ChapelWebsites.com

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Initial Church Setup

After creating your account, it's time to add all the important details about your church. This information will appear on your public website and help visitors learn about your congregation.

What You'll Need

Before you begin, gather:

  • Your church's full contact information
  • Physical address (if you have a building)
  • Phone number and email for inquiries
  • Website (if you have another site you'd like to link to)
  • A high-quality hero image for your homepage (optional but recommended)

Accessing Church Settings

  1. Log in to your dashboard at chapelwebsites.com/dashboard
  2. Click Settings in the left navigation menu
  3. You'll see the Church Settings page with all editable fields

Required Information

These fields are essential for your church website:

Church Name

Your official church name as you want it to appear publicly.

Examples:

  • Grace Community Church
  • First Baptist Church of Springfield
  • New Hope Fellowship

Tips:

  • Use your full, official name
  • Include denominational affiliation if appropriate
  • Maximum 100 characters

Church Description

A welcoming introduction to your church that appears on your homepage.

What to Include:

  • Your mission or vision
  • What makes your church unique
  • Service style or worship approach
  • Welcoming message to visitors

Example:

"Grace Community Church is a warm, welcoming family of believers in downtown Boston. We gather every Sunday to worship, grow in faith, and serve our community. Whether you're new to faith or have been walking with Jesus for years, you have a home here."

Tips:

  • Write 2-4 sentences
  • Use friendly, inviting language
  • Focus on what visitors want to know
  • Maximum 500 characters

Church Slug

This is your website URL. You set this during signup, but you can change it here.

Current URL Format: chapelwebsites.com/your-slug

Requirements:

  • Must be unique (no other church can use the same slug)
  • Lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only
  • No spaces or special characters
  • Between 3-50 characters

Examples:

  • grace-community-boston
  • first-baptist-springfield
  • new-hope-church

Important: Changing your slug changes your website URL. Update any printed materials, social media links, or business cards if you change it.

Contact Information

Help visitors get in touch with your church:

Email Address

The main email where people can contact your church.

Examples:

Tips:

  • Use a dedicated church email (not personal)
  • Check this email regularly
  • Consider using a group email that multiple staff can access

Phone Number

Your church office phone number.

Format: Any standard format works

  • (555) 123-4567
  • 555-123-4567
  • 555.123.4567

Tips:

  • Include area code
  • Use a number someone answers during business hours
  • Consider including extension if needed (e.g., "555-123-4567 ext. 10")

Website URL (Optional)

If you have another church website, you can link to it here.

Format: Must start with http:// or https://

When to Use This:

  • You have an existing website you want to keep
  • You want to link to your denomination's site
  • You have a specialized ministry site

Leave Blank If: ChapelWebsites.com is your only website (most common)

Location Information

Help visitors find your church building:

Street Address

Your church's physical address.

Example: "123 Main Street"

Tips:

  • Include building or suite number if applicable
  • Use the address people should use for GPS/maps

City

Example: "Springfield"

State

Example: "Massachusetts" or "MA"

ZIP Code

Example: "01101"

Note: Together, these fields create your complete mailing address. Make sure it's accurate so people can find you!

Visual Elements

Hero Image (Optional but Recommended)

A hero image is the large background image that appears at the top of your homepage. It's the first thing visitors see!

What Makes a Good Hero Image:

  • High resolution (at least 1920x1080 pixels)
  • Shows your church building, congregation, or worship
  • Well-lit and in focus
  • Represents your church's personality

Examples of Good Hero Images:

  • Your church building exterior
  • Congregation worshiping (wide shot)
  • Hands lifted in worship
  • Community serving together
  • Beautiful nature scene (if your church emphasizes creation)

File Requirements:

  • Format: JPG, PNG, or WebP
  • Maximum file size: 5MB
  • Minimum dimensions: 1200x600 pixels
  • Recommended: 1920x1080 pixels

How to Upload:

  1. Click the Upload Hero Image button
  2. Select your image file
  3. Wait for upload to complete (you'll see a preview)
  4. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page

Tips:

  • Test your image on mobile - faces should be recognizable
  • Avoid text in images (it may be hard to read)
  • Choose images with good contrast for overlaid text
  • Update seasonally for variety (Christmas, Easter, Summer, etc.)

Don't Have a Hero Image? No problem! Your website will use a default gradient background in your theme colors until you upload one.

Saving Your Changes

After updating any field:

  1. Review your changes
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the page
  3. Click the Save Changes button
  4. You'll see a success message when saved

Important: Changes take effect immediately on your public website!

Previewing Your Website

After saving your settings:

  1. Click View Website in the top navigation
  2. Your public site opens in a new tab
  3. Review how everything looks
  4. Return to settings to make adjustments if needed

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incomplete Contact Information

Problem: Visitors can't reach you Solution: Always include at least email and phone

Outdated Information

Problem: People show up at the wrong location or can't connect Solution: Set a calendar reminder to review settings quarterly

Low-Quality Hero Image

Problem: Website looks unprofessional Solution: Use high-resolution images (at least 1200px wide)

Unclear Church Description

Problem: Visitors don't understand what your church is about Solution: Have 2-3 people read it and ask "Would this help me decide to visit?"

What Happens Next

After completing your initial setup:

  1. Your public website is immediately updated with your information
  2. Visitors can find your contact details and location
  3. Your hero image (if uploaded) appears on your homepage
  4. You're ready to add events, sermons, and customize your theme!

Next Steps

With your church information complete:

  1. Customize Your Theme - Choose colors and style
  2. Create Your First Event - Let people know what's happening
  3. Set Up Online Giving - Accept donations (optional)

Updating Information Later

You can return to Settings anytime to:

  • Update contact information
  • Change your address
  • Upload a new hero image
  • Modify your description

Changes save instantly and appear immediately on your website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my church slug after setup? Yes, but be careful! Changing your slug changes your website URL. Update any printed materials, social media, or links if you change it.

What if I don't have a church building? That's okay! Many churches meet in homes, schools, or rented spaces. Use that address, or if you're fully online, you can leave the address fields empty.

How often should I update my hero image? Many churches update seasonally (4 times per year) or for special events. At minimum, make sure your image is current and represents your church well.

Can I hide my phone number or email? Currently, these fields are required for your website. They help visitors connect with you. If you're concerned about spam, consider using a dedicated church email and a Google Voice number.

What if I make a mistake? No problem! Just return to Settings and fix it. Changes save immediately.

Need help? Contact [email protected] or check our FAQ.

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