings. It's all highly adaptable to your needs.

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Qualified designers may now join with The Web Deacon™ to provide sites to churches and other religious groups in their communities.

Designers will create the sites for the local organization, including development of the imagery, colors and layouts, and train the group's editor in content maintenance. The group will then have the option of retaining the designer as site manager or taking it over using The Web Deacon's user-friendly editing tools. The designer will retain most or all of the fees that may apply for implementation and maintenance of sites.

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Churches may now list themselves in our directory at no cost. To add your church's contact data, just go to the Directory and follow the Add Listing link. You must have a valid email address to participate. Other contact data can be added or modified at any time; we'll send you a password. Begin

The Web Deacon has announced an exciting new feature to add value to its organizational web sites. Member Networking will enable church members, families and friends to communicate among themselves in a family-friendly environment that lets your group decide who and what becomes part of the service.

UPDATE: Member Networking is now a reality. Go here for more information.

So-called social networking sites have become enormously popular in recent years. They provide personal web sites and rapid communication among users, who can post news, messages, photos and other information freely. However, they have also raised concerns over content and child safety, rising to the level of congressional hearings in Winter and Spring 2006. Many of the sites offer little or no supervision for young participants, and parents cannot easily supervise their children's online communications.

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New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, has ordered two state agencies to investigate a media report that Facebook may be accessing far more personal information than previously known from smartphone users, including health and other sensitive data.

The directive to New York’s department of state and department of financial services (DFS) came after the Wall Street Journal said testing showed that Facebook collected personal information from other apps on users’ smartphones within seconds of them entering it.

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Issues facing church communities can now be freely discussed by registered users in the Forums. Any user may comment; paid users may initiate new topics.

For general notices, a special Bulletin Board topic is provided. The calendar is also open to the public. Be sure to include your city in the Location field when you add an event.