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Introducing the new web site of the Orthodox Church in America

The Orthodox Church in America’s web site first appeared in December 1996, under the auspices of the department of communications and through the tireless efforts of Mr. Glen Mules.

The site in those “pioneer days” initially featured directories of hierarchs, clergy, parishes and institutions, and the OCA’s numerous ministries; essential information on the teachings, worship, history, and spirituality of the Church; the “Question and Answer” service; and a number of other features. The site rapidly attracted thousands of visitors from around the world and was recognized as a serious Orthodox presence on the internet.

In 1999, two talented brothers, Peter and Robert Czech, built upon the firm foundation established by Mr. Mules, adding the popular daily lives of the saints, numerous liturgical resources and music, expanded news sections, and many other features. The youth and young adult site and chat rooms also made their debut during this period. In addition, existing directories, departmental home pages, and the site’s educational, spiritual, and practical resources were greatly expanded.

By 2004, John Mindala assumed duties as web master. Due to his tireless efforts, photo galleries were greatly expanded, and a variety of other features were added or enhanced. Soon, it became evident that with the number of pages and features increasing literally by the day, a complete reorganization and redesign of the site had become a necessity.

The new site boasts a variety of enhanced features and resources, many of which were added in response to suggestions received from readers. Making the site as “user friendly” as possible was one of the web team’s top priorities.

Expanded and new resources include:

  • a thorough reorganization of the FOCUS curriculum pages, which offer a wealth of Christian education resources for children, teens, and adults.
  • several new resources and study units also are available on the new Department of Christian Education website: dce.oca.org.
  • the complete catalogue of items available from the Orthodox Christian Publications Center, with enhanced on-line ordering capabilities.
  • the full texts of the daily Scripture readings.
  • “advertisement” banners that allow the concurrent display of multiple events and encourage visitors to visit other areas of the site.
  • a clear statement of the Orthodox Church in America’s mission and vision.
  • a new series of devotional articles by the Very Rev. Vladimir Berzonsky, “Thoughts in Christ,” and an archive of articles dating back to 2002.
  • enhanced photo and gallery viewing capabilities with the addition of a pop-up viewer for easier navigation and access to archived galleries.
  • an enhanced viewer and easier navigation for the daily feasts and saints.
  • a new “In Memoriam” section.

Popular features, including the Very Rev. John Breck’s “Life in Christ” series and the “Question and Answer” service, which enables enquirers to receive answers to their questions on Orthodoxy within hours, have been redesigned and greatly expanded.

Technical improvements include greatly enhanced and appealing graphics, easier navigation and universal style, the ability to view multiple updates to the site from the home page, improved file structure, and more printer-friendly pages.

The new site, of course, will continue to be upgraded in a number of areas, and entire areas are still in need of redesign and further reorganization—truly a monumental task! And we ask you, our readers, to inform us of any dead lines, outdated or incorrect contact information, access problems, or other difficulties to bring these to the attention of Mr. Mindala at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Given the sheer volume of the site’s offerings, a certain number of “glitches” are expected to be discovered.

We also invite you to contact our web team with suggestions for additional features, further improvements, and constructive criticisms. Simply send your queries and comments to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Finally, it must be noted that without the generosity of the hundreds of individual and parish members of the Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards [FOS], our web site would have never become a reality, much less an invaluable resource to the hundreds of thousands of individuals from over 100 countries who visit the site every month. Free-will gifts given to FOS make it possible for the members of our communications department and web team to offer their time and talents to the ongoing expansion of our web site. We thank those who have supported FOS in the past and present, and ask those who have yet to offer their support to join the thousands of individuals and parishes that have made this site, and numerous other essential ministries of the Church, possible. For information on FOS and to make an on-line contribution, visit our FOS section on this website.

We hope you enjoy “surfing” our new site, even as we look to additional enhancements in the months and years to come!

In Christ,

Father John Matusiak, Director of Communications