One of the cool things I get to do is help promote workshops and conferences at Granger - the biggest of which is the annual Innovate conference (previously the Innovative Church Conference). Each year we get together to develop the design, strategize about the print pieces and figure out how to use the website to get the word out.

This year we landed on the following:

• WiredChurches.com home page: Innovate trailer able to be watched in small media player. Larger version of the trailer (warning: audio begins automatically on this page) is available if you click on the link below or click the video as it plays. Large flash element links to the "mini-site" for Innovate 2007.
• Innovate 2007 Home Page: This page is the actual product page hosted inside the eCommerce solution - allowing the user to register for the conference. A navigation window is provided to hit "hosted" pages (outside the eCommerce system) for more conference information.
• Innovate 2007 Mini-Site: Made up of the "hosted" pages that offer information like schedule, speakers, breakouts, etc.
• Countdown2Innovate Podcast: Tim Stevens (Executive Pastor) and Kem Meyer (Communications Director) are hosting a podcast to discuss the conference, chat with scheduled speakers and go over topics related to innovation in the church.

It's been a fun ride watching all these pieces come together and I can't wait for the conference. This year it happens on September 27-28 with WiredChurches.com Workshops happening the day before on September 26, 2007.

We are also hosting the second annual Granger Film Festival after the midweek service on Thursday night.

We'll see you all there!

On May 21st we held the first ever WiredChurches.com WEB Workshop. Derived from the highly popular Communications Workshop - the WEB Workshop pulls high level communication strategy together with technical tips and tricks to help people take their web presence to the next level no matter what the next level is.

Kem Meyer (Communications Director at Granger) discusses 5 Web Myths and Best Practices for the web along with a three part strategy for implementation. I round out the day by telling my story from volunteer to full time staff at the church. Along this journey I parallel technology milestones, weekend attendance, website content and the number of staff/volunteers needed to handle the site during those times.

We started well with an attendance of 30+ so I'm looking forward to the next installment on September 26, 2007. The WEB Workshop will be offered as a pre-conference workshop the day before Innovate 2007. I'm looking forward to seeing you all there!